600-14 Sexual Assaults

Question 1

Officers shall at all times treat sexual assault victims with _________; although this shall not prevent officers from _____ and _________.

Answer 1

compassion, consideration, understanding, and patience; collecting evidence, asking necessary questions

Question 2

Officers shall consult with the Special Victims Division in all sex crime related incidents involving:

Answer 2

Sexual assault of a child and the suspect is still on the scene

Elderly persons

Juveniles

Persons who are mentally disabled or otherwise unable to provide a statement

Serious bodily injury

Cases that could reasonably become high profile or are of media interest

A peace officer, first responder, or City of Houston employee

Cases in which the officer believes a crime scene unit should be requested to process the scene

Question 3

Immediate follow-up investigation shall be determined by

Answer 3

a Special Victims Division supervisor.

Question 4

The officer making the original incident report shall provide

Answer 4

the sexual assault victim with the incident number

AND

the name and telephone number of the appropriate sex crimes unit that will be conducting the follow-up investigation.

Question 5

The officer shall instruct the victim to call the appropriate sex crimes unit in order to

Answer 5

clarify processing steps

obtain information on support services for sexual assault victims

schedule an appointment.

Question 6

Officers shall inform the victim about the HPD Victim Services Unit, which assists victims of violent crime. For extenuating circumstances requiring immediate assistance after hours, the ______ can contact a crime victim liaison.

Answer 6

HPD Command Center

Question 7

If an officer makes an arrest for a sexual assault, the officer shall _______ so that a ______ investigator can make immediate follow-up with the suspect.

Answer 7

contact the Special Victims Division hold desk; Special Victims Division;

Question 8

For arrests made after regular business hours, officers shall contact _______ and have the appropriate on-call supervisor contacted so that an on-call officer can be sent to follow up with the arrested suspect.

Answer 8

the Command Center

Question 9

Texas law states that if a sexual assault is reported to a law enforcement agency within __________, with the consent of the victim the agency shall ________.

Answer 9

96 hours following the assault; a forensic medical examination.

Question 10

If a sexual assault is not reported within 96 hours, the agency _______________.

Answer 10

request a forensic medical examination if appropriate.

Question 11

The officer assigned to the crime scene to make the original incident report shall_______.

Answer 11

refer sexual assault victims to the nearest designated sexual assault treatment center for a medical examination.

Question 12

If an officer is dispatched directly to the hospital to take a report, the officer making the original incident report shall provide the hospital official with the following information:

Answer 12

Incident number

Names of the complainants and witnesses

Date and time of the offense

Question 13

When an officer has a prisoner in custody or is otherwise unable to go directly from the crime scene to the hospital for needed follow-up, the officer shall

Answer 13

first advise a supervisor and then the dispatcher.

The officer shall supplement the call history with the following information:

Type of offense

Incident number

Location of crime scene

Date of incident

Suspect information

Complainants’ and witnesses’ names

Investigating officer’s name

Name of sexual assault treatment center (e.g., hospital)

Question 14

The officer responsible for picking up the sexual assault kit prepared by the treatment center shall

Answer 14

deliver it to the department’s Property Division regardless of whether the kit is a Houston Police Department kit or another kit the hospital may have used inadvertently for the examination.

Question 15

Officers who are assigned to pick up sexual assault kit evidence from hospitals shall

Answer 15

use the template to document the details of the transaction.

Question 16

The Sexual Assault Kit Evidence narrative form is located in the ARS Narrative Templates under the input code

Answer 16

“SAK CHAIN.” The template can be found in the Narrative tab “8 Narrative.” Select “Load Narrative Template” and type “SAK CHAIN” in for the Code.

Question 17

Officers shall contact ________ if there are any questions or issues regarding the incident or treatment center procedures.

Answer 17

supervisory staff of the Special Victims Division

Question 18

In addition to the normally required report information, the officer making the original incident report or the officer making the follow-up call shall

Answer 18

enter and identify all property, articles, and evidence on a separate and appropriate property screen.

Question 19

Officers shall

Answer 19

collect all evidence that could aid in the prosecution of the sexual assault including, but not limited to, the following:

Weapons

Scene photos

Photos of injuries

Blood, semen, hairs

Items that may contain evidentiary biological materials including, but not limited to:

1. Clothing
2. Undergarments
3. Sheets

Bindings

Audio or video recordings

Cellular telephones

Other digital evidence

Question 20

When responding to an incident involving a sexual abuse of a child younger than 17 years of age, officers shall _______ for assignment to an investigator.

Answer 20

generate an incident report and forward it to the Special Victims Division.

This applies even in the case of a delayed report.

Question 21

Officers shall ensure that victims of sexual assaults occurring ______ are immediately referred for a sexual assault examination.

Answer 21

within the previous 96 hours; immediately

Question 22

Child victims who have been sexually abused within the previous 96 hours (acute exam) or beyond the previous 96 hours (non-acute exam), shall be

Answer 22

referred preferably to the Texas Children’s Hospital in the Houston Medical Center to obtain a sexual assault examination.

Question 23

If a sexual assault is not reported within 96 hours following the assault, the department _______ if appropriate. Officers may contact the Special Victims Division’s on-call supervisor for guidance.

Answer 23

request a forensic medical examination

Question 24

Officers shall not direct victims or caretakers to go to the ______ or the________ in lieu of generating an original incident report.

Answer 24

the Children’s Assessment, the Special Victims Division’s Child Sexual Abuse Unit (CSAU)

Question 25

Officers shall

Answer 25

instead advise victims or the non-offending caretakers that a child sexual abuse investigator shall contact them to schedule an interview and any additional required testing

AND

provide victims or non-offending caretakers the telephone numbers to the CSAU for any follow-up questions.
The

Question 26

The ______________ shall be contacted by the responding patrol officer for allegations of sexual assault of a child in which the alleged perpetrator is a family member or caretaker.

Answer 26

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)

Question 27

Adult victims in Fort Bend County who have been sexually assaulted within the previous 96 hours or even beyond the previous 96 hours shall be referred

Answer 27

to a hospital within the Memorial Hermann Hospital System to obtain a sexual assault examination.

Question 28

Child victims in Fort Bend County who have been sexually abused within the previous 96 hours shall be referred to

Answer 28

Texas Children’S Hospital in the Houston Medical Center

Memorial Hermann Hospital System

University of Texas Medical School’s Child Abuse Resource and Education (CAR.E.) Clinic in the Houston Medical Center (business hours only, see note below)

Children’s Assessment Center (business hours only, see note below)

NOTE: For a referral and scheduling at either the University of Texas CAR.E. Clinic or the Children’s Assessment Center, officers shall contact the Special Victims Division’s CSAU.

Question 29

If it has been more than 96 hours since the sexual abuse, child victims in Fort Bend County shall be referred

Answer 29

to the University of Texas CAR.E. Clinic (business hours only, see note below).

NOTE: For a referral and scheduling at either the University of Texas CAR.E. Clinic or the Children’s Assessment Center, officers shall contact the Special Victims Division’s CSAU

Question 30

Officers responding to any sexual assault incident in Fort Bend County may also contact the

Answer 30

Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office for information.