Procedure 703-Handling of Sexual Assault Complaints

Question 1

.03B. When talking to the victim, the officer uses language appropriate to;

Answer 1

the victim’s age, intelligence, and emotional condition.

Question 2

.03C. The officer uses medical terms when referring to;

Answer 2

various parts of the body.

Question 3

.03H. Officers dispatched to a hospital or doctor’s office to take the report, interview, or investigate the offense, and;

Answer 3

leave the room during the physical examination of the sexual assault victim.

Question 4

.04A. To obtain the necessary physical evidence and witness testimony in order to

Answer 4

lawfully arrest the offender and secure a successful conviction.

Question 5

.04B. A certain degree of sensitivity should be incorporated while still obtaining the;

Answer 5

necessary information to assist the follow-up unit.

Question 6

.05A. When a Sexual Assault or Indecency with a Child is reported to the San Antonio Police, regardless of the jurisdiction of the occurrence, San Antonio police officers will;

Answer 6

initiate an investigation and report the offense on an offense report, and officers will also notify the Special Victims Unit or Night CID Unit for proper follow-up.

Question 7

.05A. The actual location of the offense is listed in the appropriate box on the offense report. N-Code 6 does not apply in this situation.

Answer 7

Sexual Assault or Indecency with a Child

Question 8

.05B. Officers conduct the preliminary investigation as if the offense occurred in San Antonio, to include taking the victim to the hospital for;

Answer 8

medical attention and evidence collection, and when possible return the victim so statements can be taken by the follow-up unit.

Question 9

.05D. Will notify the proper jurisdiction and forward all information required to properly complete the investigation.

Answer 9

The Special Victims Unit

Question 10

.06B. Is responsible for the preliminary investigation and immediate notification of the follow-up investigative unit.

Answer 10

The officer assigned to respond to a sexual assault complaint

Question 11

.06D. Preliminary interview of the victim is conducted by;

Answer 11

one officer

Question 12

.06D. One Officer briefly interviews the victim privately away from all other officers, witnesses, and onlookers, to obtain a description of the offender and broadcast the description, omit on the offense report if the victim has chosen a;

Answer 12

pseudonym.

Question 13

.06D. Regardless of whether a pseudonym is used, the date of birth and sex of the victim;

Answer 13

must be included on the offense report.

Question 14

.06D. Identify any witnesses, and enter their information on the offense report, especially the;

Answer 14

outcry witness,

Question 15

.06E. If the victim has chosen a pseudonym, the reporting officer will provide the victim with SAPD Form #2089-PSA, and the;

Answer 15

officer and the victim will complete the form.

Question 16

.06E. If necessary, the officer counsels the victim in choosing a pseudonym by advising the victim the chosen pseudonym will be used in;

Answer 16

subsequent legal documents, and will be seen by officials such as judges and prosecutors.

Question 17

.06E. The officer encourages the victim to choose a;

Answer 17

conservative pseudonym which will not cause

potential embarrassment to the victim.

Question 18

.06E. The officer will fax a copy of the offense report and the officer will also fax a copy of SAPD Form #2089-PSA to the Special Victims Unit, but will return the original SAPD Form #2089-PSA to the Special Victims Unit;

Answer 18

in person or in a sealed envelope through the department bin mail.

Question 19

.06F. The officer requests the victim undergo a physical examination at the Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital located at 8026 Floyd Curl Drive if the sexual assault occurred;

Answer 19

within [96] hours of the report, if the victim is [17] years of age or older.

Question 20

.06F. The officer stresses the importance of the examination for the following reasons:

Answer 20

1. Possible pregnancy, disease, or injury;

2. A medical examination obtains evidence.

Question 21

The officer calls to ensure a SANE Nurse is available on arrival and is prepared to inform medical staff of the;

Answer 21

details of the offense, if requested.

Question 22

.06G. When the victim wants to be examined by a private physician, the officer stresses having the medical examination done at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital due to;

Answer 22

that hospital’s expertise in handling sexual assault cases.

Question 23

.06I. The officer may provide transportation for the victim to a;

Answer 23

medical facility for testing and from there to the Special Victims Unit office.

