HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-12-2000 ICPD Reports/Memos Department Memorandum 00-47
DATE: August 1, 2000
TO: Chief Winkelhake
All Commanders
FROM: Sgt. K. Hurd
SUBJECT: March - June Use of Force Review
The "bi-monthly" "Use o£Force" Review Committee met on July 19~, 2000. The
committee was composed of the following personnel:
Captain Harney
Sgt. Campbell '
Sgt. Hurd
Officer Boland
The review of submitted reports, (70 incidents - 98 reports) revealed no policy or training
concerns. Again there were several reports where the "Type of Incident" box was filled in
with "Arrest". This box is supposed to be used to designate the original charge for the
arrest, i.e. assault, disorderly conduct, warrant service etc. Also, when dispatching an
animal, officers need to note the supervisor who was notified re£ the dispatching of the
animal. This may be done by checking the NO box on the Supervisor on Scene box and
then recording the supervisors badge #.
Also, there was one report where the officer used knee strikes to control a suspect during
an arrest. On the Use of Force report it only indicated that the subject had pulled away
from the officer. Knee strikes are an active countermeasure, which is level four on our
Use of Fome continuum that is, the subject is assaultive in nature. Based on the Use of
Force report it would appear that the officer had exceeded the force allowed in the
continuum. Fortunately Sgt. Campbell was familiar with the incident and the incident
report had detailed that the subject was initially resistive and then became assaultive.
When completing Use of Force reports officers need to make sure they articulate the
amount of resistance encountered and that if the level changes, i.e. resistive to assaultive,
include this in the report. The review committee does not have the incident reports
immediately available during the review process.
Copy: City Manager
PCRB
' IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
USE OF FORCE REPORT-
General Information ,F-'!i~ ~ ~-' ,,
Date Occurred I Time Type of Incident } Incident # ]" 'ca,e'er'- J .:=~
Officer Involved Badge # I Bf~at of IncidentiL.)¥',,, _ i, ' []. OS/,.3uty
~ Off Duty I
E~] Non-uniformed ~3 Indoors [~ Outdoors ~] Yes [~] No Bad~le #
~ype of Premises I Location '' I
[.ighting }
[] Daylight ~ Dusk [~3 Ni~lht [] Good Adificial. [~] Poor Artificial _
Weather Conditions I
[] Clear [] Cloudy [] Rain [] Fog [] Snow [] Dusk
Number of Opponents } What weapons did they use? { Number of shots fired at you. I
Suspect Injuries - ~
[] Not Injured [] Superficial [] Critical [] Killed [] Unknown
I
Officer Injuries -
[] Not Injured [] Superficial [] Critical [] Killed
. .~ysical Force / Non-lethal Weapons
I Type of force used
[] ASP [] Chemical Weapon [] Drawn Sidearm [] Handcuffs IDouble LockedI [~ Canine [~ Other
Firearm Discharge
Weapon Description J Type of Ammo used J Number of Shots Fired
Officer Position
[] Standing [] Sitting [] Kneeling [] Lying Down [] Other
I'
Are you Gun Worn Did you have sight and aim?
[] Right Handed [] Right Side [] Left Side [] Belt [] Yes
[] Left Handed [] Shoulder Holster [] Other [] No
Did you reload? I How many did you reload? I How long did it take you in seconds? I Did you count your shots?
[] Yes [] No [] Yes [] No
Distance from subject when: [ Describe protective cover
First Shot Fired Last Shot Fired
N ')er of shots fired?
P P Y.
D~,~,)le Action Single Action I [] Yes [] %1o - If no, explain in narrative on back side of this form.
Number of Bullets Recovered? I Location
ICPD TRAINING
DATE: September 1st, 2000
TO: Chief Winkelhake
From: K.Hurd
REF: Sept. Training Report
Death Scene Investigation
08/04/00
8 Hours
Officer Steva
Mason City
Training in death scene investigations, including information for the 1st responding units
State DARE conference
08/6-8/00
24
Officer Boland
Ames
Annual state conference on DARE includes new information, statisticS, tips and
techniques for presenting DARE.
SRT Range training
08/22-23/00
17 SRT members
8 hours
Training in firearm techniques and handgun qualification.
SRT Situational Training
08/22-23/00
17 SRT members r
8 hours ~3 :
Worked on hostage rescue techniques and worked on search techniques in low/n~ iight. ":~ ~)~
Watch Training #s ~ .: i i?]
