6.300 Crime Scene Investigations and Investigative Personnel Notifications

Question 1

When a crime involves a dignitary or politician, who will be notified?

Answer 1

The Organized Crime Bureau, Criminal Intelligence Section Lieutenant or designee

Question 2

When detectives respond to a call to assume investigative responsibility, what are the responsibilities of a patrol supervisor?

Answer 2

A patrol supervisor should respond as well and either provide the brief or designate an officer to do so.

Question 3

Patrol Detectives will be notified on all of the following: (16)

Answer 3

1. Property-related crimes at a felony level to include:
   a. Auto thefts requiring immediate follow-up
   b. Residential/Commercial burglaries over $50,000
   c. Grand larcenies over $75,000
   d. Residential/commercial/vehicle burglaries as part of an identified series
2. Gun-related crimes to include:
   a. Prohibited person in possession of a firearm
   b. Possession of a stolen firearm or obliterated serial number
3. Person-related crimes at a felony level to include:
   a. AWDW/BWDW
   b. Attempt Murder
   c. Robbery
   d. Larceny from Person
   e. Mayhem
4. Domestic-related crimes at a felony level to include:
   a. Assault/Battery
   b. Strangulation
   c. Harassment
   d. Stalking
   e. Violation of protective orders

Question 4

The Robbery Section will be notified on all of the following (9):

Answer 4

1. Bank robberies.
2. Armed car robberies.
3. Any commercial robbery were the victim has been shot or seriously injured.
4. Takeover type robberies (i.e. casino or bar).
5. Robberies that are part of an ongoing series.
6. Active kidnapping investigations where extortion is involved.
7. Robberies or kidnappings with intense media interest.
8. Robberies or kidnappings that require immediate follow-up.
9. Commercial robberies that are part of an identifiable spree of three or more events.

Question 5

The Retail Apprehension Prevention Partnership (RAPP) will be notified on all of the following: (9)

Answer 5

1. Theft over $250,000 in value of retail product(s).
2. Theft involving high profile victims (does not include residential burglaries).
3. Theft with an international nexus.
4. Theft involving national or international treasures.
5. Theft involving large quantities of a single type of retail item likely to be resold.
6. Theft that involves a high profile suspect who may be outside the country.
7. Theft involving a suspect in-custody who has credible information on a fencing operation.
8. Theft involving a suspect in-custody who has professional booster tools (i.e. faraday bag, etc).
9. Theft involving a series of 3 or more events likely committed by organized retail theft groups.

Question 6

The Homicide Section will be notified on all of the following, (3)

Answer 6

1. Homicides
2. Fire Deaths
3. Suspicious death as, after crime scene analysts and coroner’s investigators have responded and
   assessed the scene.

Question 7

Abuse/Neglect Detail will be notified on all of the following: (3)

Answer 7

1. Children or elders with substantial injuries caused by abuse or neglect
2. All child deaths, including suicides
3. Deaths of elders (60 years of age or older) caused by abuse or neglect

Question 8

The Force Investigation Team (FIT) will be notified on all of the following: (5)

Answer 8

1. Any use of deadly force.
2. In-custody deaths.
3. Substantial bodily injury or death of a citizen during a police operation.
4. Substantial bodily injury or death of an officer during a police operation.
5. Officer becomes a victim of a violent felony crime.

Question 9

The Critical Incident Review Team (CIRT) will be notified on all of the following: (6)

Answer 9

1. Any use of deadly force (to include intentional animal shoots)
2. In-custody deaths (to include attempt suicides at Detention Services Division)
3. Substantial bodily injury or death of a citizen during a police operation.
4. Substantial bodily injury or death of an officer during a police operation.
5. Officer becomes a victim of a violent felony crime.
6. Any negligent or accidental discharge of a firearm (off the range)

Question 10

The Gang Investigations Section will be notified on all of the following crimes “when gang related”: (7)

Answer 10

Gang Investigation Detectives will ASSIST with the following “gang-related” crimes,

1. Homicide
2. Attempted Murder
3. Any incident wherein Gang Investigation Detectives can provide or gain actionable intelligence to or from any department member.

Gang Investigation Detectives will take PRIMARY with the following “gang-related” crimes,

1. Firing a gun into an occupied structure.
2. Firing a gun from a moving vehicle.
3. Violent felony crimes (i.e. BWDW, AWDW).
4. Crimes committed where gang members may take retaliatory action.

Question 11

First arriving officers will protect the inner and outer perimeter of the crime scene with ____________ crime scene tape. (Color?)

Answer 11

Yellow

Question 12

1. At all crime scenes that are a result of an OIS, in-custody death or a use of deadly force, what color of crime scene tape will be used to protect the inner perimeter?
2. This tape will be placed by who?
3. Before entering the protected inner perimeter, authorization must be obtained from whom?

Answer 12

1. Red crime scene tape.
2. The responding FIT supervisor or designee.
3. Authorization must be obtained from a FIT detective AND the CSI director/supervisor.

Question 13

What must be completed and obtained before conducting a walk-through of a RED taped crime scene area?

Answer 13

“A walk-through of a crime scene can be completed only after the scene has been assessed and documented by a crime scene analyst and with the approval from the investigating detective.”

