41I-Preliminary Investigations 2019

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Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 6 Lexington Police Department Subject: Preliminary Investigations Policy Number: 41I Accreditation Standards: Reference: 42.1.4; 42.2.1; 42.2.3 Effective Date: 12/1/10  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES The ultimate success or failure of police efforts in solving a case is often based upon the immediate police response and preliminary investigation. This is generally the responsibility of patrol officers who are nearly always the first officers on the scene of a reported crime. It is the patrol officer who will initially discover facts, locate and identify witnesses and preserve physical evidence that is relied upon by the police investigator in the subsequent follow up and search for the suspected criminal. The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to those officers who conduct preliminary investigations. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department that:  Preliminary investigations shall be conducted on all incidents which violate the criminal code of the Commonwealth or town bylaws, or have the potential to result in foreseeable criminal or civil action; and  All officers understand and comply with the following procedures when conducting initial investigations of crimes. PROCEDURES A. Responding to a Crime Scene 1. Officers proceeding to a crime scene shall be vigilant and watchful in their approach for any signs of: a. Suspicious activity that may be related to the crime; b. Evidence of a fleeing criminal; c. Persons acting suspiciously or furtively in the vicinity; or d. Objects being thrown from a vehicle leaving the scene. 2. A threshold inquiry is justified when officers observe an individual fleeing from the scene of a crime.i