0019 - OUT-OF-COUNTY INVESTIGATION TRAVEL PROTOCOL

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

  DETECTIVE DIVISION    

 

 SPECIAL VICTIMS BUREAU

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bureau Order No:	0019
Subject:	OUT-OF-COUNTY INVESTIGATION TRAVEL PROTOCOL

 

Effective Date

Jan. 2023

Last Date Reviewed

Jan. 2023

Last Date Revised

Jan. 2023

 

PURPOSE:

 

To provide a protocol for a timely and efficient response with appropriate travel arrangements and expenses for Special Victims Bureau (SVB), personnel conducting out of county investigations.

 

POLICY:

 

1. When the need arises to respond to a departmental out of county investigation, SVB personnel shall inform their immediate supervisor and prepare a memo outlining the need for travel, and the need for reimbursement from special appropriations funds with a much lead time as possible (if possible, at least two weeks in advance).  The respective supervisor shall then forward that memo to the unit field lieutenant, for the Unit Commander’s approval.  The memo shall include the following information:

 

A.        A brief synopsis of the case, the benefit to the case, and the type of travel                          requested.

 

B.        The anticipated dates and time of departure and return.

 

C.        The anticipated reservation needs, including transportation, lodging or other incidental travel expenses.  The airport departure location should also be included.

 

II.         The field lieutenant shall forward the request for travel to the bureau’s operations professional staff for immediate processing.

 

1. 1. The operations professional staff shall ensure that the proper funding source forms are completed and submitted in a timely manner.  When authorization is granted by the Unit Commander or Division Headquarters, the operations professional staff shall perform the following functions to ensure that the investigator’s travel arrangements and reservations are met.

 

1. 2. Arrange for the respective investigator’s travel reservations for transportation and lodging from a travel management service agent. 

 

1. 3. Arrange for unit funds to augment the investigator’s meals, and any incidentals such as cab or shuttle fair, rental cars, gasoline purchases, etc. 

 

1. 4. Provide the investigator with a complete travel itinerary.

 

3. Special Appropriations Funds

 

1. 1. Authority

 

Government Code Section 29430 establishes a Sheriff’s Special Appropriations Fund.  In accordance with Government Code Section 29435, this fund is to be used by the Sheriff only for:

 

1. 1. 1. Expenses incurred in criminal cases arising in the county, and/or
      2. Expenses necessarily incurred in the preservation of peace, and/or
      3. Expenses necessarily incurred in the suppression of crime.

 

B         Authorized Expenditures

 

Expenditures are authorized from Special Appropriations Fund only when the expenses not covered by other categories are essential to the successful completion of an investigation and which have specific approval from the Division Chief or Area Commander.  This includes approved expenses for travel, food, and lodging incurred by investigators during the course of a criminal investigation which requires overnight stays or exceed limits for meals or lodging as determined by the Auditor-Controller.  Current limitations are available through the Fiscal Administration.

 

 

NOTE:            Travel for investigative purposes outside of the county for more than 24-hours can be approved for Special Appropriations Funds under the County Code.  Mileage shall be reimbursed at the current rate and shall be included on the claimant’s Special Appropriations Expense Claim (SH-AD-103) with all other Special Funds expenditures.

 

1. 3. Reimbursement Procedures

 

Personnel incurring reimbursable expenses shall submit claims in accordance with Department Manual Section 3-05/050.10.  Claims shall be itemized and either typed or printed in ink.

 

Verifying receipts, etc., shall be filed and maintained in the bureau control files with copies of all claims.

 

4. The traveling employee shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records or logs of all expenses and return to the operations professional staff any receipts and unspent monies within three business days of their return.  A Special Appropriations Expense Claim, SHAD-103 (See attachments) shall also be completed by the traveling employee and returned to the operations professional staff within three business days.

 

Reviewed and approved by:

 

                                                                                                       

Richard Ruiz, Captain                                                                                

Special Victims Bureau     

                                               

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT - COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

SPECIAL APPROPRIATION EXPENSE CLAIM

                                         (BLANK FORM)

 

Special Victims Bureau         BUREAU	UNIT	DATE		CONTROL NUMBER
$                                  TOTAL OF THIS CLAIM	RECEIVED BY (SIGNATURE)			BUREAU CLAIM      □ UNIT CLAIM      □ INDIVIDUAL CLAIM     □
APPROVED BY (SIGNATURE)			URN

 

 

                                                                    INDIVIDUAL OR UNIT ITEMIZATION                                                                               

DATE(S)	CLAIMANT	RECEIPT SIGNATURE/ITEMIZATION	AMOUNT	CASE/CONTROL NO.
		TOTAL CLAIM	$
		LESS ADVANCE	$
		RETURNED TO COUNTY	$

 (MARIE\SPECAPPRO\SHAD103    

 

SH-AD-103-Rev. 3/75                                                                                                                                                                                PAGE  1   OF  1