01-04 Hate Crimes ~-',-? - -
01-12 Child Abuse Indicators
01-07 Suspicious Pkgs.
01-11 A.O.D. (tactical considerations)
Copy: City Manager
Captain Widmer
PCRB
DNA and Evidence Collection Principles Deception and its Detection
Robert E. Kramer - Detective Detective Wesley Clark, Connecticut State Police
Cedar Falls Police Dept. adapted from Connecticut Trooper Magazine, Fall 1998.
The dawn of a new age has arrived in law enforcement in
the form of DNA research and testing. We in law As a member of the law enforcement community I have
enforcement, especially those of us working the crime scenes made it my commitment to seek the truth in all matters,
need to be aware of what we can do "in the field" to assure personal and professional. During my career I have
that proper evidence collection techniques are followed, encotmtcred those individuals who do not necessarily hold
Only then will thc ground~vurk for successful evidence tight to the same values when it comes to lruth. Though the
examinations be in place when we submit the case to a reasons for this deception may vary, as do the investigations
forensic laboratory for analysis, in which they arise, the intent of the subject in question is
always the same; to mislead you and/or your investigation.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is the DNA evidence As a detective with an ever-increasing caseload, that is
analysis technique that is being practiced at the state something I am not willing to accept. With Statement
laboratory at the Division of Criminal Investigation in Des Analysis as one additional tool available to you in your
Moines. PCR is a sensitive, fast, and highly discriminatory pursuit of the Ixuth, you will be able to focus your
method of analysis. One of the most essential aspects of investigations and reach an accurate conclusion to many
DNA evidence analysis at thc lab is that a basis knowledge eases.
of evidence collection principles is necessury at the initial Breaking Tradition
stage. One of the most difficult problems to overcome will
probably be the past practice and training of police officers
Impact and Exchange in obtaining statements. The standard procedure has been to
It is widely embraced within the law enforcement forensic obtain a statement through the course of an extensive
field that the process of impact and exchange occurs at every "question aad answer" format. One drawback of this type of
crime scene. For example, a "mn" vehicle impacts the questioning is that it is give-and-take, and the subject can
accident scene and exchange occurs with the transfer of paint learn fi.om you what you know or don't know about the case
to the victim vehicle; a burglar impacts a scene with thc through the questions you ask, thus he may learn "how to
approach of the area, and exchange occurs when footwear lie" through this questioning. Secondly, information obtained
from an open statement (i.e. "What happened?) will
impressions are left behind. As law enforcement officers and generally be more reliable in terms of assessing the
crime scene specialists, it is our job to collect and prese~e tmtlffuiness of the subject. Therefore, with statement
analysis, we obtain a statement fi.om the subject prior to
continued on page 2 questioning him or her. The statement will then be analyzed
and a detailed questioning of the subject will follow.
However, we will enter the questioning phase with a greater
I N 81D E T It I $ I $ S U E understanding of what the subject actually revealed within
the statement, and where the subject left information out. We
I DNA and Evidence Collection Principals will be able to assess the tmthfidness of this subject, leant
which areas in the statement arc sensitive for him to talk
'l Deception and its Dotection about, and gain insight into his relatioustfips with other
people mentioned wiflim the statement. Many other benefits
4 Pepper Spray arc obtained from this type of approach, which are all to our
advantage, and at the same time he obtains little if anything
from us. To better understand this concept, consider
obtaining a statement fi.om the subject prior to questioning
him like playing Poker, botprior to placing a bet, you get to
see what cards your opponent is holding!
L- continued on page 3
training I
that the subject jumped over or
ye would not state that this subject
on thaLgoin~he gap iii time con#nued from page
ted up~ll [~_~a~_~ inquliy into ~rbich may not only samples are being collected. E~ ~--ma~nre the same water
~,on:' ' e scope of tiffs article. The
connect the suspect to is used to collect both the control and evidence samples.
oma~ , ,ally_, . assume ~,.e,b'qbject~: . is Finally if cuttings~ of~ a Ysusp~e~l ~p~ are being
subnutted for analysis (~.e.: a couch) it is preferred that the
:d, Qnly everytl~_'., g,they think is
,; r,, : ~ 'a- · control samples also be ~cuttings,.:r~thor, than swabs or
T~ anay, l~ fldormaUon out 'idence which will be merely fibers.