Question 24

.06J. The officer may be relieved from waiting with the victim at the hospital if:

Answer 24

1. The victim is accompanied by an adult friend, adult relative, or a rape crisis counselor;
2. The victim has transportation from the hospital after the examination.

Question 25

.06M. Between the hours of 0745 and 1745, officers notify the Special Victims Unit immediately on all;

Answer 25

sexual assault cases, and between the hours of 1745 and 0745, a Night CID Unit investigator is immediately requested.

Question 26

.06N. A copy of the offense report is faxed along with the SAPD Form #2089-PSA, if used, to the Special Victims Unit prior to;

Answer 26

the end of the officer’s tour of duty

Question 27

.07A. All sex offenses, which include Sexual Assaults and Indecency with a Child, are written on an offense report, regardless of;

Answer 27

who the reporting party is. (I.e. teachers, counselors, Child Protective Services caseworkers, etc.)

Question 28

.07D. Officers receiving a call for child sexual /physical abuse notify Child Protective Services by one of the following methods:

Answer 28

1. Call the specially designated Child Abuse Statewide Intake hotline number for law enforcement.
2. Make an online report to the Statewide Intake office
3. Fax a copy of the report to Statewide Intake office.

Question 29

.07F. If the child is not available, the officer may obtain the preliminary information from the;

Answer 29

reporting persons; the outcry witness, the parent, teacher, Child Protective Services Caseworker.

Question 30

.07F. A pseudonym may be offered, however, a copy of any report detailing child physical/sexual abuse is;

Answer 30

not releasable as public information.

Question 31

.07F. If the child is living with the actor involved in the abuse, officers need to consider the child’s safety. If the officer feels the child will be in further danger, the child should be taken to the;

Answer 31

Children’s Shelter or other location identified by Child Protective Services and the information noted in the offense report.

Question 32

.07I. When the parents or guardians want the victim to be examined by a private physician, the officer stresses having the medical examination done at the Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, if the victim is

Answer 32

[16] years of age or younger, due to that hospital’s expertise in handling cases involving children.

Question 33

.07I. If the parents do not wish to go to the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital, a sexual assault examination may be done at the;

Answer 33

Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, provided the child is over 13 years of age. A parent or guardian should accompany the victim.

Question 34

On all child sexual assault and indecency with a child cases, between the hours of 1745 and 0745, Officers will immediately request a;

Answer 34

Night Special Victims Unit investigator

Question 35

.08A. The Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, located at 8026 Floyd Curl, is the primary location for examinations in all sexual assault cases involving victims;

Answer 35

[17] years of age and older.

Question 36

.08B. The Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, located at 333 N. Santa Rosa, is the primary location for examinations in all sexual assault cases involving victims;

Answer 36

[16] years of age and younger.

Question 37

.09A. If within a reasonable amount of time after the sexual assault, or indecency with a child by contact, an officer arrests, or detains a suspect, adult or juvenile he immediately;

Answer 37

notifies the follow up unit

Question 38

.09A. Collection of evidence from an arrested person, that is non-intrusionary, including photographs of defensive wounds, may be collected for the;

Answer 38

immediate preservation of evidence without a warrant.

Question 39

.09A. Evidence that requires intrusion into the human body, such as the withdrawing of blood or the taking of a sample of DNA from inside the mouth, must be accomplished;

Answer 39

pursuant to a search warrant or through written consent.

Question 40

.09A. Suspects detained but not arrested may have non-intrusionary evidence collected from their persons only

Answer 40

pursuant to a search warrant or through written consent, unless exigent circumstances can be clearly articulated.

Question 41

.09A. All sexuual assault suspects, regardless of age, will be taken to the;

Answer 41

Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital (8026 Floyd Curl) for the examination.

Question 42

.09A. Normally, the victim’s sexual assault kit remains at Methodist Transplant or Christus Santa Rosa Hospital and is transported to the;

Answer 42

crime lab by follow up unit personnel

Question 43

.09A. If the officer comes into possession of the victim’s sexual assault kit, such as when the victim’s SANE exam was performed at a location other than one of the above hospitals, the officer will separate the;

Answer 43

suspect kit from the sexual assault victim’s kit and place the kits under separate Barcodes.

Question 44

.09A. Any film used by the SANE Nurse at the time of evidence collection will;

Answer 44

remain at the medical facility and will be picked up by the follow-up unit.