LVMPD Law Enforcement Support Technician Informational Guide PDF

LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE PREPARATION GUIDE IMPORTANT: Some Written Exam and Oral Board questions will be based on information provided on the remaining pages of this Preparation Guide. DEPARTMENT VISION, VALUES, MISSION, AND GOALS VISION The vision of the LVMPD is for t...

LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE PREPARATION GUIDE IMPORTANT: Some Written Exam and Oral Board questions will be based on information provided on the remaining pages of this Preparation Guide. DEPARTMENT VISION, VALUES, MISSION, AND GOALS VISION The vision of the LVMPD is for the Las Vegas community to be the safest in America. This vision is realized by injecting humanity into every interaction and building trust with the citizens we serve. VALUES The values of the LVMPD are: Integrity Courage Accountability Respect Excellence The acronym “I CARE” is the guiding principle for each and every employee. The values are demonstrated in every interaction with the public when humanity is on display. All employees are expected to represent the values of the department while in the workplace and on duty. MISSION The mission of the LVMPD is to provide exceptional police services in partnership with the community. Prioritizing the mental and physical well-being of employees enables our department to perform at the highest levels and build meaningful relationships with community members. DEPARTMENT GOALS The goals of the LVMPD, represented by the acronym “SAFE,” are: Strategic prevention and reduction of crime. Appreciate our employees and those we serve. Foster leadership, accountability, and reform. Excel in communication, innovation, and technology. The acronym “SAFE” is the guiding principle for the department’s goals. Page 11 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE DISSEMINATION OF CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION (CHI) It is the policy of the LVMPD to comply with all state and federal requirements when disseminating criminal history information. NRS 179A.900 Any person who willfully requests, obtains, or seeks to obtain records of criminal history under false pretenses; willfully communicates or seeks to communicate records of criminal history to any agency or person except pursuant to this procedure; or willfully falsifies any record of criminal history or any record relating to any record of criminal history, is guilty of a misdemeanor. All requests for criminal history information (CHI) from criminal justice and non-criminal justice agencies (except those made from within the LVMPD) shall be referred to the Records and Fingerprint Bureau except as noted below. This also includes inquiries wherein no record exists, as disclosure of the “No Record” status is dissemination of CHI. A centralized area for CHI dissemination is mandated to ensure that the complexities of law, inter-local agreements, and contracts that regulate such dissemination are followed. That centralized area is designated to be the Records and Fingerprint Bureau. It is the responsibility of the centralized area to maintain a log of dissemination as required by NRS 179A. LIMITATIONS ON DISSEMINATION Members of the LVMPD are authorized to disseminate, under the guidelines of this procedure, criminal history information which originated within the LVMPD only (SCOPE). Dissemination of CHI is obtained through NCJIS, NCIC, and NLETS is prohibited. CHI is NOT to be requested, used, or released: 1. Outside of official duties. 2. For personal use, interest, or gain. 3. Where such dissemination would violate either local, state, or federal statutes or inter-local agreements or inter-state contracts. CHI may be made available: 1. To criminal justice agencies for criminal justice purposes. 2. To federal agencies authorized to receive it pursuant to federal statute or executive order. 3. To the media as stated in NRS 179A. Page 12 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE LOG OF DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION OR RECORDS This agency will only disseminate information relating to sexual offenses or other records of criminal history which originate within this agency (SCOPE). Any unit which maintains and disseminates this information must maintain a log of each dissemination of that information (other than a dissemination of the fact that the agency has no record relating to that person). The log must be maintained for at least one year after the information has been disseminated and must contain: 1. The name of the employee sending the information; 2. The name of the person and agency the CHI was provided to; 3. The date the information was provided; 4. The person who is the subject of the information; and 5. A brief description of information provided. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS GUIDELINES It is the policy of the LVMPD that electronic mail, internet, and telecommunications access are resources made available for LVMPD employees to communicate with each other, other governmental entities, companies, and individuals for the benefit of the Department. The systems are not to be used for employee personal gain. They are also not to be used to support or advocate any non-departmental business or purpose. In addition, all computers, databases, and confidential information must be protected from unauthorized and/or inappropriate use. GUIDELINES FOR USE 1. Only work-related activities are authorized. 