tih~S/.rm~ioX ,h~fo, ..~gi~ that they accomplished by theOther Evidence ~.,~, ...: ',~ ",-
for us to know. An example of item. For example, it · Known biological specimens can be collected from
formation that they believe is ,~bmit undergarments both living and deceased persons easily, and we
now, may be an alibi statement, l~ected sexaml assault have been doing so for years in the form of sexual
missing time, and also contains ,]~cimen. Sometimes, assault kit supplies.
tg sensitivity in a particular area ml item is impossible Cheek swabs can be collected from individual and may in
>on further inqui~, it is revealed stabbing scene where fact result in the discovery of some of the most highly
il us that be had an argument with ~xl loss on a tile or concentrated DNA coils. The cheeks swab is non-
dinner, which was not rented to ~ng for the evidence is threatening, in that the individual feels less intimidated by
safely conclude this subject to be : DNA evidence, the process. The procedure is quick and simple:
~e removed that "link" from the ed to the D.C.I. Lab in · A cotton tipped swab is scrubbed on the inside of
nce of that still remaining in the ~ swabs. The process the cheek.
to as an "outside issue", which is te procedure: ° No food or drink prior to twenty minutes of the
the subject, but not necessarily ,'wab with clean water, collection.
:ample of leaving out information ~ as possible. · Preferred that the technique not be used if the
d be a husband reporting that his
>rovides the police with an alibi ample contamination mouth is bleeding.
If hairs are to be submitted, make sure the collector obtain
vities for the day. Itoweve£, there the collector (wear pulled hairs. The tissue associated with the hak root is
:d by areas of sensitivity, which
>ugh further inqufly, and no needed in the DNA analysis. Other samples which may be
within the statement itself. There he collection medium, suitable for DNA analysis includes: bones, teeth, muscle
;e, pronouns, or other "red flags" need to be cleaned tissue, and associated property that may be found with the
:ira d which are not "justified ;n. body (hairbrush, toothbrush, etc.)
ontent of the information. At this bier.
~uld be conducted, no plastic containers) Questioned Evidence
for ns to seek out both the The following are being submitted as miscellaneous tips that
~ which the subject failed to sample-to-sample, or should be considered prior to and qluring the DIqA evidence
ressed enough. There collection process ....
:issnes~, as well as the more
rxent, that being when the subject ~e which will both: a) Positive considerations
e considem to be 'too important' a~d possibly eliminate · saliva: cigarette butts, ski masks, envelopes,
By doing so we gain a greater stamps.
!iect himself and the issues he · seminal fluid: oral, rectal, vaginal swabs, clothing.
~hancing the analysis process. ° blood: (if the stain is visible - DNA results are
,oint of "clusters' home, ff this mtly lifted from non- likely)
the approximate time the crime [mgerprmt tape. This · hair
dd be significant. If there are size and shape of the Negative considerations
lift. Of course, the lift urine and feces.
~sitivity surrounding this gap,
:teases. If we note "unjustified" a piece of plain white ° biological samples contaminated with soil.
the statemenL again the potential er be used (in lieu of · some substrates (jeans - denim) have proven to
t. so on and so forth. The more I) due to the fact that compromise DNA analysis.
resent within the statement, the '"oreath" As with the Wear protective outer clothing, as well as the standard latex
is deceptive. That may sound separate envelope, gloves. Since the crime scene examiner is subjected to
a microscope to find deception exposure to elements, it is recommended that the outer
tl~e chances are great that it is clothing be changed upon returning to the scene after
: criminalist needs to leaving.
tre with the suspect Finally - maintain the samples at ambient conditions or
the intent of this article is not to crime scene examiner cooler. Room temperature is acceptable, refrigeration is
ment Analysis, but to increase erve a control sample desirable, and freezing is preferred.
resom'ce. I believe that the more sample is treated. For REMEMBER - practice common sense. Don~ lot tho
~. tu ~t our disposal, the greater the control sample be collection of biological oviclonco be intimictatino, tt
g the ultimate goal in any and all ,le. By collecting the sound proc~Out-~$ ar~ followsd, successful ancl
~ that is to uncover and document tee of contamimating it ~orouflh crime scone wo~ can bo accomplished in a
uid as the subsequent safe raannor, wgl~ valuable ~¥icl~nco in hand.
