INVESTIGATING OFFICER-INVOLVED INCIDENTS Expanded Course Outline and Hourly Distribution For One-Day, 8 Hour Course. Instructor: John L.

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1 INVESTIGATING OFFICER-INVOLVED INCIDENTS Expanded Course Outline and Hourly Distribution For One-Day, 8 Hour Course Instructor: John L. Barg Learners: Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Investigators, Homicide Investigators, District Attorney Investigators, Major Crime Investigative Unit Commanders. Length of Instruction: One 8-Hour Day: 8 Hours Total Objective: The students will learn how to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into officer involved shootings and in-custody deaths. Students will be able to evaluate the incident, coordinate investigative resources, and manage the investigation from the initial callout through the final disposition : I. Basic strategy for the initial response to an Officer-Involved Incident A. The role of the criminal investigator 1. Impartial and fair a. Parallels a homicide investigation 2. Patience vs. efficiency a. Expect obstacles/implement workarounds 3. The hazards of role deviation a. Internal Affairs, City Attorney, District Attorney, nonessential interested parties B. Recurring themes in OII investigations 1. Vehicles a. Suspect fleeing b. Vehicle as weapon 2. Unarmed suspect 3. Drug overdose 4. Taser death 5. Suspect on crime spree C. County and agency protocols 1. Role of each agency/clear expectations D. Strategy for critical/sensitive incidents 1. Unit Commander: Liaison upward 2. Lead Investigator(s): Liaison downward 3. Define scope of incident 4. Assess and allocate resources

2 a. Scene/evidence b. Involved officers c. Witness officers d. Civilian witnesses e. Establish expectations f. Checks, balances, safeguards 5. Reassess frequently E. Case Study Exercise/Activity 1. Introduce sample OIS Scenario b. Assess initial investigative steps : II. Crime scene assessment, security, and processing A. Basic crime scene strategy 1. Inner/outer perimeter limit tourism 2. Crime scene logs 3. Photos a. Initial b. Photos for props c. CSU photos 4. Evidence management B. Scene briefing 1. Before scene entry 2. Initial briefing a. First responder driven (ranking patrol supervisor or night detective) b. Purpose: What do we have, how did we get here, where is everybody now. 3. Crime scene tour a. Directed by lead CSU investigator 4. Witness canvass and triage/video canvass 5. Evidence collection primer a. Package in paper; always air dry b. GSR c. Blood, tissues, fluids, fibers, DNA 6. Search and seizure primer a. Standing b. Exceptions to warrantless entries c. Search warrants 7. Deployment briefing C. Case Study Exercise/Activity b. Assess crime scene steps

3 : III. Logistics and optimal workflow within the investigative unit A. Logistics 1. Involved officer(s) sequestered a. Attorney b. POA c. Photos and equipment collection 2. Witness officers and report writing a. Supervisor and investigator review 3. Meals, rest, equipment, computers 4. Location identification a. Commandeer outside location if necessary B. Briefings 1. Pre-brief 2. Location a. Scribe/luxury b. Outside of workspace c. White board=magnet for crowds 3. Target audience 4. Progressive briefings a. Investigators and necessary personnel only briefings b. Public briefings for non-essential personnel C. Keeping the circus outside of your workspace 1. Inner/outer perimeter concept within your office 2. Utilize the unit commander D. Case Study Exercise/Activity b. Assess logistical steps/briefing components : IV. Interview and Interrogation A. Legal Primer 1. Interview vs. Interrogation 2. Miranda vs. Beheler B. Documentation 1. Recording 2. Notes 3. Reports C. Professional considerations 1. Officers vs. civilians

4 2. Attorneys 3. Outside agencies 4. Involved personnel a. Lead interviewer b. Support interviewer c. Oppose additional observers D. Civilian witnesses 1. Interview sheets 2. Cooperation E. Sworn witnesses 1. Attorney representation 2. Reports favored over interview F. Involved officer(s) 1. Interview venue 2. Pre-interview contact a. With officer b. With attorney 3. Preamble 4. Opportunity to add and ask questions G. Suspect interviews 1. Miranda 2. Venue (hospital, jail, interview room) 3. Level of detail 4. Parallel with involved officer interview H. Interview outlines 1. Roadmaps and plans 2. Visual aids I. Case Study Exercise/Activity b. Assess Interview & Interrogation components : V. Investigative resources and special considerations A. Warrants 1. Ramey 2. Arrest 3. Search 4. Preservation of evidence a. Freeze b. Preservation letters B. LE databases 1. CAD/Internal contact databases 2. Criminal histories

5 3. Offline search 4. WSIN 5. LPR C. Public databases 1. Not always reliable/lead value 2. Google D. Social media 1. Trojan accounts E. Investigator mindset 1. Relentless 2. Resourceful 3. Creative F. Objective identification 1. After facts obtained 2. Greater picture G. Media 1. Benefits 2. Frustrations : VI. Prosecution and Government Attorney Review A. The role of the District Attorney 1. Criminal liability 2. Prosecution 3. Check and balance a. Public trust 4. Grand Jury vs. DA Review 5. DA Presentation a. Props, outlines, summaries b. Attendance 6. Theories of discovery a. Kitchen sink b. Cherry picking c. Digital format vs. analog 7. Transcripts and recordings B. City Attorney/County Counsel/Government Attorney 1. Civil liability 2. Right to discovery a. Discovery side note 3. Parallel investigation 4. Typically least involved, until civil trial : VII. Aftermath and Agency Debriefing A. Investigative debriefs

6 1. Unit wide 2. Structured 3. Identify points of deficiency 4. Blame is not helpful 5. Purpose: improve future investigations B. Command staff debriefs 1. Unit commander 2. Purpose: evaluate tactics, training, equipment 3. Detailed, yet fact based C. Department wide debriefs 1. Peer to peer 2. Fact based, yet general 3. Consideration of involved officers 4. Purpose: transparency and self-evaluation D. Debriefs may be discoverable E. Case Study Exercise/Activity b. Assess aftermath and final debriefs Facilities, Materials, and Personnel: Class runtime is (with a one-hour lunch) Dry Erase Board Laptop Computer with Powerpoint LCD Projector Handout Packets DVDs for each student (containing resource templates and exemplars)