UNIT ORDER #19 - CASE PREPARATION



Upon receipt of a case, the investigator shall accomplish the following initial investigative steps:

1. With extreme priority, the investigator shall review the case and advise his/her Team Lieutenant of any potential conflicts of interest or concern with the statute date.  In instances of conflicts of interest, the Team Lieutenant will consult with the Unit Commander to determine if another investigator will be assigned to handle the investigation.

2. If a concern exists with the calculated statute date, the Team Lieutenant must verify and approve the correct statute date (review inquiry memo, or other sources to ensure the correct statute date has been calculated).

3. The investigator will collect any documents or evidence that were not initially provided or may be lost if not collected immediately (video, audio, etc.).

4. The investigator shall then formulate an investigative plan or strategy.  Part of this plan shall take into consideration the number of interviews to be done and the investigator’s other investigations.

5. Review any prior investigative or civil litigation files of the subject(s), witnesses, or complainant(s) of the investigation.

6. In some cases, transcripts from criminal and civil trials, as well as civil depositions, may be necessary components to an investigation as evidence or documentation for cases involving, but not limited to:

  • Allegations of perjury
  • False statements
  • When a non-Departmental witness refuses to interview with IAB investigators (There must be a nexus to the investigation.)
  • Any statements that may be material to the alleged policy violation(s)