Atlanta Police Department Policy Manual Standard Operating Procedure Effective Date November 15, 2013 Applicable To: Unit employees, Records Section Communications, and SSD commander Approval Authority: Chief George N. Turner Signature: Signed by GNT Date Signed: 11/18/13 Table of Content 1. PURPOSE 1 2. POLICY 1 3. RESPONSIBILITIES 1 4. ACTION 2 4.1 Unit Operations 2 4.1.1 Organization 2 4.2 Security 2 4.4 Police Report Technician 3 4.5 Imaging 5 4.6 File Reports 5 4.7 Juvenile Criminal Records 5 4.8 Data Entry 5 4.8.1 Basic Duties 5 4.9 Counter Service 6 4.10 Collection of Funds 7 4.11 Processing Area: Mailroom 7 4.12 Processing Private Impounds/Repossessions 8 4.13 Repository Area: Customer Service 8 4.14 UCR Area 8 4.16 Repository Area: Police Crime Statistician 9 4.17 Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) 9 4.18 Retention of Records 10 4.20 Homicide Information 10 4.21 Monthly Crime Report 11 4.22 Bias Crime Report 11 5. DEFINITIONS 11 6. CANCELLATIONS 12 7. REFERENCES 12 1. PURPOSE 2. POLICY To establish responsibilities and standard operating procedures within the Unit. 2.1 Secure storage and retrieval of accurate records are essential to the Department. The Central Records Unit is the Department's repository for all original incident reports, copies of accident reports, and related reports. The Unit provides prompt and efficient support service to all Department Divisions 24-hours a day, seven (7) days a week, prepares and submits Department crime data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. (CALEA 82.1.1b and 82.1.4) 2.2 All persons requesting criminal history records will be referred to the Identification Unit. Central Records Unit will not furnish any arrest reports or other records that would make up an individual s criminal record, to unauthorized individuals. (CALEA 82.1.1c) 2.3 All agency Uniform Crime Reporting Program submissions will be made in accordance with the procedures outlined in the FBI s UCR Handbook. (CALEA 82.1.3) 3. RESPONSIBILITIES 3.1 Unit Functions: Form APD-700, revised 3/10
1. To securely store all incident, accident and related reports in a manner that allows for prompt retrieval, upon request. 2. To provide backup and long-term storage of information through usage of the Department s imaging system. 3. To classify Department incident reports in accordance with the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program requirements; prepare and submit official crime reports to the State of Georgia as well as management data needed within the Department. 4. To review all incoming reports to ensure that reports have required fields completed. 5. To enter information from all reports into the computer system for automated indexing and retrieval. (CALEA 82.1.5) 6. To prepare reports for dissemination to various units and sections of the Department and to agencies outside of the Department for follow-up. 3.2 The Unit commander is responsible for the overall management of the Central Records Unit. The commander coordinates the prompt submittal of UCR reports. 3.3 The Support Services Division and Information Services Section commanders will monitor the work of the Unit. They will issue such command memoranda as necessary to guide the Unit functions. 4. ACTION 4.1 Unit Operations 4.1.1 Organization 4.2 Security 1. The Unit is composed of the Processing Area, Customer Service Area, the UCR Area, the Unit commander's staff, the Unit, the Georgia Crime Information Center Unit (GCIC) and the Compliance Unit. 2. The Processing Area operates on Day Watch and Evening Watch supervised by a civilian supervisor. 3. The Customer Service Area provides counter services, accounts payable, special search request, and a fax desk. 4. UCR Area provides records retention, uniform crime reporting process and statistical data to the Department. 4.2.1 The Unit controls the space assigned to it and provides secure storage and confidentiality of records. An assigned employee must escort personnel with restricted access to the Unit while in the Unit work areas and offices. 4.2.2 Only Unit authorized employees and/or their chain of command are permitted to enter Unit work areas and offices unescorted. CRU employees will access Page 2 of 12
through the keyless security door. The supervisor on duty determines whether to allow access to all other persons. 1. Security and privacy of criminal records information will be governed by all applicable state and Federal statutes and regulations including the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) manual. (CALEA 82.1.1c) 2. Computer monitors should never be in public view. 4.2.3 The Validations Unit has unrestricted access to all areas within 4.3 Records System Security (CALEA 82.1.6) 4.3.1 The Department of Information Technology (DIT), City Hall South is responsible for performing a back up of the Department s Unit report system. This back up will be performed daily. 4.3.2 The Unit reporting system verifies all users ID and passwords each time a user logs on. (CALEA 82.1.6) 1. Passwords expire every 90 days and registered users are required to set a new password. 2. The user must enter the old password in order to set a new password. This system will alert a registered user if someone else has gained access to his or her password. 4.4 Police Report Technician 4.4.1 Incident Reporting (CALEA 82.1.3) 1. The Atlanta Police Department participates in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Reported crimes are coded in accordance with UCR guidelines. Information on the following offenses is collected for, and forwarded to, the FBI on a monthly basis: a. Arson; b. Assaults; c. Burglary; d. Narcotics; e. Homicide; f. Larceny; g. Robbery; h. Sex Crimes; i. Auto Thefts. Page 3 of 12