F continued from page 1
The following is a listing of training, which MAY be ObtainlagtheStatemem '~-~---~-~
available. DO NOT consider this a posting. Any fuobtainingastatementfromanindividuakwcmust£ust
requests to attend based on this listing will not be distinguishbetween,~t~0~(~--C~t~yp~P ~fc~ta~aents'
considered a request to attend. 1) Speci~c Statement: A ~attement,providgd by the subject
in regards to a part~c't0a~ ~t:n '~L~ F'~ ':~ ....
· A victim of a sexual assault.
PLACE IOWA GITr, TIFRN, GRPDRN,~E · A driver involved in a serious motor vehicle
DATE WEEK OF OCT. 16 accident.
Fall training, firearms qualification 2) An Alibi Statement: A statement obtained covering a
particular time-frame.
PLACE M~cru tv · "Write down everything from the time you got to
work until the time you left"
DATE NOV. 28-30 · "Write down ever~nhlng from the time you woke
Basic Reid Interview/Interrogations up until the lime you went to bed."
· "Write down everything imm the time you left
l'munlnG EVENT your house until the time you arrived at work."
PLACE MTTU IV In both circtLmstances, it is essential that the subject provide
DATE NOV. 20-22 his or her statement with the least amount of influence from
tho investigator as possible. Wne subject should not be
Domestic Violence Training questioned prior to obtaining the initial "pure statement".
TRAINING EVENT Obviously, in almost all cases, the subject will have talked
to someone prior to the arrival of the detectives, such as the
PLACE ROCK IS~ND initial responding officers at the scene, medical personnel,
DATE OCT. 5TH witnesses, bystanders, or an accomplice. Just keep it in mind
Firearms Trafficking that the more questioning the subject undergoes prior to
providing an "open statement" the less effective the analysis
of the statement may be.
We will first deal with the Alibi Statement: With this type of
ACCREDITATION UPDATE statement, we will provide the subject with the "borders"
within which we ask him to tell us evelTthing that happened
G/O 99-01 Police Pursuits has been reviewed and re-issued during this time frame. This would be effective with cases
as is and classified as a red order with a review date of 8/01. such as internal theft, where an employee may be suspected
G/O 99-08 In-Car Recording Devices has been reviewed and of stealing money from their employer. If this theft occurred
re-issued as a ~oen order. Traffic will be reissued early on a particular shift, ask all the employees to "Write down
this month, everything that happened from the time you got to work
until the time you ended your day". The information
During the month of Sept. there are no orders due for provided within the statements will enable a detective to
review, however in Oct. the following orders are due for focus the investigation to the most probable suspect, thereby
review. 99-09 Vehicle Crashes, 99-10 Domestics, and 99- eliminating the majority of the employees from further
11 Anests. If you have any comments or concerns on any inten4ews. The obvious advantages are that you do not
of these orders forward them to me by Sept. 20~ so they waste your lime interviewing 20, 30, 40 or more people who
may be considered, know nothing about the crune, but you become focused on
the most probable subjects. From a personal perspective
One of the areas, which cause agencies problems in the regarding time and case management, this should be gladly
accreditation process, is in the area of property/evidence accepted, freeing you up to pursue the important leads in the
control. To address these standards and more importantly, case or other more pressing investigations to which you are
to maintain the integrity of the property/evidentia~y system assigned. Some key points we would look for in Alibi
the order relating to propetty and evidence will be coming statements may be; did the subject provide information
out in the near future. This order will primarily deal with "outside" of the borders of your inslxuctious, telling us what
the intake and submission of property/evidence to the happened before or after that p~tiod. If so, this would be
propen'y section. The handling and disposition of the sensitive and important information~ Other points may be
propety/evidenec once submitted to the property section will that the subject "skips" over a period of time within this
be detailed in the SOPs for the Properly section, statement, or the flow of the statement may (cont. pg. 5)
"speed up" or "slow down". Or ff the subjects language
training 3
I changes in refe~ace to a pafficalar person or object, or if where them is evidence that the subject juraped over or
there are "linguistic signals" showing sensitivity at a sldppedapeilodoftime, we would not state that this subject
particular place within the subjects statement. These is deceptive based solely on th~at-ooinI.-?~.fi gap in time
observations will be very significant if the lime they occur would be noted and expanded up~ll [~.~!~ inquiry into
within the statement is the time we suspect the crime to have the statement, which is beyond the scope of this aCdcle. The
been committed, reason we would not automaticall?L gssum~ lbe,st~bject is
In a Specific Statement we do not want to provide the deceptivebecanse ofthe~0ac°~sn/e, ~s~daaf~bl~rs01~tells us
subject with a starting or ending place. We would simply "evcrytlfing" that happened, o~uly everytl~_'..g,they think is
ask the subject to "Please tell me everything that important for ns to know. TI~ ~y,.l~ ilfformafion out
happened... ". In these cases we allow the subject to set the which they believe is not l(~a~.rt~,-Io( info~fl~ that they
