6.1 Records Management

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Centreville Police Department
Title: Records Management Directive #: 6.1
Issued: 10.1.2016 Revised: 10.1.2016
Approved by: Charles M. Rhodes, Jr.
Chief of Police
A. Purpose
l. The purpose of records management is to prescribe procedures for:
a. The development and implementation of a continuing records management program for the
Centreville Police Department.
b. The organization and maintenance of current records.
c. The disposition of all record and non-record materials.
B. Authority
l. This records management Section has been prepared pursuant to the authority granted the Chief of Police
in the Charter of the Town of Centreville to be responsible for the management and operation of the town
police force, and establishes standardization of files and records throughout the department.
2. This section and all additions, amendments, instructions, directives, and other records management
materials are issued under the authority of the Chief of Police.
3. Additional files, records, or procedures will not be established without the prior approval of the Chief of
Police.
C. Responsibility
1. The Chief of Police or his designee, has the overall responsibility for monitoring the creation,
maintenance, and disposition of the department's records. This responsibility includes, but is not limited
to, analyzing, developing, coordinating, and installing records management procedures, including filing
procedures, to meet the needs of the Department.
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2. The objective in managing official records is to make them serve the purpose for which they were created
as economically and efficiently as possible. This objective can be reached by constant adherence to the
procedures established herein.
E. Guidelines for Filing
l. Do not file useless paper. The filing of records should be restricted to those records listed in the
Department's filing schedule. Filing less has four primary advantages:
a. Faster Finding
b. Faster Filing
c. Easier Disposal
d. Saves space, equipment, and supplies.
2. Limit the number of copies of each document prepared to those which are specifically required or
requested or which serve a valid purpose. Do not file the extra copies of:
a. General Orders, Memorandums, Special Orders, Personnel Orders, and other internal directives
b. Reproduced documents used in the suspense or tickler file as a reminder to complete an action.
Ledgers should be utilized for accountability.
c. Incoming correspondence commonly known as the "courtesy copy".
3. Required records are the "official files" of the Department, which should be completely separated from
the "unofficial files". The "official files" are those files which actually document the functions and
responsibilities of the Department. These include the Fiscal, Administration, Law Enforcement
Operations, Legal, Personnel Administration, and other related files as itemized in the filing system.
4. "Unofficial files" consist of copies of printed or reproduced pamphlets, magazines, technical reports and
related publications maintained by choice, as a source of useful information and generally include "The FBI
Digest," supply catalogs, and similar informative publications. These publications are not listed in the
Filing System because they often involve numerous subjects and cannot be categorized under any specific
topic. They may, in fact, be disposed of at the pleasure of the Chief of Police.
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5. Most duplicate files are maintained merely for convenience; seldom are they essential to the operation of
the Department. Duplicate files kept at various locations within an office may seem efficient, but they are
costly to maintain and can be misleading because they do not always contain a complete case history or
sufficient background data necessary to make sound decisions. Furthermore, duplicate files can often
undermine the main files.
6. Eliminate Extra Copies. Creation of extra copies should be limited to those which will be of significant
value to the Department and only when the responsibility for their maintenance can be firmly established.
F. Filing Systems and Arrangements
1. Case Files are the simplest and easiest of all to maintain and constitute the largest single type of file
maintained by the Centreville Police Department. They consist of groups of file folders arranged in
numerical, alphabetical, chronological or geographical sequence, each group generally containing the
same types of papers which tend to document an action from its beginning to its end.
2. Since the primary functions and responsibilities of the Centreville Police Department are enforcing the law
and the apprehension and arrest of criminals who violate the law, it is understandable why over 90% of
Department records are case records. It is for these apparent reasons that particular attention should be
given to planning, designing, and maintaining case filed records.
3. Technical reference files consist of printed reports, publications, manuals, law enforcement magazines,
sales literature, specification manuals, supply catalogs, digests, and similar reproduced or printed
materials kept in the office or library only as a source of useful information. Since technical reference
materials need to be organized and arranged along library lines, rather than in folders and cabinets, they
have not been included in the filing outline. This does not mean that they should be maintained without
any control. After carefully selecting those publications pertinent to your office, adequate measures
should be taken to organize and maintain them in a manner best suited to the needs of your office.
G. Files Maintenance
l. The simplest and most convenient method of carrying out records disposition is to "cutoff" or "break"
each file regularly and start a new file. A files cutoff system prevents the accumulation of files beyond
actual current needs, prevents the growth of files into cumbersome, unmanageable collections, simplifies
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the retirement and destruction of records in blocks, facilitates reference to current files, and restricts the
requirements for additional space and equipment.
2. Case files may be cutoff at the termination of a transaction. For example, when an investigation has been
completed and the case finally adjudicated, the folder(s) can be marked with the date of termination and
placed apart from open cases. This applies to files which are designated with open and closed provisions
only.
