PURPOSE OF THIS DIRECTIVE:
To ensure that all completed administrative investigations maintained by Internal Affairs Bureau are permanently preserved in the Performance Recording and Monitoring System (PRMS) system and on CD ROM and may be easily retrieved. This directive covers the procedures for saving digitized investigations and does not cover procedures for saving the hard paper copy administrative investigations.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIGITIZING AND SAVING COMPLETED FILES
The IAB file clerk shall be assigned the responsibility of accurately converting audio and hard copy completed investigations into digital format and attaching the files into PRMS and CD ROM format.
Organizational and functional supervision of the file clerk is assigned to the Administrative Systems Manager I at IAB.
DEFINITION OF A COMPLETED ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION
A completed administrative investigation is defined as an investigation that has been investigated, adjudicated by appropriate executives, and discipline, if any, has been imposed.
PROCESS FOR SCANNING AND TEMPORARILY SAVING HARD COPY FILES
- All completed administrative investigations received by the IAB file room shall be digitally scanned.
- Double sided documents and photographs which require special procedures for scanning shall be pulled from the investigation and scanned separately.
- All scanned pages shall be in the same order as the original with the exception of photographs and double sided documents which shall be added at the end of the scanned investigation.
- Each page of the digitally scanned investigation shall be viewed on a computer monitor to ensure the conversion is accurate, complete and is a true and accurate copy.
- A temporary file shall be created on IAB Shared files (file server) and labeled with the case number.
- The completed and inspected digitized file shall then be moved into the corresponding file folder on the file server for temporary storage.
PROCESS FOR TRANSFERRING DIGITAL AUDIO FILES OF COMPLETED INVESTIGATIONS
Audio interviews of administrative investigations may be in one of two formats, audio cassette tape and/or in digital format on the Dictaphone file server. All digitized interviews for each investigation shall be transferred to the IAB Shared file folder created with the corresponding case number and houses the temporary digitized hard copy file.
CREATING A CD ROM
- Once the temporary file folder on the file server contains both the digitized hard copy file and all the audio interviews in digital format, the folder may be copied to a CD ROM.
- After the file folder has been copied to the CD ROM, a visual check shall be made to ensure that all of the files were copied correctly and completely copied.
- A CD ROM label shall be made and attached to each ROM listing the Case Number.
ATTACHING PDF FILES TO PRMS
- Once the temporary file folder on the file server contains both the digitized hard copy file and all the audio interviews in digital format, the PDF copy of the case shall be attached in PRMS.
QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES
INSPECTION PROCESSES
- Hard copies scanned to digitized format shall be inspected to verify completeness and clarity.
- Individual files copied to CD ROM shall be inspected to verify all files were copied and a random sampling of at least one audio recording shall be made to ensure clarity.
- Individual files copied to the associated case in the PRMS system shall be inspected to verify the audio and digitized case file were successfully attached.
COMPLETE AUDIT VERIFICATION
- 20% of all investigations placed onto the PRMS system and CD ROM will be inspected by the Administrative Systems Manager I or his/designee.
- Such verification shall include opening each audio file in both PRMS and CD ROM and a complete visual inspection of the entire digitized investigation.
PROTOCOLS FOR SAVING FILES ON CD ROM
ARCHIVE CASES
- Cases closed during years 1988 to 1995 shall be copied onto CD ROM in multiple format and shall not include audio recordings.
- Cases shall be combined by calendar year, from the lowest number to the highest.
- More than one CD ROM may be necessary to store cases from one calendar year.
- Each CD ROM shall be numbered and marked in a manner that an archive case may be found.
- A cross reference system shall be made to help determine on which ROM a case is located.
- Cases closed during years 1996 to 2001 shall be copied onto CD ROM in multiple format and shall include audio recordings.
- NOTE: Each case from years 1988 to 2001 shall also be also placed into the PRMS under the corresponding case number.
RECENTLY CLOSED CASES
- A single closed case, including audio, digitized hard copy, and other attachments shall be copied onto a CD ROM with the exception of cases which involve “Failure to Shoot/Qualify” and “Traffic Collisions”.
- Cases which involve “Failure to Shoot/Qualify” and “Traffic Collisions” may be placed onto CD ROM in multiple format using the same cross reference system for archive files.