Case files are maintained in the case management system within Record Management System (RMS). Upon completion of the investigation, investigators shall provide a final disposition within case management and submit the case to their unit commander or her/his designee electronically for review. Unit commanders will either accept or reject the disposition. Accepted dispositions are automatically stored within RMS. Rejected dispositions will automatically be sent back to the investigator with the commander’s notes for correction. It is the responsibility of the investigator to complete corrections and submit their case in a timely manner back to the commander so that the case can achieve a disposition. Submission of cases timely creates transparency with the public and ensures accountability.
Exception: At the discretion of the unit commander, a duplicate case file may be retained for a longer period of time when it is prudent to do so because of continuing victim inquiries or because of the seriousness of the crime, the monetary loss involved or its potential use as a future investigative tool. This override should be an exception and normal procedures should adhere to data privacy.
Additionally, the district force units, narcotics/vice unit, homicide unit and special investigations unit may retain selected closed case files within their respective units. Only those closed files which contain information which may jeopardize ongoing or future investigations may be retained in these units. These records shall be stored in a secure manner with access limited to selected personnel. It is the responsibility of the commander of those units to justify any inquiry on why a record would not be submitted in a timely manner.
All investigative units shall be allowed to maintain files of information within their units that are needed to accomplish the objectives of the unit. Each unit commander shall furnish the records unit manager, and their Deputy Chief a list of the routine records and files kept within the unit, that are not submitted in RMS or the usual processes. The compliance requirements set by state and city data laws, in particular, the Uniform Evidence Retention Policy (Here’s the Story: Uniform Evidence Retention Policy, 9/7/2010, General Order 235.50: Uniform Evidence Retention), a copy of which is maintained in the records unit.
Revised April 24, 2018