4.4.2 Incident report review and classification in accordance with UCR guidelines. 1. Original copies of hand written incident and accident reports are delivered to the Central Records Unit and placed in the Police Report Technician s in-basket. Persons delivering the reports will stamp each report with the date and time. Computer generated reports will be down loaded from the ICIS mailbox to the Police Report Technician s desk top computer. 2. The Police Report Review Technicians will ensure that each report is complete, accurate and in adherence to UCR guidelines. The technicians will check each report to verify the correct date, complaint number, location of incident, and all other required fields have been correctly entered on the reports. (CALEA 82.1.5) 3. The Police Report Technician receives reviews, classifies, and completes GCIC Data Forms on stolen items, and distributes all Police Department incident and accident reports. 4. A Police Report Technician reviews and classifies each incident report in accordance with the Uniform Crime Reporting Handbook. The technician then distributes copies in accordance with the report distribution schedule. 5. If one report involves multiple offense classifications, apply the hierarchy rule and count only the highest offenses reported. Arson is the only exception to this rule (UCR Handbook p. 33). 6. The Police Report Technician will fill out forms for the entry, modification, and cancellation of pertinent GCIC information. a. The Police Report Technician fills out GCIC entry forms on all stolen autos, guns, boats, missing persons, securities, and articles as specified in the GCIC Code Manual. b. A cancellation form will be used when there is an error in the entry. c. When stolen property is recovered, the Police Report Technician will fill out a clear form and deliver it to the Police Report Technician seated at the GCIC Unit where the property is removed from the GCIC system. 7. The Police Report Technicians turn the originals of all reports in to the Data Entry Clerk after the review is completed. 4.4.3 The Police Report Technician will review all accident reports for completeness and accuracy. This will be done according to the instruction manual issued by the Accident Reporting Section of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. Original accident reports are taken to the Georgia State Patrol Accident Reporting Section for storage. 4.4.4 The Police Report Technician distributes copies of incident reports which include: (CALEA 82.2.5) 1. Incident Reports a. Citizens requesting police reports, which are public record, receive the first copy free, thereafter a fee is required; Page 4 of 12
b. Based on Open Records Request. 4.4.5 A police officer will pick up the daily CJIS printouts from the Department of Information Technology (DIT) at City Hall daily. The statistician will compile a daily crime report from the CJIS printout and distribute the daily crime report within the Police Department as specified by the commander. 4.5 Imaging 4.5.1 Imaging is done on a daily basis by a Police Report Technician or assigned employee. 4.6 File Reports 1. After hand written reports have been reviewed, classified and approved, a Police Report Technician will put copies of original incidents, accidents and related documents in the basket, to be imaged. Approved computer generated reports are automatically placed on the imaging system. 2. A Police Report Technician will organize the reports into batches, and then scan the batches into the system. 3. When the batch has been scanned in, a Police Report Technician will index each report by entering the type of report, case number and date. 4. Once all reports have been imaged and indexed, a Police Report Technician will enter them onto the CJIS system. 1. Copies of accident reports are filed by the case number, all vehicle-related theft reports (auto thefts, carjacking, robberies), and missing persons reports are filed by the case number at the GCIC station. 2. Incident reports are filed in numerical order by date and Call Incident Case Arrest number (CICA). 4.7 Juvenile Criminal Records 4.7.1 All police reports listing juveniles as victims, suspects or arrestees will be filed separately, in a blue file folder, in numerical sequence. (CALEA 82.1.1 a) 4.8 Data Entry 4.8.1 Basic Duties (CALEA 82.1.5) 1. Police Report Technicians enter data from all incident reports into the Department's crime database (CJIS), except those that are entered through the mobile data terminal in the patrol cars. All incident reports are computerized for the purpose of indexing the file and compiling UCR report data. 2. Data Entry employees will also input Supplemental and additional loss reports. Page 5 of 12
