Internal Affairs Investigations

Learning Goal: Instructors will describe goals and objectives, as well as student responsibilities. An overview of the course material will be presented. Students and instructors will introduce themselves.

Performance Objectives: Students will have an understanding of topical areas and course content.

Learning Goal: Instructors will present an overview of current issues involving police misconduct that have had an impact on a national basis. High profile cases will be discussed and lessons learned examined. Procedural changes and outside commission recommendations will be examined thoroughly.

Performance Objectives: Students will understand and recognize how lessons learned from police misconduct and the investigation of that misconduct can provide assistance in policy formulation and procedural development.

Learning Goal: Instructors will present a framework that addresses the rights afforded employees that are involved in an internal investigation. Administrative (Garrity) warnings will be examined as well as employee rights during the interview and investigative process.
The components of a complaint will be defined.

Performance Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of compelled testimony and testimony protected by officer’s Miranda rights. Lybarger Warnings will also be examined as well as the implications of Kastigar vs United States.

Learning Goal: Instructors will discuss various aspects of internal and external complaints. Supervisory responsibility for internal and external complaints will be reviewed from the aspect of both procedural and processing guidelines.

Performance Objectives: Students will be able to recognize the differences between complaints and gain an understanding of how to classify a complaint.

Learning Goal: Instructors will discuss various techniques for investigating police officer misconduct. Investigatory procedure will be examined and case studies will be utilized. Both in-custody death investigations and Internal Affairs “walk-throughs” will be discussed. The importance of witness and officer testimony will be discussed as well as the development of a preponderance of evidence. Specific investigatory techniques will be discussed. Complaint mediation will be examined as a possible alternative to complaint investigations.

Performance Objectives: Students will be able to acquire techniques that will assist them in the overall investigative process. Students should gain a practical understanding of complaint processing.

Learning Goal: Instructors will discuss investigative findings and examine the process for reviewing allegations of misconduct. Disciplinary procedures of major agencies will be discussed by examining methods and commonly imposed discipline. Common infractions and examples of disciplinary matrices will be examined. Disciplinary matrices will be discussed.

Performance Objectives: Students will have a broader understanding of the types of misconduct and how agencies vary in the application of discipline. Students should gain an understanding of consistent application of disciplinary measures.

Learning Goal: Instructors will present an overview of Early Intervention Programs currently being utilized in several departments nationally. Organization structure will be examined as well as goals and objectives of such a unit. Procedures will be examined for those agencies that have successfully implemented an early warning program. Supervisory involvement in programs and departmental commitment to identifying potential problems will be examined. A systematic approach to the implementation of a successful Early Intervention Program will be included in the instruction.

Performance Objectives: Students will recognize that an Early Intervention Program will provide assistance in not only identifying potential misconduct, but can also be a tool for evaluating the problem officer.

Learning Goal: Instructors will emphasize the importance of documenting investigative efforts. A sample investigative format will be presented to guide students in preparing their own agency's internal affairs reports. Software applications for tracking and word processing will be examined and discussed.

Performance Objectives: Students will understand that a written account of their investigation is important to their agency. Consistency in investigative report structure will help investigators to ensure impartial investigations

Learning Goal: Instructors will provide students an opportunity for questions and answers of any previously covered material.

Performance Objectives: Students will clarify any misunderstanding they may have from the course material. Students will also have an opportunity to provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of the program and instructional staff.