Custodial interrogations of suspects and the statements and confessions that are elicited are vitally important in the preparation of criminal cases. However, to be admissible as evidence, statements and confessions must be given freely and voluntarily and with due consideration for the suspect’s right to silence and right to counsel. Therefore, law enforcement agency should ensure that all officers understand and follow applicable agency policy in order to observe due process rights of suspects and to guard against any charges of police coercion or intimidation during interrogation.

These documents provide officers with legally sound procedures for conducting custodial interrogations.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. 

The authority to use force carries with it the need for accountability in order to safeguard the rights of the public and preserve the integrity of the law enforcement agency and the jurisdiction that provides this authority. As such, law enforcement agencies should dictate that use of force be reported in a timely, complete, and accurate manner by involved officers and as prescribed by policy.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. 

The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the emotional and developmental differences between adults and juveniles and the implications that this has on the conduct of juvenile interviews in general and interrogations in particular. These differences must be taken into account when an officer conducts an interview or interrogation of a juvenile. Officers must observe the legal rights of juveniles and protect against charges of police coercion or intimidation during interviews and interrogations of juveniles.

These documents provide officers with procedures for interviewing and interrogating juveniles that are both legal and consistent with the limitations in maturity and emotional development characteristic of juveniles.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. 

Members of the public, including media representatives, have an unambiguous First Amendment right to record officers in public places, as long as their actions do not interfere with the officer’s duties or the safety of officers or others. Officers should assume that they are being recorded at all times when on duty in a public space.

These documents provide officers with guidance for dealing with situations in which they are being recorded, to include photographing, videotaping, audiotaping, or both, by members of the public or the press.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. 

Civil disorders have been demonstrated to present highly fruitful opportunities for violence-prone elements of society to steal firearms, ammunition, explosives and incendiary devices. In the 1992 Los Angeles riots alone, over 4,300 automatic and semi-automatic weapons were stolen from gun stores, pawn shops and other locations. The availability of these weapons on the street represents a significant threat to the public safety. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should take all steps possible to prepare for such eventualities through establishing this emergency preparedness and deployment plan.

These documents provide direction and procedures for securing repositories containing firearms, explosives or incendiary devices that may be vulnerable to looting during civil disturbances. They are designed to accompany an agency’s policy on civil disturbances.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Child abuse and neglect have been traditionally regarded as the principal responsibility of child protective services and social welfare agencies. However, research has demonstrated that a large percentage of repeat offenses, many of which involve serious injury or death, involve known offenders. Effective response to child maltreatment requires cooperative and coordinated efforts between social welfare and law enforcement agencies, and, further, that under certain circumstances, arrest and criminal prosecution are appropriate and the preferred approach to the problem from a preventive standpoint. Once the child’s safety has been ensured, the primary responsibility law enforcement is to determine whether a crime has been committed and then to identify the responsible party. All reports of child abuse and neglect should be thoroughly investigated in accordance and appropriate measures taken consistent with state law that will best protect the interests of the child.

These documents provide guidelines for recognizing instances and accepting reports of child abuse and neglect and coordinating the investigation of such cases with appropriate child protective services agencies and prosecuting attorney’s offices.

Reported deaths of persons, other than those under the immediate care of a physician at a hospital or similar health care facility, should be responded to by law enforcement officers for investigation and for purposes of providing basic assistance to survivors. It is the responsibility of responding officers in cooperation with homicide investigators, emergency medical responders, physicians, and the medical examiner to establish the manner of death whether naturally, by accident, suicide, homicide, or unknown causes. In so doing, officers should approach the investigation of any death that is not attended by a physician in a health care setting as a potential homicide, regardless of how it is reported, and should follow procedures as detailed in agency policy to assist in determining the cause and manner of death.

These documents provide initial responding officers with guidelines for conducting preliminary investigations of deceased persons.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

If curfew laws are to be effective, they must be enforced in a consistent, fair and uniform manner. In addition, to be properly evaluated, enforcement actions must be fully documented.

These documents provide officers with guidance for the enforcement of this jurisdiction’s curfew ordinance.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

A diverse police workforce is a valuable asset, and trained and experienced female police officers are critical resources. Pregnancy is a temporary physical condition, unique to women, which may or may not affect an employee’s ability to perform many of the usual duties of her job classification. 

The goal of these documents is to provide options that allow for an officer to remain working in a full-time capacity and performing full-duty assignments, in combination with alternative duty assignments, for as long as reasonably possible. They seek to ensure a woman’s right to work free from discrimination and to protect the property interest she has in her job, while guarding against the risks inherent in the performance of her duties.

Law enforcement duties can expose officers to mentally painful and highly stressful situations that cannot be resolved through normal stress coping mechanisms. Unless adequately treated, these situations can cause disabling emotional and physical problems. Officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of or serious bodily injury to a citizen or a fellow officer may cause adverse reactions and behaviors in the officer. It is the responsibility of each law enforcement agency to provide officers with information on potential post-shooting trauma reactions and to guide and assist in their prevention.

Law enforcement agencies should develop policies and procedures to take action after officer-involved shooting incidents to safeguard the mental health of all officers.

These documents provide guidelines that should be uniformly applied following any officer-involved shooting incident, in order to minimize the chance that officers will suffer from the negative emotional and psychological reactions that can occur after the use of deadly force in an on- or off-duty confrontation. They are designed to address the needs of the officer who discharged his or her firearm.

The polygraph examination is a valuable investigative aid when used in conjunction with, but not as a substitute for, a thorough investigation. The polygraph may be employed, consistent with this policy, to verify, corroborate, or refute statements; obtain additional investigative leads; narrow or focus criminal investigations; screen candidates for positions with criminal justice agencies; and assist in the conduct of internal police investigations, among other authorized purposes.

These documents provide investigative officers and others with general knowledge of, guidance, and procedures for the use of polygraph examinations.

Stakeouts are an important police tactic to use in anticipation of enforcement actions against criminal suspects who may be armed and have a propensity for violence. Stakeout operations are inherently dangerous, and officers assigned to these duties should be familiar with and adhere to department policy and procedures designed to ensure the safest possible environment for officers and the public alike.

These documents provide guidelines for conducting stakeouts that will facilitate safe, effective enforcement.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.