15.330 - Responding to Threats & Assaults on Officers
Effective Date: 05/07/2019
15.330-POL
This policy applies to circumstances when an officer has been threatened and/or assaulted.
1. The Homicide Unit Shall Respond on a Callout Basis to Investigate Serious Assaults on Officers
Exception: FIT shall respond to investigate serious assaults on officers in which reportable force used in the incident, if any, is less than Type III.
- Serious assaults include:
- Any intentional assault where the officer sustains great bodily harm (RCW 9A.04.110.c) or substantial bodily harm (RCW 9A.04.110.b)
- Any assault where the officer loses consciousness as a result of the assault
- Any incident approved for investigation by the Homicide lieutenant
See 15.330-PRO-1 Investigating Serious Assaults on Officers.
2. Officers Who Have Been the Subject of a Threat or Assault Shall Complete a Hazard Report
Officers shall complete a Hazard Report (Form 5.38) whenever a suspect has taken any actions that meet at least one of the following criteria for the WACIC Person of Interest (POI) File:
- Any physical assault or attempted physical assault on an officer
- Threats of physical violence toward a criminal justice employee or his/her family
- Specific threats to a department or multiple employees of a law enforcement agency
- Threats of “suicide by cop”
- Threats to criminal justice personnel from other states
- If a lateral hire from another state believes that a person of interest may follow him to Washington, he may complete a Hazard Report containing the information from the other state
a. Officers Who Were Witnesses to an Assault or Threat Shall Not Submit a Hazard Report
b. A new Hazard Report must be Completed for Each Incident, even if the Suspect is Already in the WACIC POI File
c. Officers Shall Submit Hazard Reports by the end of the Shift
Officers shall submit completed Hazard Reports to their sergeant by the end of the shift, unless their sergeant approves an extension of time not more than 72 hours.
3. The Watch Lieutenant/Incident Commander Shall Screen the Incident and Advise the Duty Captain
4. The Watch Lieutenant/Incident Commander Will Advise the Bureau Chief of the Incident via the Chain of Command
The watch lieutenant/incident commander will send an e-mail entitled “Officer Safety Hazard” through the chain of command to the Bureau Chief.
- The e-mail will contain the Report Number.
5. A Lieutenant or Captain Must Approve Hazard Reports and Forward Them to the Data Center as Soon as Possible
6. Data Center Personnel Will Enter the Information Into WACIC
Data Center personnel will enter the information into the WACIC POI File and an Officer Safety Advisory will then be permanently attached to the suspect’s name.
- If information is obtained that the individual is no longer a hazard to officers, officers may submit a written request through their chain of command to have the individual removed from the POI File.
15.330-PRO-1 Investigating Serious Assaults on Officers
Officer
1. Notifies a sergeant of the incident
Sergeant
2. Notifies the watch lieutenant/incident commander
Watch Lieutenant/Incident Commander
3. Notifies the duty captain
4. Notifies the on-call Homicide sergeant or FIT, as appropriate
15.330–PRO-2 Completing Hazard Reports and Entering Them Into WACIC
Officer
1. Completes a Hazard Report
2. Articulates the POI File criteria in the narrative
a. If completing a Use-of-Force Report, includes a photocopy of the Hazard Report
3. Collects all Hazard Reports from the same incident and creates a packet
4. Submits Hazard Report packet to a sergeant by the end of shift
Sergeant
5. Reviews Hazard Reports
6. Completes Section I
7. Submits Hazard Reports to a watch lieutenant or section captain
8. Sends an email entitled “Officer Safety Hazard” and containing the Report Number through the chain of command to the Bureau Chief
Lieutenant or Captain
9. Reviews Hazard Reports
10. Submits to Data Center via inter-department mail
Data Center
11. Reviews Hazard Reports
12. Completes Section J
13. Verifies that a lieutenant or captain has signed Section J
14. Enters suspect from Hazard Reports into the WACIC POI File