600-24 Deconflicting Covert and Narcotics Related Operations

Question 1

Any division or unit intending to involve itself in a _____ ordinarily handled by a specialized division shall coordinate that involvement with the specialized division. Also, whenever a police officer or investigator makes an arrest in which the circumstances indicate that another specialized division should be involved, the officer shall contact the second division to see if a “Hold” will be accepted.

Answer 1

major or sensitive investigation or operation

Question 2

Blue-on-Blue Incident.

Answer 2

Action by one officer at a location resulting in a confrontation with another officer at that same location without realizing the other was an officer. Such events occur when a plainclothes officer is involved in an investigation and another officer (either in plainclothes or in uniform) attempts to take enforcement action against the officer, not knowing the officer is involved in a covert investigation.

Question 3

Case Explorer.

Answer 3

The program used for deconfliction of events by the department’s Narcotics Operations Control Center (NOCC).

Question 4

Case Explorer Security Request Form.

Answer 4

A form (available from the NOCC) completed by each officer or agent who is designated by a supervisor to be a point of contact and authorized to call the NOCC for deconfliction of covert investigations or operations.

Question 5

Covert Investigation.

Answer 5

Any investigation in which an officer’s physical presence is not openly shown, displayed, or acknowledged. This can include rolling or stationary surveillance or the use of informants.

Question 6

Deconfliction.

Answer 6

This term refers to the process of ensuring investigations do not overlap spans of authority or control and a conflict does not occur.

Question 7

Event Code.

Answer 7

A set of alpha and numeric characters issued to a requester for a specific event.

Question 8

Event Deconfliction.

Answer 8

Ensuring that two separate enforcement actions or investigations are not occurring at the same location or within the same immediate vicinity at the same time.

Question 9

NOCC (Narcotics Operations Control Center).

Answer 9

A unit within the Narcotics Division that manages narcotics related holds, conducts quality control inspections on narcotics evidence submissions, and facilitates the deconfliction process.

Question 10

Open-Air Investigation/Operation.

Answer 10

An enforcement or investigative operation that is roving in nature (e.g., Narcotics Division officers conducting random Buy-Bust operations, Vice Division officers conducting random prostitution operations, or on-view patrol, tactical, or gang unit actions) and when there is no pre-determined location. This is commonly referred to as enforcement against “Targets of Opportunity.”

Question 11

Requester.

Answer 11

The officer calling the NOCC to notify of pending enforcement or investigative activity at a specific location. This person is the point of contact during the incident.

Question 12

Reversal.

Answer 12

A variation of a traditional investigative technique in which an undercover agent poses as a drug seller rather than as a drug buyer. This technique is frequently referred to as a reversal or sting operation.

Question 13

GENERAL PROVISIONS

When coordinating with a specialized division concerning a major or sensitive investigation or operation, the coordination shall include notification to the shift lieutenant or the division commander of that specialized division prior to initiating the investigation. An ______ shall make the notification.

When it has been determined that another specialized division should become involved in an investigation in which an arrest has been made and a hold has already been accepted, the original case officer or investigator shall _____. The case and the suspect shall become the responsibility of the lead specialized division for continued investigation and disposition.

Answer 13

1) on-duty supervisor of the unit performing the investigation or operation

2) file a supplemental report describing the officer’s actions

Question 14

NARCOTICS REVERSALS

Reversals may be conducted by only officers assigned to the Narcotics Division and shall not be conducted without the approval of the Narcotics Division commander. Any reversal that involves the actual delivery of a narcotics substance shall not be conducted without _____.

For the purpose of this General Order, the term reversal does not include sting operations conducted for any investigation other than narcotics investigations. Solicitation of controlled substance Class C operations do not require the approval of the Chief of Police, but may be conducted by only the _____.

Answer 14

1) the written approval of the Chief of Police or the chief’s designee

2) Narcotics Division

Question 15

PURCHASING NARCOTICS

The purchase of narcotics (e.g., Buy, Buy-Bust, or Buy-Walk operations) may be conducted by only personnel assigned to the Narcotics Division. However, due to the related environments of covert investigations, certain circumstances in the Vice Division qualify as an exception to this policy. While conducting investigations, officers assigned to the Vice Division may be permitted to purchase small amounts of narcotics to further the investigation or to protect the identity and safety of the officer. Upon making an undercover purchase of narcotics, the Vice officer shall immediately contact Narcotics Division for further assistance in the investigation. At no time will purchasing narcotics be a priority or focus of an investigation for the Vice Division. The _____ shall be notified when exercising this exception. Patrol tactical units, warrant units, or any other plainclothes units shall not perform covert narcotics investigations without the consent of the_____

Answer 15

1) captain of the Vice Division

2) Chief of Police and the Narcotics Division commander.

Question 16

DECONFLICTION REQUIREMENT

Officers shall contact the NOCC when it can be reasonably inferred or assumed that any covert investigation could develop into a _____ or could interfere with any current related investigation by any agency. This is necessary even if a location address is not known but a description of the location’s proximity and _____ can be relayed for the NOCC to obtain GPS coordinates for the deconfliction.