borders, and in doing so it will provide ns with more believe is too important for ns to know. An example of
information and enable ns to better evaluate the statement, someone leaving out information that they believe is
In a Specific statement, such as a case where a female Hunimportant" for us to know, may be an alibi statement,
reported she was roped, some points we would consider are which contains a gap of missing time, and also contains
the "borders" she provided. In doing so we divide the linguistic signals indicating sensitivity in a particular area
statement into three sections. These three sections being within the statement. If upon further inquiry, it is revealed
information she provides prior to, during and after the that the subject failed to tell ns that he had an argument with
assault. The '"oalance of the statement" will be evaluated by his wife at this time over dinner, which was not related to
comparing these sections to each other, and to the statement the issue at hand, we could safely conclude this subject to be
as a whole. Changes in the subject's language would be truthful. However since he removed that "link" from the
analyzed and the context in which these changes occurred statement there was evidence of that still remaining in the
would be evaluated to see if the change was "justified" by statement. This is referred to as an "outside issue", which is
the circumstances, an area of sensitivity for the subject, but not necessarily
Pronouns used by the subject would be analyzed, noting any related to the crime. An example of leaving out information
changes in them throughout the statement. Specifically the that is too important would be a husband reporting that his
pronoun WE would be of importance in such cases, noting wife is missing, and he provides the police with an alibi
where it entered the statement and where it is missing from statement detailing his activities for the day. However, there
the statement. In such a ease ff the victim uses WE in the is missing time surrounded by areas of sensitivity, which
statement during the assault, in reference to her and the calmot be justified through fmlher inqul~'y, aval no
suspect, this wmfld be a signal of deception. This may be justification can be found within the statement itself. There
due to a variety of reasons, such as maybe she knows the may be changes in language, pronouns, or other "red flags"
suspect but doesn't want to tell us, or maybe she was a which may indicate deception, and which are not "justified
willing partner and subsequently had a change of heart or changes" based upon the content of the information. At this
maybe it didn't happen. Answers to these questions may be point, follow-up inqniry would be conducted.
revealed through the complete analysis of her statement. I believe it is important for us to seek out both the
There are many other aspects that would be analyzed for "unimportant" information which the subject failed to
both the Alibi and Specific statement, and there axe also disclose, i.e. any "outside issues", as well as the more
advanced principles off statement analysis, which can be sinister aspect of concealment, that being when the subject
utilized to fmther your investigation and lead you to a omits information which he considers to be "too important"
successful conclusion. However the purpose of this article is to include his statement. By doing so we gain a greater
only to bring an awareness of this resource of Statement understanding of the subject himself and the issues he
Analysis to law enforcement, and it is not intended to be a presents, thereby further enhancing the analysis process.
training manual for the analysis of statements. However, to bring this point of "chistersH home, ff this
The Big Picture missing time correlates to the approximate time the crime
Once the analysis of a statement has been completed, we was committed, this would be significant. If there are
must stand back and view the statement as a whole before linguistic signals of sensitivity surrounding this gap,
making a judgment as to the h-athfulness of this information, suspicion of deception increases. If we note "unjustified"
The statement must "shout" that it is deceptive before we changes in language within the statement, again the potential
state ~hat it is deceptive. There should be several points of deception has increased, so on and so forth. The more
within the statement indicating deception is present. The indicators of deception present within the statement, the
same principle exists with inte~wiew and interrogation when more likely it is that it is deceptive. That may sound
we look for "clusters" of deceptive behavior from the person simplistic, but ff we need a microscope to find deception
we are interviewing. We would not consider a subject we within a statement, then the chances are great that it is
are interviewing as "deceptive" just because he scratched his lrutlfful.
nose. However, ff he semtohed his nose as he was leaning Conclusion
away from you, then crossed his arms and legs, at the same It is impoflant to state that the intent of this article is not to
time he broke eye contact with you, this may indicate a tram individuals in Statement Analysis, but to increase
problem. This would be especially important ff this occurred awareness of this valuable resource. I believe that the more
in response to a "key" question, when the subject did not knowledge and training we have at our disposal, the greater
exhibit such behavior previously, our chances are of reaching the ultimate goal in any and all
So it is with Statement Analysis. If we have a statement criminal investigations, and that is to uncover and document
the TRUTH.
IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING BULLETIN 01-09
DATE: August 7th, 2000
TO: Commanders (All Sworn)
FROM: k.hurd
SUBJECT: WT 01-04 Hate Crimes
This weeks watch training deals with Hate Crimes. The attached video
discusses steps officers should take when a hate crime is suspected. Each
watch has been provided a copy of this video. The video contains three different
segments. The watch training deals with the 2nd section which runs approx. 8
minutes. While officers are welcome to watch sections 1 and 3, they are of
limited value. The section for this watch training begins with the visual
"Responding to Hate Crimes Segment 2". This segment runs approx. 7 minutes.
We will probably using segments one and three in the future.
For the first viewing, the tapes are set to begin at the correct spot. Personnel
who normally sign off on Capt. Widmer's sheet, need to contact me to view the
tape.
Cc: Chief Winkelhake - ~
Capt. Harney
Watch Training 01-04
Response to Hate Crimes
Scenario - You respond to an assault. Upon your arrival you speak with the w/m,
Catholic repairman/victim who stated that ~yhile he was walking out of the Synagogue he
was struck repeatedly be the suspect whom he had observed spray painting swastikas on
the side of the synagogue. He states that during the attack the suspect was constantly
shouting, "Hitler was right".
Critical Issues - What is a hate crime. Does the fact that the repairman was not a
member of "targeted" group change the fact? If there was not an assault, could the
mischief be classified as a Hate Crime? How should I proceed?
Discussion - Iowa Code section 729A.2 defines hate crimes. Violation of individual
rights--hate crime.
"Hate crime" means one of the following public offenses when committed against a
person or a person's property because of the person's race, color, religion, ancestry,
national origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability, or the
person's association with a person of a certain race, color, religion, ancestry, national
origin, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disability:
l. Assault in violation of individual rights under section 708.2C.
2. Violations of individual rights under section 712.9.
3. Criminal mischief in violation of individual rights under section 716.6A.
4. Trespass in violation of individual rights under section 716.8, subsections 3 and 4.
In the above scenario while the victim was not a member of the "target" group he would
fall under the "...or the persons association with a person with..." section of the code.
When you as an officer suspects that the crime is a Hate Crime you need to approach the
victim with a heightened state of empathy in addition to the normal procedures yo~
would take with dealing with offense. In addition the officer must thoroughly document
any possible indicators that the crime was a hate crime. I.e. documenting statements
made by the suspect, any associated graffiti, or the possession of "hate literature" in the
possession of the suspect. Additionally the first responding officer should contact a
watch supervisor and request they respond to the scene. Officers need to ask themselves
"Would the event have occurred if the subjects were from the same group?"
Officers should neither confirm nor deny that the act was a hate crime as this will be
determined later in the investigation after consultation with the County Atty.'s office.
The attached video covers steps which the initial officer should take w.h_en it is
determined that the event may be a hate/bias crime. ~ ~:? ,
IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING BULLETIN 01-1 2
DATE: August 14th, 2000
TO: Commanders (All Sworn)
FROM: k.hurd
SUBJECT: WT 01-12 Child Abuse Indicators
This weeks watch training deals with Child Abuse. The WT identifies clues which
may indicate that the child has been a victim of abuse or neglect, and their
presence should alert officers to the fact that they need to investigate tl~e incident
in more detail.
Cc: Chief Winkelhake
Capt, Harney
Capt. Widmer
Watch Training 01-12
Child Abuse Indicators
Scenario - You respond to an apartment ref. a 6 year old neighbor child being aggressive
and making sexually explicit comments to other neighborhood children. The complainant
also advises that the child has been home from school for the past week.
Critical Issues - What are some of the more common indicators of child abuse? If
indicators are present what should be done?
Discussion - While there is no one sign that will definitely indicate a child has been
abused, following are some signs which may indicate that there has been abuse and that
you as responding officer should spend a additional time determining what has gone on.