2. Circumventing passwords, user authentication, or other security measures is prohibited. 3. Downloading or distributing copyrighted materials or software is prohibited. 4. Unlawful activities or solicitations are prohibited. 5. Transmitting threatening, obscene, or harassing messages is prohibited. COMPUTER AND PASSWORD SECURITY A password is a unique user access code required to enter the computer system. A password will not be shared or otherwise compromised without the express permission of a lieutenant or higher. If it becomes necessary to divulge a password to another member, the password should be changed as soon as the need for the “shared” password is no longer required. The Information Technologies Bureau will automatically request all users to change their password every 90 days. Page 13 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE When leaving a work area unattended, members must log out of the computer or lock their workstation to ensure security of their computer and Microsoft Outlook account. (Note: To lock a workstation, press “ctrl-alt-delete,” then select “lock workstation.” To unlock the workstation, select “ctrl-alt-delete” then enter your password when prompted.) Members may allow other members to “proxy” into their Microsoft Outlook account when needed to allow for the conduct of daily business but become responsible for any activities conducted on their account, even by the proxy. (Exception: The Information Technologies Bureau personnel may proxy into workstations, with verbal permission of the user, to conduct official business, as necessary.) The LVMPD reserves the right to monitor and will conduct an annual audit of all aspects of electronic telecommunications, including e-mail, text, and internet communications. No electronic communications systems within the LVMPD are considered private or confidential. System administrators have access to all mail and user access requests and may monitor messages as necessary to assure efficient performance and appropriate use. CHAIN OF COMMAND When working in a large organization, especially in a police environment, it is important to recognize and follow established chains of command. The chains of command are listed below: RECORDS AND FINGERPRINT BUREAU AND DSD RECORDS BUREAU LEST Senior LEST Commander LEST Supervisor Records Manager Bureau Commander Division TOURIST SAFETY, WEST, AND EAST COMMUNITY POLICING DIVISIONS LEST Senior LEST LEST Supervisor Admin Lieutenant Captain Deputy Chief EAST COMMUNITY POLICING DIVISION (LAUGHLIN SUBSTATION) LEST Senior LEST LEST Supervisor Lieutenant Captain Deputy Chief INTRODUCTION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS AUTOMATED FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (AFIS) AFIS is a computer system that converts ten-print fingerprint images and latent prints (those barely visible to the naked eye) into a computer readable digital format for searching and storing. Due to its high speed, AFIS can conduct searches/matches which would otherwise be impractical, if not impossible. One of its main functions is to search newly acquired ten-print images captured electronically against the existing database of fingerprints to see if the prints match another record in the system. Another of its main functions is to conduct searches of crime scene latent prints against the database to try to identify criminal suspects. Page 14 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE PREMIER ONE (P1) P1 is a computerized system that manages the recording, indexing, and tracking of detailed information related to reported incidents. LESTs assigned to the Tourist Safety and Community Policing Divisions and the Records and Fingerprint Bureau enter incident crime reports into this database. Any handwritten reports taken by officers in the field are scanned into OnBase, and depending upon the type of report, are then entered into P1 by either a LEST assigned to Tourist Safety and Community Policing Divisions or the Records and Fingerprint Bureau. NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER (NCIC) NCIC is a nationwide computerized information system set up as a service to all criminal justice agencies – local, state, and federal. The goal of NCIC is to help the criminal justice community perform its duties by providing and maintaining a computerized filing system of accurate and timely documented criminal justice information. It can best be described as a computerized index of documented criminal justice information concerning crimes and criminals of nationwide interest and a locator type file for missing and unidentified persons. Various files contain information on vehicles, license plates, boats, guns, articles, securities, wanted persons, missing persons, Canadian warrants, US Secret Service, unidentified persons, foreign fugitives, and the Interstate Identification Index System. NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (NLETS) NLETS provides for the interstate and/or inter-agency exchange of criminal justice and criminal justice related information. This is the system’s sole purpose. The system can receive, store, and forward message