Question 14

On what type of scenes should a Major Incident Log be completed?

Answer 14

“The Major Incident Log should be completed by the patrol officer on all scenes where an investigative unit will be responding or conducting a follow-up investigation.”

Question 15

What are the supervisor responsibilities as they relate to the crime scene on all major incidents?

Answer 15

Supervisors will:

1. Respond and assume control of the scene.
2. Request more officers if needed to protect the scene.
3. Request CSI if needed to process the scene.
4. Turn over control of the scene to detectives if follow-up is required.

Question 16

At all crimes scenes which crime scene analysts are required to assess and document, the crime scene analysts responding to the scene will properly book and seal all of the evidence from the actual crime scene.

When is a crime scene analyst NOT required to collect evidence from a crime scene?

Answer 16

Unless it is determined by the crime scene analyst that it would be in the best interest of the case, or there is a need for special handling, the analyst is not required to impound any of the following,

1. Evidence from a Misdemeanor Crime. (Crime Scene Analysts will ONLY photograph)
2. Evidence already physically handled by officers. ( Helps to maintain chain of custody)
3. Evidence found at a secondary location. (Exception: Homicide and FIT Investigations)
4. Items recovered for safekeeping.

Question 17

From the Crime Scene Investigations unit, who will be notified for incidents involving multiple homicides?

Answer 17

The Director of Crime Scene Investigations

Question 18

“If, at the conclusion of an event where a suspect has been actively pursue by officers (on foot or in a vehicle), and the suspect commits suicide, the FIT section will be notified and may respond to the termination point to conduct the suicide investigation. If a firearm was involved in the suicide, detectives may…”

Answer 18

“…conduct a countdown of all involved officers’ firearms who were present at the termination point when/where the suicide occurred.”

Question 19

Notification to the coroner’s office will be done via the Communications supervisor according to the cause of death by which units?

Answer 19

1. All natural, accidental, overdoses and suicides - by the patrol officer in charge at the scene.
2. All homicides and suspicious deaths - by the Homicide Section detective in charge at the scene.
3. All FIT investigations involving a death - by the FIT detective in charge at the scene.

Question 20

Taking crime scene photographs on dynamic/rapidly evolving incidents is “typically limited to terrorist attacks or mass casualty incidents with a reasonable belief that there are additional suspects or accomplices who must be identified rapidly and that a delayed response may result in additional loss of life or suspects’ escape from the city, state or country.”

Who may take the photos and to whom may they be disseminated.

Answer 20

1. “A Sergeant or higher will take the photos, authorized by a lieutenant or above, utilizing only a department-issued device.”
2. “The photos may be disseminated to the SWAT Bureau commander, Souther Nevada Counter Terrorism Center Bureau commander, or a deputy chief or above.”

Question 21

What are the authorized finishes for the duty handgun?

Answer 21

1. Blued
2. Black
3. Tan
4. Gray
5. Stainless steel

Question 22

What are the authorized finishes for the shotgun?

Answer 22

1. Blued
2. Black
3. Tan
4. Gray

Question 23

What are the authorized finishes for the rifle?

Answer 23

1. Blued
2. Black
3. Tan
4. Gray
5. Dark earth
6. Olive drab

Question 24

What is the reasoning for conducting a Crime Scene Investigation?

Answer 24

The reasons for conducting crime scene investigations are to identify, document, and collect evidence which tends to prove or disprove a criminal offense has been committed and to identify the party or parties responsible.

Question 25

Patrol officers will begin the preliminary investigation and brief a supervisor when detectives are responding to assume the investigative responsibility. What should a patrol supervisor do?

Answer 25

A patrol supervisor should respond and either provide the briefing to detectives or will designate an officer to provide the briefing to detectives.

Question 26

Force Investigation Team (FIT) and Critical Incident Review Team Notifications (CIRT) respond and conduct appropriate investigations related to critical events, in-custody deaths, and incidents where LVMPD members are the victims of violent crime while performing their official duties.

When will each be notified?

Answer 26

FIT will be notified on all:

1. Officer involved shootings (OIS)
2. In-custody deaths or death or critical bodily harm where there was police involvement
3. Use of deadly force incidents
4. Incidents where the force used by officer’s lead to critical injury to the subject whom the force was applied.
5. Any incident wherein the department member, during the course of official duties, is the victim of a violent felony crime and sustains critical injury

CIRT will be notified on all:

1. OISs
2. In-custody deaths
3. Attempt suicides at Detention Services Division (DSD)
4. Use of Deadly Force incidents (including intentional animal shoots)
5. Incidents where the force used by officers lead to critical injury to the subject whom the force was applied
6. Any incident wherein the department member, during the course of official duties, is the victim of a violent felony crime and sustains critical injury

Question 27

For Crime Scene Investigation Control, who will respond and assume control?

Answer 27

The area sergeant or lieutenant will respond to all major incidents/scenes and assume command from the patrol officer at the scene. It will be the responsibility of the area sergeant, lieutenant, or incident commander to evaluate the circumstances and decide the need for the Crime Scene Investigation Section. The watch commander will be notified by the area sergeant. with the details of all major incidents/scenes.