The success of a criminal prosecution is determined not solely by the quality and quantity of evidence but by the manner in which it is presented by law enforcement officers in a court of law. An officer’s appearance, demeanor, attitude, and ability to accurately convey evidence in a fair and professional manner are essential in efforts to bring a criminal prosecution to a just conclusion. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should develop policies and procedures that ensure officers adhere to court scheduling, preparation, appearance, and testimonial guidelines .

These documents provide officers with guidelines for scheduling, preparing for, and testifying in criminal court cases.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Research reveals that nearly one-third of all female homicide victims in the United States are killed by a husband or boyfriend. Another third of all emergency hospital visits by women are due to injuries sustained in domestic violence. Children are direct or indirect victims of abuse in more than half of such domestic violence cases. Without intervention, the pattern of abusive behavior typically escalates in both frequency and intensity. One important means of intervention is issuing court protection orders that limit or prohibit contact between individuals in abusive domestic situations. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should fully enforce these orders and, to that end, maintain a system that will provide up-to-date information on these orders to officers responding to domestic disturbances.

These documents provide information and guidance on how to process and enforce court protection orders.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Health care professionals predict that a pandemic influenza outbreak is highly likely, if not inevitable, based on current conditions and historical data. Should the current bird flu influenza virus (H5N1) or a mutation thereof spread efficiently between humans, a worldwide pandemic could take place within as little as three weeks. The inevitable shortages of employees and resources make it essential that a law enforcement agency establish plans and take measures in advance to ensure that crucial law enforcement services are not unreasonably disrupted and that employees are provided with the means to prevent or mitigate the spread of infection.

This special order provides guidance for development of contingency plans, organization of resources, and establishment of departmental protocols that can be used to respond to and help mitigate the effects of a pandemic influenza or similar health emergency.

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

All law enforcement personnel must be mindful of and exercise fiscal responsibility in the use of public funds and resources. Overtime pay requires particular attention because it constitutes a sizeable expenditure of agency revenue that is provided at premium rates. Without adequate controls, unplanned expenditures can create budget overruns and divert resources from key operational areas. Therefore, it agencies should effectively manage the use of overtime and ensure that each employee uses overtime in a responsible manner and judicious manner.

These documents provide a structure for monitoring, managing and controlling the use of personnel overtime.

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

The accuracy and professionalism of investigations of incidents involving officer use of deadly force can have a significant impact on involved officers, their respective agencies, community-police relations, and public perceptions of police. Comprehensive and complete investigations of officer use of deadly force requires agency planning and the establishment of guidelines and protocols that must be followed. These documents provide step-by-step guidance for agencies to follow when conducting investigations of officer use of deadly force. 

Off-duty officers may encounter criminal activity during which they must decide whether to take enforcement action. This decision involves careful consideration of an officer’s duty to protect and serve the community while weighing their ability to do so safely. When engaged in off-duty enforcement of this type, non-uniformed officers' risk being mistaken as criminal suspects by responding officers. 

The included protocols are intended to define when off-duty, non-uniformed enforcement action is authorized and how it should be conducted in order to reduce the potential of officer-on-officer shootings and related injuries. These documents provide guidelines to police officers regarding acceptable criteria for making an off-duty arrest and appropriate behavior for ensuring safety during off-duty enforcement actions.

The search warrant is one of the more powerful and valuable tools in the law enforcement arsenal. While the process of applying for and obtaining a search warrant should be familiar to most officers, there are many technical and legal pitfalls that can invalidate a search warrant, lead to the suppression of evidence or dismissal of cases, and have liability implications for involved officers. Therefore, agencies should ensure that all officers have a sound knowledge of the legal requirements associated with obtaining a search warrant in order to prevent suppression of evidence, support the Constitutional rights of citizens and to maintain public confidence in this agency’s mandate to carry out the police function in an ethical and legal manner.

Law enforcement agencies should identify techniques to accomplish a thorough and legal search; respect the constitutional rights of the person(s) the warrant is being served upon; minimize the level of intrusion experienced by those who are having their premises searched; provide for the safety for all persons concerned; and establish a record of the warrant execution process. 

These documents provide guidelines for obtaining and executing a search warrant. 

Law enforcement crime analysis functions should include collecting, organizing, analyzing and interpreting crime and incident data to evaluate past performance and identify criminal activity patterns and trends for operational deployment, tactical intervention, strategic planning and management analysis. Crime analysis is indispensable to an agency’s efficiency, productivity and effectiveness. Therefore, all applicable personnel should provide complete and consistent reports of crime, incidents and related information as required to support this function. The crime analysis function should in turn provide operational units with and assist units to assemble data and information sufficient for analysis, planning and daily problem solving.

These documents provide guidance regarding the establishment of the authority for information requirements and reporting responsibilities of the agency’s crime analysis function.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. Individuals seeking updated guidance on Crime Analysis should reference the Crime Scene Response policy guidance.

Naloxone - commonly known by the brand name, Narcan - can be used to treat a narcotics overdose in an emergency. These documents explore the primary issues surrounding the use of naloxone and equip law enforcement executives with essential information to make informed decisions when considering the implementation or modification of a naloxone program.

These documents discuss an interagency assistance policy intended to define the capabilities and obligations of participating departments to respond to emergency situations outside their own jurisdiction. Agencies should participate in the interagency Agreement in order to strengthen their collective response to emergency situations.

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

Law enforcement agencies should recognize that the pooling and coordination of resources among regional law enforcement and criminal justice agencies is often the most effective and efficient means of investigating selected major crimes. Therefore,  law enforcement agencies should consider participating in and fully cooperate with a multi-agency investigation team (MAIT) as detailed in the regional mutual aid agreement, the MAIT interjurisdictional agreement, and agency policy and procedures.

These documents are intended to provide the authority for organizing, administering and operating an agency’s participation in the multi-agency investigative team (MAIT).

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

Motor vehicle stops should be performed professionally and courteously. Law enforcement agencies should promote the education of the public about proper driving procedures, while recognizing and taking steps to minimize the dangers involved in motor vehicle stops for officers, motorists, and other users of the roadway.

These documentsestablish guidelines for stopping and approaching motorists in a manner that promotes the safety of officers and motorists.