3. Chronological sequence files, such as accounting and fiscal, are easy to cutoff since they are initially filed
by fiscal or calendar year. At the time of cutoff, simply move the files to an inactive files area until they
can be transferred or destroyed in accordance with the records retention schedule, and prepare new
folders for the current year.
4. A charge-out record will be made and substituted for all documents removed from the file for reference
purposes. Information entered on the charge-out record is used for locating the document when it is
removed from the drawer. When the documents are returned to the drawer, the entries are lined out and
the record is available for re-use.
H. Destruction and Storage of Records
The Chief of Police will be responsible for establishing a retention and destruction policy for records and files
maintained by the Department. Discretion and good judgement will be used in determining the method of
destruction. As a general rule, records and files considered sensitive or confidential in nature, such as
applicant and investigation files, should be shredded or burned.
I. Filing and Retention Schedule
The basic filing and retention schedule outlined in Section II of this Chapter defines a system for identifying
and arranging records to facilitate quick and easy reference and disposition. All correspondence, reports and
records created or received by the Department are included in this outline and have been brought together
under nine subject primaries according to the functions to which they relate.
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Retention
File Type File Description
Schedule
All General Orders issued by the Chief of Police to announce
policies affecting the entire department. Receipt or Appraisal of
General Orders Indefinitely
Orders, Memoranda, and Manual Revisions will be attached to the
applicable General Order.
General Order Issuance
General Order Issuance Record of issuing authority Indefinitely
Record
All Special Orders which were issued for specific activities and are 1 Year from
Special Orders
of a temporary or self-canceling nature. cancellation
Special Order Issuance 1 Year from
Special Order Issuance Record of issuing authority.
Record cancellation
All Memoranda issued by departmental personnel to disseminate 1 year from
Memoranda
information which does not warrant a formal order issuance
Monthly Activity Report Monthly Activity reports for all personnel 3 years
Annual Report Department Annual Report 10 years
Uniform Crime Reports Uniform Crime Reports submitted to state 5 years
Automated Crash Reports Maryland uniform crash report Indefinitely
These files include general correspondence initiated or received by
General Department
the department. This also includes any correspondence with local, 2 years
Correspondence
state, or federal agencies.
Personnel Inspection
Personnel and Vehicle Inspection Reports 2 years
Reports
Incident/Investigative
Incident and Investigative Reports Indefinitely
Reports
Parking Citations Copies of issued parking citations 3 years
Town Ordinance Violation Copies of Town ordinance violations – warnings/citations 3 years
Employee Work & Leave
Employee Work & Leave Reports 3 years
Reports
Employee Payroll Summary Employee Payroll Summary 3 years
Employee Duty Schedule Employee Duty Schedule 3 years
Employee Personnel File
Employee Personnel File Indefinitely
(Includes application, pre-employment files, etc.
Employee Training File Training records for each employee Indefinitely
Employment Applications
Employment applications received (not hired) 1 year
Received
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Retention
File Type File Description
Schedule
Ride Along Waivers Ride along waivers 3 years
Press Releases Press Releases 1 year
Purchase Receipts Receipts for Department purchases 3 years
Capital Equipment
Capital Equipment Inventory Indefinitely
Inventory
Firearms Inventory Inventory records of Department owned firearms 3 years
Contracts Copies of all contracts involving department 5 years
Memorandum of Memorandum of understanding between CPD and various
Indefinitely
Understanding (MOU) agencies
Until vehicle
Motor Vehicle History Motor Vehicle history and maintenance files
disposed of
Monthly Motor Vehicle Until vehicle
Monthly Department vehicle report
Report disposed of
Quartermaster record Record of all department issued equipment to personnel Indefinitely
Until served than
Open Warrants Unserved and open warrants moved to closed
warrants file
Closed Warrants Closed or served warrants 5 years
Until served or
closed than moved
Open Criminal Summons Unserved and open Criminal Summons
to closed summons
file
Closed Criminal Summons Closed or served criminal summons 5 years
Criminal Citations Copies of served criminal citations 5 years
Peddlers Permits Issued Peddlers Permits 2 years
Arrest Reports Record of Adult and Juvenile Arrest Reports Indefinitely
Prisoner Property
Record of Prisoner Property Inventory 2 years
Inventory
Animal Bite Reports Animal Bite Reports 3 years
Missing Persons Reports Open and closed Missing Persons Reports Indefinitely
Consent to search & Seize
Consent to search and Seize Reports 3 years
Reports
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Retention
File Type File Description
Schedule
Vehicle Storage Report Vehicle Storage Report and Release Authorization 3 years
DR15A Issuance Ledger DR15A Issuance Ledger 1 year
Indefinitely until
Property Records Property Records closed, than 3
years
RADAR/LIDAR Calibration RADAR/LIDAR Calibration Records 5 years
Speedometer Calibrations Speedometer calibration cards 3 years
Until equipment is
Instructional Manuals All instructional manuals for various equipment, etc.
disposed of.
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