Answer 16

1) blue-on-blue incident

2) nearest cross streets

Question 17

DECONFLICTION PROCESS (1/3)

For security reasons, each person who calls the NOCC to request an event number for deconfliction shall first be approved and entered as a requester within the system. The following are required when utilizing the NOCC deconfliction system:

a. Each requester shall first submit a ______. Once the information has been verified and entered into the secured Case Explorer program database, the requester shall then be eligible to contact the NOCC for the deconfliction of an event.

b. Requesters shall provide their name, event location, deconfliction radius, event term, event type, and supervisor’s name and cellular telephone contact number. The requesters shall be asked for the ______

c. The NOCC officer shall enter the event information into the Case Explorer event deconfliction program and verify the location with the requester by confirmation of the geographically mapped display or by the GPS coordinates. If a requester contacts the NOCC for an event number and it is determined that no conflict of locations exists, the officer or agent shall be given an __________. The officer shall maintain both the event number and the event code for the duration of the event. The Case Explorer program searches for any other active events that are located within the search radius boundaries of the request. If any other active events are identified, a conflict will result. Likewise, if the location falls within any previously issued event’s search radius, the system will see the new request as an encroachment and a conflict will result.

Answer 17

1) Case Explorer Security Request Form

2) last four digits of their social security number for verification.

3) event number as well as an event code

Question 18

DECONFLICTION PROCESS (2/3)

d. In cases of a conflict, the requesting officer shall be informed that an event already exits.

The officer making the new request (conflicting event) shall be given the other officer’s event number and contact telephone number. The officer shall then be instructed by the NOCC officer to _____

If the officer in possession of an active event code determines the requesting officer’s investigation does not interfere with the active investigation, the officer shall _____ so that officer can return the call to the NOCC to complete the request. Once the NOCC officer receives the event code, then the request that resulted in a conflict can be resolved and processed.

If the officer who has the conflict does not return a call to the NOCC within _____, the new request shall be cancelled and the requester shall not obtain an event number to continue with the investigation. It is the new requesting officer’s responsibility to continue contacting the originating officer until the decode key can be obtained. However, if the originating officer cannot be contacted within a reasonable time, the conflicting officer may call the NOCC. The NOCC officer can contact the originating officer’s supervisor and if approval is obtained the NOCC officer may override the conflict (for exigent operations).

Answer 18

1) contact the officer in conflict who maintains an active event number so the coordination can be made.

2) verbally give the requesting officer the event code

3) 24 hours

Question 19

DECONFLICTION PROCESS (3/3)

e. If any officer or agent who has been issued an event number and event code fails to retain a record of an active event number and event code throughout an event term, thus preventing the sharing of that information for purposes of deconfliction, or fails to respond to contact attempts, or cannot be contacted, then the _____ shall be contacted to determine if an override can be authorized to allow a newly requested investigation to continue. This shall be done only in exigent circumstances to prevent unnecessary delay of critical investigations. If it is determined that any requester of an active event fails to respond to a deconfliction call (by not being able to be contacted or by failure to retain the event code) that officer’s requester status shall be subject to review. It may result in that officer being _____

Answer 19

1) requester’s supervisor

2) deleted as a requester for future events.

Question 20

SPATIAL AWARENESS

The issuance of an event number does not mean that the requester is securing all locations in the entire geographical area within the requested search radius upon initial request of the event; nor does it mean that the requester is clear to work any other locations within that search radius. The initial search is conducted only to determine if _____

However, should anyone contact the NOCC to deconflict a location for a new event that falls within the boundaries of the original search parameters, a conflict will be recognized and the new requester shall not be issued an event number to proceed until _____.

Answer 20

1) there are any other active events (locations) in the area of the search radius at the time of the request.

2) approved by the original event holder

Question 21

SPATIAL AWARENESS

The Case Explorer event deconfliction program continues to alert the NOCC of any encroachment of an event request throughout the entire active term of the issued event. Therefore, before any officer is issued an event number for any location that falls within the boundaries of the event, that officer shall be notified that a conflict has occurred and it shall be the decision of the original event holder whether or not to _____. Officers shall always cooperate with all new requesters and share information and release their event code unless doing so would present a _____ or ______

Answer 21

1) give the new requester the event code for conflict resolution

2) blue-on-blue incident

3) would compromise investigative efforts or any confidentiality requirements for that investigation.

Question 22

MULTIPLE EVENT REQUESTS

A requester shall call the NOCC for each single event. A separate event number shall be issued for each event location. No event number or event code shall be issued to cover multiple event locations or types. If a requester wants to obtain event numbers on more than one location, the requester shall submit an ______ form listing the location for each event or investigation with as much advance notice as possible. The _______ form may be faxed or submitted to the NOCC. The NOCC personnel shall enter all of the locations listed on the Event Deconfliction Operation Plan form and shall contact the requester with all event numbers and event codes upon completion of the entries. This shall prevent possible delays in obtaining event numbers for other investigations.

Answer 22

1) Event Deconfliction Operation Plan

2) Event Deconfliction Operation Plan

Question 23

EXCEPTIONS TO COORDINATION, SURVEILLANCE, AND DECONFLICTION

Certain _____ task force members conduct investigations under the authority of the Attorney General of the United States that are top secret in nature and associated with national security. These investigations are exempt from the requirements of this General Order. However, in order to ensure deconfliction, the ______ may at any time contact the NOCC and inquire about investigative operations occurring within a geographical area to avoid a blue-on-blue incident.

Answer 23

1) Criminal Intelligence Division (CID)

2) CID division commander or the lieutenant designee

Question 24

BLUE-ON-BLUE INCIDENTS

In addition to any other General Order requirements, if any officer is involved in or becomes aware of a blue-on-blue incident, the officer shall notify the NOCC so an investigation can be initiated to determine if _____

When a blue-on-blue incident occurs, the covert officer shall immediately_____

Answer 24

1) event numbers were requested for a location and why there was a conflict.

2) comply with the requests and demands by the identifying officer.