Death in Police Custody 04-16

Question 1

Notifications in custody death

Answer 1

-Supervisory Officer mandatory attendance
-Officer in Charge mandatory notification
-Unit Commander mandatory notification

Question 2

Who leads the investigation of in custody death?

Answer 2

SIU and Detective Operations - Homicide (Homicide)

Question 3

Upon becoming aware of a death in police custody a Police Officer shall

Answer 3

-Protect the scene and all evidence
-immediately request the attendance of a supervisory officer
-notify the OIC

Question 4

Police Officer – Detective Operations – Forensic Identification Services (FIS) When attending the scene of a death in police custody shall

Answer 4

await the arrival of the SIU forensic investigator before
commencing with evidence collection.
- The SIU and FIS run parallel forensic investigations when there is a death in police custody.

Question 5

Supervisor- When notified of a death in police custody shall

Answer 5

• attend immediately and take charge of the scene
• request the attendance of
  ‒ an investigator from Homicide
  ‒ an investigator from FIS
  ‒ the Coroner
• ensure compliance with Procedures 04–02 and 13–16
• ensure the Officer in Charge has been notified
• notify the Officer in Charge – Toronto Police Operations Centre (TPOC)

Question 6

In an in custody death who notifies the OIC

Answer 6

Police Officer upon discovery

Question 7

In an in custody death who requests Coroner

Answer 7

Supervisor

Question 8

In an in custody death who Requests Homicide investigator

Answer 8

Supervisor

Question 9

In an in custody death who Requests FIS

Answer 9

Supervisor

Question 10

In an in custody death who notifies OIC TPOC

Answer 10

Supervisor

Question 11

Does the Supervisor notify the OIC of an in custody death?

Answer 11

No - the Police officer making the discovery does. The Supervisor will ensure the OIC has been notified.

Question 12

Upon arrival at the scene of an in custody death the Homicide investigator

Answer 12

• take charge of the investigation
• confer with the attending Coroner at the scene

Question 13

OIC - When notified of a death in police custody shall

Answer 13

• ensure the attendance of
  ‒ an investigator from Homicide
  ‒ an investigator from FIS
  ‒ the Coroner
• ensure compliance with Procedures 04–02 and 13–16
• ensure the Officer in Charge – TPOC is notified
• notify the Unit Commander

Question 14

Who notifies the Unit commander of an in custody death?

Answer 14

The OIC

Question 15

Upon being notifies of an in custody death the OIC of TPOC shall notify

Answer 15

-Chief’s on- call designated Authority
-The appropriate Deputy Chief

Question 16

The Chief’s On-Call Designated authority upon being notified of an in custody death shall

Answer 16

ensure the SIU is promptly notified.

Question 17

Who notifies the SIU of an in custody death?

Answer 17

Chief’s On-Call Designated Authority

Question 18

a member of the cadre of on-call Toronto
Police Service uniform senior officers that acts as the designated authority and manages the SIU event in the field on behalf
of the Chief is the ?

Answer 18

Chief’s On-Call Designated Authority

Question 19

Death in Police Custody means

Answer 19

the death of a person at any time during an arrest/detention and before the person’s release or
transfer to another agency’s custody

Question 20

SIU Mandate is

Answer 20

means that the SIU Director may cause an investigation to be conducted into
any incident in which any of the following occurs, if the incident may have resulted from the criminal conduct of a Service
official:
- the death of a person
- the serious injury of a person
- the discharge of a firearm at a person (regardless of causing injury or death, and including less lethal weapons);
and/or
- the sexual assault of a person, as reported by the person.

Question 21

The SIU Director may cause an investigation to be conducted if, at the time of the incident,

Answer 21

• the official was on duty; or
• the official was off-duty but
  (a) engaged in the investigation, pursuit, detention or arrest of a person or otherwise exercised the powers of a
  police officer, special constable, peace officer or other prescribed person, as the case may be, whether or not
  the official intended to exercise such powers or identified themselves as a person who may exercise such
  powers, OR
  (b) the incident involved equipment or other property issued to the official in relation to their duties.