42R- Child Abuse 2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 9 Lexington Police Department Subject: Child Abuse Policy Number: 42R Accreditation Standards: Reference: Effective Date: 11/1/10  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES The purpose of this policy is to provide officers with guidelines for recognizing instances and accepting reports of child abuse and neglect and coordinating the investigation of such cases with appropriate child protective service agencies and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. The Lexington Police Department shares a responsibility with social services in seeing that children do not become the targets of adult violence and parental neglect. Routine sharing of information by these agencies in a strategic manner, where permissible and appropriate, can often prevent child abuse or neglect from taking place. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department that:  Reports of child abuse and neglect shall be thoroughly investigated in accordance with this policy; and  Appropriate measures shall be taken, consistent with state law, which will best protect the interests of the child. PROCEDURES A. Definitions 1. Abandonment: Leaving a child alone or in the care of another under circumstances that demonstrate an intentional abdication of parental responsibility. 2. Abuse: The non-accidental commission of any act by a caretaker upon a child under the age of eighteen (18) which causes or creates a substantial risk of physical or emotional injury, or constitutes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth, or any sexual contact between a caretaker and a child under the care of that individual. This definition is not dependent upon location (i.e., abuse can occur while the child is in an out-of-home or in-home setting).i