traffic to and from all its user agencies. Administrative message traffic on the system includes all types of free-form, criminal justice-related data. Messages may be sent to a specific agency, statewide, regionally, or to all points in the system. NLETS supports inquiries into state motor vehicles, drivers’ licenses, criminal history, and other state databases. NLETS provides access to road and weather conditions, boat and snowmobile registrations, aircraft tracking system, registration system, and hazardous materials sites. INTERSTATE IDENTIFICATION INDEX (III) The Interstate Identification Index (III) is an index of records of criminal history information collected by criminal justice agencies on individuals contained within the NCIC system. Each III criminal history record must have a criminal fingerprint card as its basic source document. All criminal history record information is based on a set of fingerprints submitted to the State or FBI for comparison before an entry is made. NEVADA CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS (NCJIS) NCJIS enables users to access Nevada criminal history and warrants, and information pertaining to parole and probation, sexual offenders, protection orders, and concealed weapons. JLINK J-Link is the State of Nevada Department of Public Safety (DPS) computer program that allows the LVMPD to fully utilize new and emerging law enforcement communications. It enables the LVMPD to access state and federal criminal justice systems such as NCIC, NLETS, III, and NCJIS. Page 15 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE SHARED COMPUTER OPERATIONS FOR PROTECTION AND ENFORCEMENT (SCOPE) SCOPE is a 24-hour, on-line computerized master name index. It provides information on individuals and businesses. It contains both criminal history (arrest and conviction-related data) and non-criminal history information (physical descriptors, work application information, traffic accidents, etc.) WANTED VEHICLE SYSTEM (WVS) WVS is available through SCOPE terminals. It provides detailed information regarding local wanted or impounded vehicles. LVMPD information is entered, updated, and maintained by the Records and Fingerprint Bureau. Other Nevada agencies also enter information into the system. These agencies are responsible for entering, updating, and maintaining their own information. ODYSSEY Odyssey is the computer system of the Clark County District Court and Justice Court systems. It provides access to information related to court proceedings, including traffic tickets, documents, and status. MICROSOFT APPLICATIONS Microsoft Outlook is the e-mail application used by the LVMPD. The other Microsoft applications that are also used include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Page 16 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE DEFINITIONS ABUSE Willful and unjustified infliction of pain, injury, or mental anguish. ACCESSORY One who is not the chief actor in the offense, nor present at its performance, but in some way concerned therein, either before or after the act committed. ACCOMPLICE Individual who is equally responsible for an offense considered a violation of law. ACCUSED A term for a defendant in a criminal case. Often used interchangeably with "prisoner” or “defendant." ADJUDICATION The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment or decree. AGGRESSOR One who first employs hostile force. ALLEGED Claimed, but as yet, unproven. ARREST The taking of a person into custody in a case and in the manner authorized by law. ASSAULT Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury, coupled with present ability to do so, that would give the victim reason to fear immediate bodily harm. BATTERY Any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another. BOOKING A DSD Records function whereby an individual is officially incarcerated after arrest, which includes photographing and fingerprinting the arrestee. Page 17 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE BURGLARY Entering a building or structure with the intent of committing a crime. CHARGED Being formally accused of a crime. COMMISSIONED A duly sworn person who is authorized to execute police powers. CONVICTED PERSONS REGISTRANT Any person convicted of a crime required to register with a police agency by law. CRIME An act or omission forbidden by law and punishable upon conviction by death, imprisonment, fine or other penal discipline. CUSTODY Having responsibility for the care and control of a person or thing. DEFENDANT A person who is alleged to have committed some violation either in a civil or criminal suit. DISSEMINATION Disclosing records of criminal history or the absence of records of criminal history to a person or agency outside the organization which has control of the information. EMBEZZLEMENT Fraudulent appropriation of money or goods entrusted to one's care. EXTORTION Is a very broad crime that may apply to any situation where a person wrongfully threatens another person to try to obtain something of value. FELONY A crime punishable by death or imprisonment in the state prison for not less than one year. FINGERPRINT A reproduction of the smooth surface of the pattern or design formed by the ridges on the inside of the end joint of a finger or thumb. Page 18 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE GRAND LARCENY Theft of property which is worth more than a certain sum; that sum varies from state to state. GROSS MISDEMEANOR A crime punishable in the county jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than $2,000, or both. INCARCERATED Confined in a jail or prison. INDICTMENT A formal charging of a person of a crime by a grand jury. INMATE Any person, whether pretrial, unsentenced, or sentenced, who is confined in a detention or holding facility. JURISDICTION The geographical or subject area in which a court, judge, or official has authority to act. MISDEMEANOR A crime which is punishable in jail for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or both. MODULE A unit used to house inmates in the Clark County Detention Center. PETIT LARCENY Theft of property which is worth less than a certain sum; that sum varies from state to state. PAROLE Supervised release from prison before the full sentence is served. PROBATION A form of sentence by which a person convicted of a crime is allowed to remain in the community under supervision instead of serving a jail or prison sentence. RECIDIVIST A person who continues to commit criminal acts; a habitual criminal. Page 19 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE REFERRAL An application provided by employers to applicant to obtain a work card. ROBBERY The unlawful taking of personal property from the person of another, or in the person’s presence, against his or her will, by means of force or violence or fear of injury. SALLYPORT An enclosure within a detention facility containing doors or gates at both ends, only 1 of which opens at a time, for security purposes. SUBPOENA A court order commanding someone to appear at a certain time and place to give testimony on a certain matter. SUMMONS A court order notifying an individual that an action has been commenced against him and requiring him to appear for processing in lieu of arrest. WITNESS One who being present, personally sees or perceives a thing. WORK CARD A picture card used for employment purposes and issued by a police department. ACRONYMS DOAR: Declaration of Arrest Report TCR: Temporary Custody Record ICR: Incident Crime Report OR: Officer’s Report CCW: Carry Concealed Weapon NRS: Nevada Revised Statue AFIS: Automated Fingerprint Identification System Page 20 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE PHONETIC ALPHABET The LVMPD uses a phonetic alphabet in order to ensure accuracy in certain situations. For example, when confirming warrants, officers will use the phonetic alphabet to ensure that similar sounding letters are not mistaken for each other. The following is the phonetic alphabet used by the LVMPD: A B C D E F G H I ADAM BAKER CHARLIE DAVID EASY FRANK GEORGE HENRY IDA J K L M N O P Q R JOHN KING LINCOLN MARY NORA OCEAN PAUL QUEEN ROBERT S T U V W X Y Z SAM TOM UNION VICTOR WILLIAM X-RAY YELLOW ZEBRA MILITARY TIME The LVMPD operations run 24 hours a day and uses military time to avoid confusion and ambiguity of the time. The following is a conversion of standard time to military time: 12:01 AM 1:00 AM 2:00 AM 3:00 AM 4:00 AM 5:00 AM 6:00 AM 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM NOON = = = = = = = = = = = = = 0001 0100 0200 0300 0400 0500 0600 0700 0800 0900 1000 1100 1200 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 12:00 AM MIDNIGHT = = = = = = = = = = = = 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 Page 21 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE USA STATE ABBREVIATIONS & MAP AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA GU HI ID IL IN IA KS ALABAMA ALASKA ARIZONA ARKANSAS CALIFORNIA COLORADO CONNECTICUT DELAWARE FLORIDA GEORGIA GUAM HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA KANSAS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC KENTUCKY LOUISIANA MAINE MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSISSIPPI MISSOURI MONTANA NEBRASKA NEVADA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTH DAKOTA TENNESSEE TEXAS UTAH VERMONT VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN WYOMING Page 22 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE There are two basic types of customers: EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS Are defined as community members who need service(s) and may be residents of Las Vegas or the surrounding area. External customers may also include tourists visiting our valley from another state/county, outside law enforcement agencies, military personnel, attorneys, and insurance companies. INTERNAL CUSTOMERS Are customers who work in other sections or bureaus within our agency and are afforded the same high level of customer service as is provided for our external customers. Whether it be the customer coming in from out of town or the customer who is assigned to a bureau within our agency, our goal remains the same: “To provide excellent customer service to both our internal and external customers.” ASK SMART QUESTIONS BACKGROUND QUESTIONS Background questions are the introduction to your conversation. They tell you who you are talking with and allow you to pull up a customer’s record. They also help you evaluate whether you are the best person to help the customer, or if you should direct the customer to a different person, detail, or department. Do you have a driver’s