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- Patrol Responsibilities, G.O. No. 3.1.05 Page 1 ALBANY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT 165 HENRY JOHNSON BOULEVARD ALBANY, NEW YORK 12210 PATROL RESPONSIBILITIES GENERAL ORDER NO: 3.1.05 Issue Date: December 02, 2016 Effective Date: March 1998 Revision Date: September 19, 2014 CALEA: 11.4.5, 41.2.4, 42.2.1 Volume 3: Operations Chapter 1: Patrol and Investigations Distribution: Sworn, Communications & Desk Personnel NYSLEAP: 40.1, 40.2 Issuing Authority: Chief Eric Hawkins Page: 1 of 4 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to define the primary responsibilities of officers with regard to the proper handling of calls for service and preliminary investigations and to establish responsibility and accountability for said processes. POLICY: It is the policy of the Albany Police Department that all patrol officers shall initiate a preliminary investigation and submit a completed preliminary police report when such calls for service require it and/or are so mandated by law. I. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS A. Sworn and non-sworn personnel who take phone calls or walk in reports for assistance, shall be responsible for the following: 1. Determining if the offense of occurrence has been committed or is being committed; 2. Gather all available information pertaining to the call, such as: a. Nature of the call and seriousness of the situation; b. Description of suspect(s); c. Description of vehicles involved; d. Weapons; and e. Immediate needs of persons at the scene. 3. Attempt to maintain contact with the complainant until all available information has been gathered; and 4. Immediately broadcast all available information to responding units or any other personnel in need of the facts. B. Patrol personnel shall be responsible for completing the following: 1. Proceed to the reported scene immediately, but cautiously, being alert for possible suspect(s) or suspect vehicle(s); 2. Upon arrival at the scene, determine if there are injuries. If injuries are present, render aid and request the Albany Fire Department Emergency Medical Services to respond; 3. Observe all conditions, events, and remarks; Eric Hawkins Chief of Police 1789 ---PAGE BREAK--- - Patrol Responsibilities, G.O. No. 3.1.05 Page 2 4. Transmit information of immediate relevance to other units; 5. Locate and identify any potential witnesses; 6. Interview the complainant, witnesses, and suspects, in a legal manner, or make arrangements through an immediate supervisor to have them interviewed by a detective of the appropriate investigative unit; 7. Maintain and protect the crime scene to ensure that evidence is not lost or contaminated: a. It shall be the supervisor’s responsibility to contact the Forensic Investigations Unit (FIU) to arrange for the collection of evidence. 8. Direct investigative efforts to searching for accurate and factual information that will lead to the apprehension of those responsible for the occurrence or the successful completion of the case; 9. Obtain and record a complete description of the crime and property taken; 10. Expend the appropriate amount of time required to conduct a thorough preliminary investigation, taking into account the immediate demand for performance of other police services; 11. Notify his/her supervisor when it is deemed necessary to utilize additional resources (Criminal Investigation Unit, Forensics Investigation Unit, Children and Family Services Unit, Child Protective Services, etc.); 12. It should be noted, common sense and good judgment are essential in determining the amount of time and the character of specific preliminary investigations that are required of all police officers; 13. Continue the preliminary investigation until the following: a. All useful evidence has been identified and preserved at the scene or until properly relieved of that responsibility by a supervisor; and b. All information has been gathered to complete the preliminary police report(s), as required. 14. At the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, advise the victim of the current status of the case, or what follow-up procedure will be utilized. C. Patrol supervisors shall be responsible for completing the following 1. Ensure that officers under their supervision conduct a thorough preliminary investigation, and work with any department investigator(s), as assigned or as needed. 2. Review the preliminary police reports and other department paperwork as soon as is possible to determine the comprehensiveness of the investigation. 3. If circumstances warrant seriousness or urgency, see that the case is brought to the immediate attention of a detective supervisor. II. INCIDENTS REQUIRING SUPERVISOR RESPONSE A. The sergeant on-duty shall be notified and shall take command of the following incidents: 1. Injury to a police officer; 2. Serious complaints or incidents involving a police officer or employee of ---PAGE BREAK--- - Patrol Responsibilities, G.O. No. 3.1.05 Page 3 this department; 3. Any major crime (robbery, rape, murder, homicide, assault, etc.), or any crime or assault where death may occur or has occurred; 4. Any sudden and or unattended death; 5. Any barricaded or hostage situations; 6. Any disaster, catastrophe, or severe weather producing emergency conditions; 7. Serious accident, injury, or incident involving City personnel or property; 8. Any serious personal injury motor vehicle crash; 9. Any incident involving the deployment of the Electronic Conducted Weapon; 10. Officer-involved shootings; 11. Any incident involving use of force; and 12. Any other incident where a supervisor is needed. B. Supervisors shall be responsible for notifying and requesting resources from the appropriate detective units, when appropriate. C. Supervisors shall be responsible for keeping unit/station commanders and the Chief of Police informed (through the chain of command) of all pertinent information and/or matters of special interest via verbal or written communication. This shall include incidents that may involve agency liability or those of heightened community interest. III. INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS A. When investigating a complaint, the following shall apply: 1. Ascertain if the complaint is of criminal nature. If a crime has been committed and the perpetrator is not on the scene, officers shall complete an appropriate preliminary investigation, as described below. 2. If a crime has been committed and the perpetrator has fled but is known to the victim or complainant, such victim/complainant shall be given a completed incident referral form and shall be advised to respond to South Station to sign a Court Information in order to institute a criminal summons/warrant. a. The completed crime report enables the victim/complainant to initiate legal recourse. In order to initiate a warrant action, the victim/complainant must come to South Station and sign a Court Information. However, the crime report must be completed before a Court Information can be completed. 3. If a crime has been committed and the perpetrator(s) is present, based upon reasonable or probable cause, the investigating officer should: a. Detain the subject pending the outcome of the preliminary investigation; b. Canvass for witnesses which may support/refute any criminal allegations; c. Take a statement or deposition from the witness; d. If the allegations appear supported and the victim/complainant ---PAGE BREAK--- - Patrol Responsibilities, G.O. No. 3.1.05 Page 4 wishes prosecution, the perpetrator shall be taken into custody, per current directives. The victim or complainant should respond to South Station to sign the Court Information, alleging the specific crime(s); and e. If the complaint is in regards to a domestic incident, follow guidelines established in current department directives. 4. If no substantiation is apparent for the alleged commission of a crime, the officer shall advise the complainant of such finding. The complainant shall be advised of alternate or remedial steps which may be considered, such as counseling, mediation, family court, civil court, etc.