3. When data entry is complete, the original reports are filed in the file room. 4.8.2 Customer Service will have an assigned employee responsible for faxing requested reports to other law enforcement agencies and courts. 4.9 Counter Service 4.9.1 The counter clerk retrieves reports from files and assists customers at the counter. 1. Customers arrive at the customer service counter and fill out a report request form. The form is submitted to a counter clerk in order to receive a copy of an incident or accident report. 2. Upon receipt of the request, the clerk enters the incident number, victim's name or street location and date to retrieve the incident report from the imaging system. If an accident report is requested, the clerk will enter the date, time, and location in order to retrieve the report. 3. If the report is located, a copy is printed from the imaging system. 4. The customer will pay the fee as specified by city ordinance for the report. 5. In instances where the report cannot be located, customer service will ask the requesting person to complete a Report Search Form. 6. Upon receipt of completed Report Search Form, an employee from the Central Record Unit will inform the requesting party, within three days, of their request. a. The customer service employee will not direct a citizen to another location, reporting officer, or reporting officer s chain of command for any reason. b. A citizen inquiring as to the officer or work location responsible for the requested report, must be directed to a customer service supervisor. 7. Customer service employees may be requested to conduct additional hard copy searches for a report when a Report Search Form is received. 8. Customer service employees must search the Report Printer Web, UniSearch, ICIS Clerk Box, and the Hard Copy files for each Report Search Form submitted. 9. The customer service employee will search Report Printer Web, UniSearch, ICIS Clerk Box, and the Hard Copy files for each Report Search Form submitted. a. If the report is not found the searching customer service employee will sign the form, leaving the located section blank and submit to the customer service supervisor. b. If the report is located but incomplete the customer service employee will document status of report on search form and submit the form to the customer service supervisor for action. 10. The customer service supervisor will review each form received contacting citizens within three days of the status of the requested report. Page 6 of 12
11. If the customer service supervisor is unable to obtain a valid distributable copy of a report, they will contact the chain of command of the officer responsible for that report. 12. The customer service supervisor will receive guidance from a supervisor in the chain of command of reporting officer as to the availability time and date of requested report. 13. The customer service supervisor will contact citizen within three days of receipt of search form to advise them of expected date of availability of report. 14. The customer service supervisor will contact the citizen when report is available. 15. If the chain of command of reporting officer are unable to provide a report submission date, or do not provide report by stated time the customer service supervisor, or designee, will advise the citizen to contact the officers chain of command in producing the requested report. a. If available, the citizen will be provided with the name of the responsible officer, the unit officer assigned to, and supervisor of responsible officer. b. The address and Telephone numbers to the unit responsible will be provided to the citizen. 16. In all instances where a citizen is referred to the officer s chain of command for remediation the customer service supervisor will forward a copy of the Report Search Form, noting the negative results, to the Audit and Compliance Unit. 4.10 Collection of Funds 4.10.1 The cash register in the retrieval area operates Monday through Friday. The customer service supervisor is responsible for its efficient operation. 4.10.2 At the end of the shift, the cashier will clear the register, count the money, sign the tape, put the money and tape in an envelope, seal it write the date and amount on the envelope, and sign it. If the money and the register tape do not balance, the cashier will report the difference to the customer service supervisor. The cashier will put the envelope in the locked money depository. 4.10.3 Each weekday morning, the assigned customer service employee will audit the money and the tapes in the locked money depository for all registers. The assigned customer service employee will prepare an accountant's report listing the amount of money in each receipt category. The assigned customer service employee will deliver the report and the money to the Property Control Unit. In the absence of the assigned customer service employee, the customer service supervisor will appoint another employee to perform this function. This process will occur daily, except holidays and weekends. The supervisor will keep copies of the accountant's report and the receipt from Property Control, filed together by date, for one year in the unit, and two years in long-term storage. 4.11 Processing Area: Mailroom 4.11.1 The Unit mailroom will operate at the Public Safety Head Quarters (PSHQ) Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm, except holidays. Page 7 of 12
