General Policy Information
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
Latest Revision Date: 5/15/2013
Title 1 - Department Structure and Function
1.010 - Authority and Jurisdiction
1.025 - Consultant Contract Administration
1.040 - Department Mission Statement and Priorities
1.050 - Functional Structure and Command of the Department
1.060 - General Information and Definitions
1.090 - Organization and Function-Administration
1.100 - Organization and Function-Chief of Police
1.110 - Organization and Function-Operations
1.119 - Unit Number Assignments
1.140 - Special Event Planning
1.160 - University of Washington
1.170 - Inspections and Audits
Title 2 - Department Employment
2.020 - Appointments and Probation
2.030 - Retirements and Separations
Title 3 - Employee Welfare
3.035 - Reasonable Accommodation (ADA)
3.050 - Coordinating Officer Fatalities
3.070 - Early Intervention System (EIS)
3.080 - Travel Training System
3.090 - Employee Recognition Awards Program
3.170 - Honoring Those Killed in the Line of Duty
3.200 - Limited Duty Assignments
3.270 - Police Charity Committee
Title 4 - Timekeeping
Title 5 - Employee Conduct
5.002 - Public and Internal Complaint Process
5.030 - Criminal Case Testimony
5.040 - EEO Complaints and Investigations
5.060 - Employee Political Activity
5.090 - Operations Bureau General Personnel Matters
5.100 - Operations Bureau Individual Responsibilities
5.130 - Supervisor/Employee Relationships
5.150 - Use of Private Vehicles for City Business
5.160 - Citizen Observation of Officers
5.170 - Alcohol and Substance Use
5.175 - Critical Incident Stress Management Communications
Title 6 - Arrests, Search and Seizure
6.010 - Reporting Arrests and Detentions
6.020 - Arrests and Detentions of Foreign Nationals
6.060 - Collection of Information for Law Enforcement Purposes
6.090 - Full Restraint Position
6.140 - Locating a Cell Phone during an Emergency
6.150 - Advising Persons of Right to Counsel and Miranda
6.181 - Performing Inventory Searches
6.220 - Social Contacts, Terry Stops and Arrests
6.247 - Reviewing Use of Force Incidents
Title 7 - Evidence and Property
7.010 - Converting Property-Evidence for Departmental Use
7.020 - Evidence, Private Property collection & Release
7.050 - Firearms and Shell Casings as Evidence
7.070 - Narcotics and Firearms Property Release for Training Canines
Title 8 - Use of Force
8.050 - Use of Force Definitions
8.300 - Use of Force Reporting and Investigations
8.400 - Reviewing Use of Force
Title 9 - Equipment and Uniforms
9.050 - Reinbursement for Personal Property
9.070 - Uniform and Equipment Committee
9.080 - Firearms Qualification Review Board
9.090 - Rifle and Shotgun Program
9.100 - Department Firearms Management
Title 10 - Police Facilities & Security
Title 11 - Detainee Management
11.010 - Detainee Management in Department Facilities
11.020 - Transportation of Detainees
Title 12 - Department Information Systems
12.030 - Computer Hardware & Devices
12.055 - Criminal Justice Research
12.060 - Department Forms Control
12.070 - Department Publications
12.080 - Department Records Access, Inspection & Dissemination
12.090 - Departmental Correspondence
12.091 - Mobile Reporting Entity (MRE) Laptops
12.110 - Use of Department E-mail & Internet Systems
Title 13 - Vehicle Operations
13.010 - Collisions Involving Department Vehicles
13.015 - Collision Review Board
13.030 - Emergency Vehicle Operations
13.031 - Vehicle Eluding/Pursuits
13.040 - Patrol Operations Equipment, Police Vehicles and Facilities
13.050 - Policing by Mountain Bike
Title 14 - Emergency Operations
14.060 - Serious Incident Plan
14.070 - Serious Injury or Fatality to a Police Officer
Title 15 - Primary Investigation
15.015 – Bomb Threats and Explosive Devices
15.055 - Death Investigations (Non Traffic)
15.080 - Follow-up Unit Notification and Follow-up Investigation
15.140 - Narcotics Activity Report
15.180 - Primary Investigations
15.185 - Vulnerable Adults-Elder Abuse and Neglect
15.210 - Investigating Property Held by a Pawnshop or Used-Goods Store
