16.4 Bias-Related Incidents
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Centreville Police Department Title: Bias-Related Incidents Directive #: 16.4 Issued: 10.1.2016 Revised: 10.1.2016 Approved by: Charles M. Rhodes, Jr.
Chief of Police A. Purpose To outline the CPD response to crimes relating to race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and homelessness to stop further incidents, threats of violence and to calm fear of repeated harassment.
B. Policy Officers will promptly respond to and investigate all complaints where there is an indication that motivation for the incident or crime was bias-related whether or not a crime was actually committed.
C. Definitions
BIAS-RELATED INCIDENTS:
• any incident, whether completed or attempted, which is based upon the victim's religion, race, ethnic
background, sexual orientation or homelessness.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION:
• a person's sexual identity in relation to the gender to which they are attracted; the fact of being
heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.
GENDER IDENTITY:
• the gender that a person identifies as
Page 1 of 3 D. Procedures
1. Procedures
a. When a bias-related incident is reported, an officer will be dispatched to the scene.
b. Upon verifying a bias-related crime occurred or was attempted, the officer will request a supervisor and will also request a criminal investigator and a MSP Forensic Sciences Division crime scene technician to process the scene, if necessary.
c. Incidents that involve fire will be referred to the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the scene will be secured until a deputy state fire marshal arrives.
2. Documentation
a. The officer will complete an Incident Report by the end of his shift.
b. The officer will notify his supervisor, who will notify the Chief by the end of his shift and email a copy of the report to the Chief.
c. The report will be marked with a red check mark ( ) in the upp included in the appropriate monthly UCR reports.
3. Follow-up Actions
a. Patrol checks will be instituted in the area the incident occurred for 60 days unless it is determined that such patrol checks will interfere with the investigation.
b. The case will be forwarded to the Maryland Coordination & Analysis Center immediately following contact with the victim for further inquiry and follow-up.
c. The investigation should concentrate on determining if the incident is part of a continuing pattern against the victim or neighborhood or related to an organized group activity.
d. Per statute, the Maryland Human Relations Commission must be notified of all bias crimes.
(1) The Human Relations Commission is in contact with the minority community and may receive
information that is not always reported to police by victims.
(2) The local Human Relations Commission representative will be contacted as an investigative
resource before any assessment of solvability or closure is made.
e. Prior to a case being closed without an arrest, investigators will contact the victim, inform him of the case status and determine if any further incidents of harassment have occurred.
Page 2 of 3 f. If, after supervisory review, it is determined that the case will be administratively closed for lack of evidence, the victim will be advised.
Page 3 of 3