18 Questions
Which department unit should receive 35mm photographs taken by citizens related to an offense or accident report?
Crime Scene Unit
Where are negatives archived on file kept?
Records Section
What is the policy on erasing digital images captured by department-owned devices during the course of taking digital photos?
No images shall be erased
Where should digital photographs be uploaded to?
Network Server under the designated CSI photo drive
Under what circumstances may clarified images used in an investigation and the original image from the “master disk” be made available to defense attorneys during discovery?
Only if approved by the Chief of Police or designee
Where should standard video recordings be submitted to?
Property and Evidence Section
Where should digital video recordings be uploaded to?
UCI server
What is the policy on photographs or videos taken by any department employee, on or off duty, at any Port St. Lucie Police Department crime scene or where any employee is conducting official business for the Department?
They will be considered evidence and property of the Port St. Lucie Police Department
Under what circumstances may photographs and videos of crime scenes be used as part of an approved educational program?
Only with the approval of the Chief of Police or designee
Who is responsible for submitting 35mm photographs taken by citizens related to an offense or accident report?
The Crime Scene Unit
Where are the negatives of archived photographs filed?
Records Section
What is the policy regarding erasing digital images captured by department-owned devices during the course of taking digital photos?
No images shall be erased
Where should digital photographs be uploaded to?
CSI server
Under what circumstances can clarified images used in an investigation and the original image from the 'master disk' be made available to defense attorneys during discovery?
Only if the judge orders their release
Where should standard video recordings be submitted?
Property and Evidence Section
Under what circumstances can photographs and videos of crime scenes be used as part of an approved educational program?
Only with the approval of the Chief of Police or designee
Who is responsible for submitting photographs or videos taken by any department employee, on or off duty, at any Port St. Lucie Police Department crime scene or where any employee is conducting official business for the Department?
The Property and Evidence Section
Under what circumstances can digital audio recorders be used during non-criminal investigations or standard traffic stops where no case number is generated?
Only with the approval of the judge
Study Notes
Guidelines for Handling Photographs, Videos, and Audio Recordings in Law Enforcement
- 35mm photographs taken by citizens related to an offense or accident report must be submitted to the Crime Scene Unit, and the officer must indicate if development is needed.
- Negatives archived on file can be developed upon request to the Crime Scene Technician, and prints will be returned to the officer while negatives are filed in the Records Section.
- Digital images captured by department-owned devices shall be used, and no images shall be erased during the course of taking digital photos.
- Digital photographs will be uploaded to the Network Server under the designated CSI photo drive, and the original image files shall not be clarified or altered.
- Clarified images used in an investigation and the original image from the “master disk” may be made available to defense attorneys during discovery.
- Standard video recordings must be submitted to the Property and Evidence Section, and two additional copies will be submitted to the Records Section to be kept with the incident report.
- Digital video recordings may be uploaded to the UCI server or CSI server and transferred to a disk, with two additional copies submitted to the Records Section.
- Photographs or videos taken by any department employee, on or off duty, at any Port St. Lucie Police Department crime scene or where any employee is conducting official business for the Department will be considered evidence and property of the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
- No employee will release such photographs or videos to the public or media for any reason except in a manner consistent with Department directives.
- Photographs and videos of crime scenes may be used as part of an approved educational program with the approval of the Chief of Police or designee.
- Photographs and video recordings obtained from an outside source must be submitted to the Property and Evidence Section or Records Section, depending on the format, and documented in the incident or supplement report.
- Digital audio recorders shall not be used during non-criminal investigations or standard traffic stops where no case number is generated, except as provided below for administrative investigations.
Test your knowledge on the proper handling of photographs, videos, and audio recordings in law enforcement with this informative quiz. Learn about the guidelines and protocols for submitting, developing, and storing various types of visual and audio evidence, as well as the rights and restrictions concerning their use and dissemination. Ideal for law enforcement officers, legal professionals, and anyone interested in forensic procedures and best practices. Keywords: law enforcement, photographs, videos, audio recordings, guidelines, protocols, evidence, forensic procedures.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
