500-14 Class C Misdemeanors Flashcards
Unless otherwise directed by policy, persons who commit serious Class C misdemeanors (e.g., offenses involving or related to violence, narcotics, vice, breaches of the peace, or criminal mischief) shall normally be incarcerated. If extenuating circumstances make incarceration unwarranted, officers shall…
seek approval from a field or station supervisor before issuing a citation to a serious Class C violator.
Persons who commit less serious Class C misdemeanors (e.g., traffic violations and regulatory offenses) shall normally be issued citations. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to incarcerate a violator to _____. A decision to do so shall be _____.
For department policies and procedures regarding parking violations, see General Order 600-29, Parking Citations.
1) accomplish the police mission
2) consistent with the department’s values and principles
Abbreviated Incident Report.
An incident report that lacks property information and a narrative and that is entered into the Automated Reporting System (ARS) within the department’s Records Management System (RMS) for statistical or historical data purposes or for capturing an incident in the FBl’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). An abbreviated incident report shall be generated instead of a complete incident report for only certain incidents specified by the department.
Citation.
A ticket issued for a Class C misdemeanor.
Citation Book.
A book containing Class C misdemeanor citation forms.
Citation Pack.
A correspondence package for dismissing a citation and that contains the following:
a. A letter addressed to the Chief of Police from an officer requesting a citation dismissal.
b. A letter written by a requesting officer addressed to the Municipal Courts Chief Prosecutor for the Chief of Police’s signature.
c. A copy of the pertinent citation.
E-Citation.
A citation issued for a Class C misdemeanor generated on an electronic citation writing machine. To book an arrestee in jail on a new Class C municipal charge the e-citation device must be used.
Identifying Information. Data useful in identifying and locating an individual:
a. Name
b. Date of birth
c. Social security number
d. Driver license or identification number
e. Addresses: home and work
f. Telephone numbers: home, other
g. Any other pertinent information that would help to identify and locate an individual
Ticket Supply.
The Ticket Supply Office of the City’s Municipal Courts Department.
CITATIONS
Officers shall ensure the incident number, any complainant and witness identifying information, and any other information necessary to process a municipal complaint is documented on the _____ of the court’s copy utilizing the available blank space on the citation. Any remaining information along with the citation number may be written on an additional piece of paper and attached to the citation. Officers shall submit all citations at the _____.
1) front (never the back)
2) end of their shift
CITATIONS
Officers using an e-citation device shall ensure that information for all required fields and any complainant and witness identifying information are entered into the e-citation device. Officers shall upload e-citations prior to the _____ or _____. Officers shall confirm that the e-citations successfully transferred into the e-citation system.
1) end of their shift on the day the e-citations were created
2) following an arrest
Citation Books
Officers shall complete a checkout slip for each citation book they obtain. Officers shall return the checkout slip to Ticket Supply or to the designated location in their division. All citations in a book shall be issued or returned to Ticket Supply within _____.
three months
Citation Books
Officers who lose, damage, or misplace any part of a citation book shall _____. Procedures outlined in the Houston Police Department Corrective Action Manual shall be followed.
write a letter via their chain of command to the Chief of Police explaining the circumstances
Traffic Citations
Violators who agree to sign the citation and who are operating a Texas licensed vehicle shall not be booked on a _____ if it is the only violation for which they are charged. Violators who agree to sign the citation and who are operating a Texas licensed vehicle shall not be booked on a _____ charge if it is the only violation for which they are charged.
Violators charged with speeding only and whose state of residence is part of the _____ shall not be booked on the charge.
1) speeding charge
2) failure to show proof of financial responsibility
3) Nonresident Violator Compact of 1977
Traffic Citations
Violators charged with both speeding and failure to show proof of financial responsibility or other violations, regardless of residence, may be _____ in accordance with section 4 of this General Order.
booked on the charges
Traffic Citations
Violators driving another state’s licensed vehicle or a resident of another state that is not participating in the Nonresident Violator Compact of 1977 may be _____ in accordance with section 4 of this General Order.
booked on any citation
Traffic Citations
Officers writing citations within the incorporated areas of Houston, but outside of Harris County, shall _____.
place the name of the county in which the violation occurred in parentheses on the same line as the location of the violation
Refused or Unable to Sign
Officers shall advise violators who refuse to sign a citation that signing the citation is not an admission of guilt, but rather an _____.
If a violator still refuses to sign the citation, the officer shall print _____ on the line set aside for the violator’s signature. Refusal to sign a citation shall not be a basis for taking a violator into custody. The officer shall release the violator if_____
1) acknowledgment of receiving a citation and a promise to appear in court at the designated time
2) Refused to Sign
3) there are no other charges.
Refused or Unable to Sign
After releasing the violator, the officer shall complete a _____ form and attach it to the citation.
The affidavit is available on the department’s Intranet Portal.
The affidavit must be _____ . The citation and affidavit shall be forwarded to the _____ for review by the end of the officer’s shift.
1) Refused or Unable to Sign Affidavit
2) notarized immediately
3) officer’s immediate supervisor
Refused or Unable to Sign
If a violator is unable to sign a citation as a result of severe injury, the officer shall print _____ on the line provided for the violator’s signature.
The officer shall complete a Refused or Unable to Sign Affidavit form and attach it to the citation.
The affidavit must be _____. The citation and affidavit shall be forwarded to the _____ for review by the end of the officer’s shift.
1) Unable to Sign Due to Injury
2) notarized immediately
3) officer’s immediate supervisor
Class C Theft Citations
Citations shall be issued for Class C theft cases (including, but not limited to, shoplifting incidents) when the value of the stolen items is under $___ and when _____. Arrests for thefts under $100 shall be made only with _____
1) 100
2) the suspect’s identity is verifiable (e.g., valid identification)
3) proper supervisory authorization.
Class C Theft Citations
When issuing a citation for Class C theft, officers shall document the following information on the e-citation or on the front of the court’s copy of the citation form.
a. ____number
b. All stolen items - listed on the citation directly after _____
c. Complainant and witness _____
d. Who has care, custody, and control of the _____
e. Who initially _____
f. _____ of the stolen items
a. Incident number
b. All stolen items - listed on the citation directly after where the violation is written
c. Complainant and witness identifying information
d. Who has care, custody, and control of the stolen items
e. Who initially detained the suspect
f. Retail value of the stolen items
Class C Theft Citations
Officers are required to conduct a federated query in the department’s Records Management System (RMS) on all suspects prior to _____. Any data returned from the query on the suspect will also be available for import into the Automated Reporting System (ARS) within RMS.
issuing a citation or generating an incident report
Class C Theft Citations
In addition to the citation, officers shall complete an abbreviated incident report so the theft can be included in the department’s statistical and historical data and NIBRS information. It is not necessary to enter property or a narrative in an abbreviated incident report. When entering an abbreviated incident report, officers shall adhere to the following procedures:
g. Complete the _____tab. If it is a shoplifting incident, use the report title “Theft-Shoplifting (Cited & Released).”
h. Complete the _____tab. For the suspect, use involvement “CIT” to indicate cited and released. For a business complainant, use involvement “CAB.”
i. Complete the _____ tab.
j. Complete the ____tab to owner approve the report.
Complete incident reports shall continue to be generated for theft cases for which no citation is issued.
g. Complete the Incident tab. If it is a shoplifting incident, use the report title “Theft-Shoplifting (Cited & Released).”
h. Complete the Persons tab. For the suspect, use involvement “CIT” to indicate cited and released. For a business complainant, use involvement “CAB.”
i. Complete the Modus Operandi tab.
j. Complete the RCS tab to owner approve the report.