4.11.2 The mailroom employee will sort and route both U. S. mail and inter-office communications accurately and immediately. 4.12 Processing Private Impounds/Repossessions 1. The Police Report Technician will enter private impounds faxed in by wrecker companies into the state impound file. The Police Report Technician will provide registration information within 72 hours to the wrecker company. 2. The Police Report Technician will enter faxed repossessions into the repossession file. 3. The Police Report Technician will run registration of vehicles on sales sheets from city contract wreckers. Registration information will be provided to wrecker companies. 4.13 Repository Area: Customer Service 4.13.1 Customer service clerks fulfill requests for incident reports, accident reports, and general information received by mail. 4.13.2 Customer service clerks return their reports to the proper files once the requests have been worked. 4.13.3 No-charge requests must be approved by the Unit commander. Requests that are not prepaid or have inadequate information are returned to the sender. 4.14 UCR Area 4.14.1 The UCR Review officer reviews clear-up reports thoroughly to see if they meet UCR guidelines. If a report is rejected, it is returned to the section or zone commander from whom they originated. 1. A report may be cleared by arrest or by exceptional means, or by unfounding. 2. To clear a report by arrest, it must be verified that the report has not been cleared already, since a report can be cleared only once. An additional arrest must use the clear-up date of the first arrest. 3. To clear a report by exceptional means, all UCR guidelines must be met. If not, the clear-up report is rejected. The perpetrator must be known, his or her location must be known, and there must be a valid reason which prevents his or her arrest. 4. To unfound a report, the investigating officer must determine that a crime did not occur. 5. All property entered on GCIC will be cancelled by the investigator. 4.14.2 The UCR Review officer reviews change of status reports. If they meet UCR guidelines, the UCR Review officer makes the changes in ICIS. Reports that do not meet all UCR guidelines are rejected in ICIS Case Management. 1. A change of status is requested when the investigation reveals that the crime is something other than what it was classified by the Police Review Technician. The UCR Review officer reviews the requests against UCR guidelines. Those that meet the guidelines are changed Page 8 of 12
and redistributed. 2. If the UCR guidelines are not met, the request is rejected. 3. In changes of status where a report is unfounded from a previous year, the UCR review officer will change the disposition to code 70 on the CJIS incident screen. 4.14.3 The Report Review Technicians will provide computer printouts of activities by address at a cost specified by city ordinance. 4.16 Repository Area: Police Crime Statistician 4.16.1 The Statistical Office compiles crime and traffic statistics according to UCR and National Safety Council (NSC) standards and maintains the official files on homicides. The office is also responsible for assaults on officers, arson reports, and traffic fatalities. These statistics are available to authorized Department employees and the Office of Public Affairs. 4.16.2 The Statistical Office reviews all reports on officers assaulted or killed in the line of duty. Copies of approved reports are maintained in the Statistical Office (CALEA 82.1.5). 4.17 Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) 4.17.1 CJIS contains a master list of all persons identified on an incident and accident report. This list serves as a cross-reference to all documents associated with a report. 1. The master name list includes persons found on the incident and reports as the following: a. Victims; b. Complainants; c. Suspects; d. Witnesses; e. Person arrested; f. Drivers and all occupants in traffic accidents; and g. Juvenile Arrest. (CALEA 82.3.1) 4.17.2 CJIS contains the location of each incident and a master list of geographical locations. This file also enables other units of the department, such as Crime Analysis, to pinpoint problem areas quickly and efficiently in order to assist officers and investigators in their daily activities. (CALEA 82.3.2b) 4.17.3 CJIS identifies and captures information concerning call type and categories of the principal offenses recorded in the UCR Part I and Part II offenses. (CALEA 82.3.2a) Page 9 of 12