1. Unexplained injuries - While children frequently incur injuries bruising is less
common in areas with more soft tissue such as the buttock. Bruising on the ears,
neck and small of the back rarely occur when a body falls onto a flat surface. A
typical "red flag" is braised ears. If they are present officers need to check further as
to the cause of the injury. Additionally, deliberate physical abuse is primarily found
on the victim's back from the neck down to the back of the knees. Is the mechanism
consistent with the injury? Are there bums, what was the explanation for these?
2. Deterioration of health and personal hygiene - While this is not necessarily a sign of
abuse, it may indicate child neglect. This is something which would require officers
to check with outside sources to determine if this is deterioration or has been
accepted standard.
3. Failure to thrive - this is often noticed by an outside party who notices an emaciated
child. Has the child been involved in a theft of food?
4. Aggressive behavior - children learn by mimicking their parents or caretal~ers. They
may start acting aggressively toward other children, both physically and verbally.
5. Sexually inappropriate behavior - An excessive preoccupation with sexual activity
may indicate the child as been abused.
6. Regressive behavior - Has/does the child exhibit behavior that is out of character for
their age group. Have they regressed to earlier forms of behavior?
7. Fear of a particular person or place - A child who strongly objects to visiting a
particular person or place should be interviewed as to the reason. Is the child
reluctant to leave school? This may indicate the child is afraid to go home.
8. Fear of abandonment - Does the child cling to you and resist you leaving? This may
indicate that the child is left alone for extended periods.
9. Sleep disturbance/nightmares - Recurring nightmares or insomnia may be a symptom
of abuse.
10. Withdrawal from family and friends - children often blame themselves for ~h~.~a, nge? i
and violence directed at them. ".:
11. Poor performance in school - Doing poorly may be the result of neglect or abuse., - --i
Has their school performance deteriorated? _ ~.~
12. Truancy- Irregular attendance or unexplained absence from school or day ~are mayi '!
indicate that the child may be kept home to hide suspicious injuries. :~ ~ ~
The presence of any of the above indicators DOES NOT mean the child is a victim of
abuse or neglect but their presence should tip officers that they need to investigate the
incident in more detail. If the officer believes that the child is a victim of abuse or
neglect, he/she should contact a watch supervisor and a determination should be made as
to calling an investigator. Photos should be taken of any injuries and of any conditions
that may be relevant. Officers are mandatory reporters and notification of DHS is
required. This notification needs to be made by phone as soon as practical after
abuse/neglect is suspected. Officers need to notify records to forward a copy of the
reports the next business day.
In many instances a determination may not be made until after a more through
investigation has been completed. This may often times involve the assistance of outside
agencies for examining, evaluating and interviewing the child. While these assist in
completing the investigation and determining what happened, they WILL NOT occur if
the original notifications are not made.
IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING BULLETIN 01-1 4
DATE: August 21 st, 2000
TO: Commanders (All Sworn)
FROM: k.hurd
SUBJECT: WT 01-07 Suspicious Package
This weeks' watch training deals with the presence of a suspicious package at a
school. This would be classified as a Bomb Emergency, which means an actual
or suspected device has been found. This differs from a Bomb Threat, which is
where a threat has been received but no actual or suspected device has been
located.
Cc: Chief Winkelhake
Capt. Hamey
Capt. Widmer
Watch Training 01-07
Suspicious Package
Scenario - It is 06:15 on a Monday morning and you respond to school ref. suspicious
package sitting against the front door of the bldg. Upon you observe a package the
approx. 9"x 12"x3". The package is wrapped in brown "shipping" paper and wrapped in
string. There is no writing visible on the side exposed to you. The complainant is a staff
member of the Before School Program who had originally entered the building from a
side door and noticed the package when she went to unlock the front door. She tells you
that the kids will start arriving in approx. 30 minutes...
Critical Issues - What steps should you take? How should you handle the package?
Does anyone need to be notified? What about the students arriving in the next 30
minutes.
Discussion - The FBI Bomb Data Center has provided the following guidelines for first
responding officers when dealing with a suspected explosive device.
1. Upon encountering a suspicious pkg. that cannot be accounted for, officer SHOULD
NOT attempt to examine the contents, but rather immediately notify the bomb
disposal unit. In the above scenario, the officer should make contact with a watch
supervisor who would request the notification of bomb personnel. The watch
commander would respond to the scene and become the incident commander.