15.215 - Domestic Violence Firearms Seizures 15.250 - Interpreters/Translators 15.260 - Collision Investigations 15.270 - Trespass Warning Program 15.275 - Enforcing Trespass in Parks 15.290 - Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP) 15.300 - Stay Out of Drug Areas (SODA)-Define Boundaries 15.310 - Foreign Nationals Seeking Asylum 15.320 - Police Action on Military Reservations
Title 16 - Patrol Operations
16.030 - Citizen Rider Program
16.040 - Community Police Teams
16.070 - Responding to Monitored Alarms
16.080 - Fireworks Disposal and Disposition
16.100 - Patrol Training and Publications
16.110 - Referring Subjects to the Crisis Solutions Center
16.130 - Sick and Injured Persons
16.140 - Traffic Direction and Control
16.170 - Automatic License Plate Readers
16.180 - Patrol Operations Order
16.190 - Labor Management Disputes
7.040 - Fingerprints
Effective Date: 3/27/2003
PURPOSE
To establish the policy and procedures for locating, lifting, and processing latent fingerprint evidence from crime scenes and to direct the procedure for obtaining and handling fingerprints from known individuals.
POLICY
The Seattle Police Department places a high value on fingerprint evidence because it has the potential to link a single individual to the crime scene. The Department will endeavor to identify, collect and analyze this evidence in accordance with established standards and procedures, in order to ensure that the value of the evidence is not diminished.
I. General
A. All sworn employees of the Department will possess the knowledge and training necessary to properly process crime scenes for fingerprints.
B. The Department will provide fingerprint-processing equipment to employees required to process crime scenes. Sworn employees shall maintain an adequate supply of this equipment, and have it available for immediate use.
C. The Department will employ Latent Print Examiners and will provide them with specialized training and equipment to process unique and difficult crime scenes or evidence that is beyond the scope of training and expertise of the average sworn employee.
D. The Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory Division’s Physical Evidence Handbook shall guide the processing, collecting, handling, storage, identification, and labeling of all fingerprint evidence by Department employees.
II. Crime Scene
A. Officers should always seek to identify, preserve and collect fingerprint evidence as a routine course of the investigation of any crime or suspected crime.
B. Whenever officers question the existence of fingerprint evidence, they should err on the side of caution and process the scene for fingerprints.
C. Officers will not process scenes that require immediate follow-up investigation or any other incident that may require a follow-up response. In these instances, officers shall preserve potential evidence for collection by follow-up or other personnel.
D. Department Latent Print Examiners may be requested to respond by an on-scene sergeant, if the circumstances warrant a response.
1. The on-scene sergeant should make the request for the print examiners via Communications.
2. Communications will notify the Latent Print Supervisor.
3. The Latent Print Supervisor will screen the response and direct examiners to respond to the scene, as appropriate.
E. Department personnel processing crime scenes for fingerprints shall make reasonable efforts to clean up any residue from their evidence collection efforts.
F. Elimination prints should be taken from the victim(s) whenever possible. These printcards should be clearly labeled and submitted with any latents recovered.
III. Obtaining Prints from Known Individuals
A. Certain case investigations require the collection of fingerprints from a known individual. If the individual agrees to voluntarily provide his or her fingerprints, the officer or detective should call the 10-print supervisor at 684-5514 (24 hours) and respond to the 1st floor of the Justice Center. A 10-print technician will assist with the collection of a fingerprint sample.
B. If the individual does not agree to voluntarily provide his or her fingerprints, a search warrant must be issued by the court. Contact a follow-up sergeant or prosecuting attorney for assistance. Once a warrant has been received, contact the 10-print supervisor and proceed as outlined above.