4.17.4 The Property Control Unit will maintain a record of all stolen, found, recovered, and evidentiary property, property retained for safekeeping, and property stored until it can be destroyed; a copy will be provided to Unit. (CALEA 82.3.2 c) 4.17.5 The GCIC Unit will enter all reported stolen property into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen property file in accordance with GCIC procedures. 4.18 Retention of Records 1. As outlined in the 2003 Georgia Records Act, Retention Schedules for Local Government Records, the Unit specifically maintains: a. Incident reports for 5 years; b. Accident reports for 7 years; and c. Impounded Vehicle Reports for 3 years. (CALEA 82.1.2) 2. Documents that are over three years old will be stored in the Property Control Unit s Local Records Holding Center or the City s Records Management Division. Active GCIC files are maintained in Unit on a permanent basis. 4.19 Records Maintained in Agency Operational Components (CALEA 82.3.5) 1. Criminal investigators maintain their active case files in ICIS Case Management. All completed investigative files submitted in ICIS Case Management will be stored electronically. 2. Records of the Homeland Security, Homicide, Special Victims Unit and Office of Professional Standard are maintained in the respective unit s files for additional security. 4.20 Homicide Information 1. On the first working day of each month, statistical employees meet with a representative of the Homicide Unit to fill out the UCR Homicide Supplement Report for the month just ending. For each homicide, this report requires: the situation; race, sex, and age of the victim and perpetrator; type of weapon used; relationship of perpetrator to victim; and circumstances or motive. 2. The Police Crime Statistician will verifies the number of homicides reported, unfounded, actual, cleared, open, and the number of previous homicides cleared. 3. The information obtained will be entered on the computer for updating each homicide record. 4. After receiving the original incident report on a homicide, the police crime statistician enters it into CJIS. The statistician keeps a monthly criminal homicide log containing the following: incident number; victim's number; homicide number; date first counted as a homicide; actual homicide number; unfounded; and cleared date, if cleared. Page 10 of 12
a. The statistician makes a manual code sheet for statistical purposes, filed in numerical order. b. The statistician keeps a log for all previous homicides cleared. This log contains the victim's name, date of the homicide, incident number, and date cleared. 5. The original report is placed in the victim's file folder, filed numerically by year and kept in the in the Statistical Office (CALEA 82.1.5). 4.21 Monthly Crime Report 4.21.1 The statistician or designated employee will direct the Department of Information Technology (DIT) to print the Monthly Crime Report at the end of each month via CJIS. After printing the report, the police crime statistician will: 1. Format UCR report manually. 2. Proofread and make necessary corrections. 3. Obtain the Chief of Police and the unit commander's signature. 4. Make copies for distribution. 5. Electronically submit monthly figures to GCIC. 6. Distribute copies to Crime Analysis and Public Affairs for website Atlantapd.org. 4.22 Bias Crime Report The UCR Review Officer will compile the quarterly Bias Crime Report in accordance with APD.SOP.3066 Bias Crime Data Reporting and submit it to the FBI. (CALEA 82.1.3) 5. DEFINITIONS 5.1 Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS): The Criminal Justice Information System is a computerized database on crimes and criminals operated for the City of Atlanta criminal justice agencies, APD, corrections, traffic court and traffic court solicitor, municipal court and municipal court solicitor, victim witness, and pretrial detention. 5.2 Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC): A state agency which receives, stores, processes, and disseminates information on crimes and criminals in Georgia. 5.3 Hit: Notification generated when a terminal agency receives a positive response from an inquiry made on a record entered by another agency. 5.4 NSC (National Safety Council): A non-profit public service organization furnishing leadership in traffic safety and other areas. 5.5 GCIC Unit: GCIC entry and response station. 5.6 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR): A national program for the reporting of crime statistics by local and state law enforcement agencies, operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Page 11 of 12
6. CANCELLATIONS, issued November 24, 2010 7. REFERENCES APD.SOP.3110, GCIC and NCIC Information Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Handbook National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Code Manual National Safety Council (NSC) guidelines Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) operation Manual Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) Policy Manual Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, (CALEA) standards 82.1.1c, 82.1.2, 82.1.3, 82.1.4, 82.1.6, 82.1.8, 82.2.5, 82.3.2, and 82.3.5 Page 12 of 12