2. Upon identifying a pkg. as suspicious, the area should be evacuated immediately and
completely, ideally to a distance of 300 feet. Evacuated personnel should not have a
direct line of sight to the pkg. Do not approach. In the above scenario, this would be
the evacuation of any personnel in the bldg. and then work outwards until the desired
perimeter is established. Bottom line, bomb personnel are not going to'approach a
suspicious device until they are geared up in several thousand dollars worth of
protective gear. Is your uniform, vest, and boots up to the job?
3. Survey personnel to determine whether the pkg. was momentarily misplaced or
represents a real threat. Also attempt to identify a tim'e frame in which the pkg. was
left. School administration should be contacted ASAP in an attempt to see if they
may know the contents of the pkg. I.e. were they expecting something to be dropped
off? Have there been recent threats,
4. Radio communications should be minimized or eliminated within the perimeter. Yes
this will cause a delay in communication but the device may be activated by a radio
signal.
In the above scenario efforts would need to be made to contact families schedu[e_d to dr01~
off their children for the before school program. Bomb personnel would have [~responcL
and evaluate the pkg. prmr to being able to g~vmg an estimated t~me to c ear the~nc~dent
Arrangements should be made to check other schools for similar pkgs,~ Other'
considerations?
These type incidents will greatly tax the resources of the department. Additionally there
will be the pressure to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, however the potential
consequences of "rushing" to finish these type incidents can be catastrophic.
Note: this scenario is based on the existence of a suspicious pkg. which is classified as a
bomb emergency, and not a bomb threat in which no actual or suspicious devices have
been located.
IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
TRAINING BULLETIN 01-1 4
DATE: August 28th, 2000
TO: Commanders (All Sworn)
FROM: k.hurd
SUBJECT: WT 01-11
This weeks' watch training reviews steps an officer may consider when dealing
with a subject who may be resistive or non-compliant. When this is anticipated or
indicators are present that this may be the case, when practical the Initial officer
should wait for additional units prior to instituting the contact. The WT lists tactics
an officer may take to increase the reactionary time available to them until the
arrival of a 2n°unit.
Cc: Chief Winkelhake
Capt. Harney
Capt. Widmer
Watch Training 01-11
A.O.D.
Scenario - You respond to a person causing a disturbance call. Upon your arrival you
locate a female who is shouting threats and making violent gestures at people. You
approach the subject in an attempt to find out what is happening and ID those involved.
Critical Issues - What steps can you take to decrease the likelihood that the subject will
be able to successfully assault you. What steps can you take to increase the reaction time
available to you?
Discussion - A defensive term known as Awareness, Obstacles, Distance (A.O.D.) has
been coined to identify steps officers can take to increase the reaction time available to
them. The three components are broken down as follows:
AWARENESS Overall awareness will increase ones available reaction time
significantly. The old adage Action is faster than reaction while correct may be
minimized when the officer anticipates the acts of another person. If you fail to
anticipate potential danger, you will not be able to react effectively. The actions of the
other person may be anticipated by observing the "body language" of the person you are
interacting with. Remember Verbal Judo and Indicators that should signal that an action
might be forthcoming.
OBSTACLES - Placing obstacles between yourself and the potential aggressor increases
your reaction time and may inhibit assaultive behavior. Placing the corner of your squad
car between yourself and the suspect would cause the subject to have to clear the obstacle
prior to making contact with the officer. Inside a building positioning yourseli~ so there is
furniture between yourself and the subject will increase the amount of reaction time
available. Conversely, if a decision is made to arrest the subject, you need to make sure
there are no obstacles between you and the suspect prior to initiating cuffing or hands-on
techniques.
DISTANCE - The "Reactionary Gap" is an excellent means of increasing reaction time in
most situations....however on a daily basis you must deal with individuals in close
proximity. With this in mind, every weapon; hands, feet, knife etc. has a limited range.
If you suspect that the subject is going to be assaultive, maintaining the maximum
distance practical will increase the available reaction time.
In instances where distance is not practical, Awareness and Obstacles will h~lp you
maximize your reaction time.
In instances where you suspect a subject is going to be assaultive or cOmbative, _i_.!
whenever possible you should wait for a second unit prior to making contact~.~, Whew
waiting for a second unit is not practical you need to take steps those steps avaiIal31e
minimize your exposure. C)::':! -