license or state identification card? May I have your complete name? Have you ever been arrested by this agency? (If applicable) Sometimes, customers may resist background questions. “Why do you need to know that?” they ask. Or they may protest, “I gave you that information last time, don’t you keep records?” You can decrease resistance by explaining up front why the information is needed. PROBING QUESTIONS Probing questions help dig more deeply into a customer’s needs, problems, or complaint to identify the issues involved and begin to move toward a solution. There are two basic types of questions: closed and open-ended. Closed questions are generally answered with a yes or no, or with a specific piece of information. Open-ended questions generally require more lengthy explanations and invite the customers into a conversation. Often, probing questions will be open-ended. A good source of probing questions is the basic five W’s: who, what, when, where, and why. Page 23 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE CONFIRMATION QUESTIONS Confirmation questions provide a “check and balance” system. They help confirm you have correctly understood the customer’s message and give the customer an opportunity to add information or clarification. It is easy to take silence as confirmation of customer agreement. However, silence sometimes signals that the customer has given up, is frustrated or angry, or that the customer is too embarrassed to indicate confusion. Keeping in mind when confirmation comes out as a statement, rather than as a question, it is a good idea to ask for a response. WHEN QUESTIONS GO WRONG The right question, when poorly timed or badly worded can undo all the good customer service you have worked so hard to create. When questions go wrong, typically one of four things happened: The question was asked at the wrong time. The customer thought you were asking about something you already know. The customer feels you are asking too many questions. The question feels too personal. Remember, timing is key. It is not what you say, but how you say it. Only when you begin to ask the right questions do you begin to find the right answers. Body expressions also play a huge role in the interplay between you and the customer when asking delving questions. Be cognizant of body language when speaking with a customer face-to-face. Realizing gestures, posture, and facial expressions can make or break a conversation between you and the customer. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE TELEPHONE “If I pick up a ringing phone, I accept the responsibility to ensure the caller is satisfied, no matter the issue.” The telephone requires you to be more aware of your voice than at any other time. Customers cannot hear your facial expressions or see non-verbal clues such as shrugs or hand gestures. They form a mental picture based on the tone and quality of your voice. Your mood, either smiling and happy or angry and frustrated, often comes through. That is why, before you ever pick up a telephone, you should take a moment to ensure you are mentally prepared for the customer on the other end. A pleasant phone voice takes practice. Speaking in pleasant tones is a talent. Professional telephone talk has four basic customer sensitive processes. Knowing and following these processes will ensure your customers feel you are doing your best to assist them. ANSWERING THE PHONE When a customer calls and you answer the telephone remember the customer can hear you from the moment the handset leaves the cradle. A customer does not want to be greeted with a distant voice of someone talking to another person, distracted from their call. The customer deserves your full attention. Answer the telephone with a solid, pleasant greeting such as, “Good morning. This is Records and Fingerprint, Jane speaking. How may I help you?” Page 24 LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TECHNICIAN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE PUTTING A CALLER ON HOLD Sometimes callers must be put on hold for you to answer a second line, leave your desk to get a piece of information, or you may just need a moment to regroup while handling a particularly volatile caller. Whatever the circumstances, never put a call on hold without first asking the caller for permission, “May I put you on hold?” or “Will you hold for a moment, please?” and waiting for their reply. Remember, the question means nothing if you do not wait for the customer to answer, and always respond with a “thank you.” It may take you a moment longer, though it is well worth the positive impression it creates. If the caller says, “No” and does not wish to hold, you can either re-prioritize what you are doing or ask if you can call the caller back. If you choose to call the caller back, make sure to do so as quickly as possible. The caller who does not wish to hold is not necessarily being rude. Remember, delivering great customer service means navigating the individual needs of each customer and meeting their expectations. TAKING MESSAGES Good messages are both accurate and complete. Be sure to get the caller’s full name, telephone number, and company name (if applicable). Make sure you have the correct spelling of the caller’s name and an accurate phone number by reading it back to them for confirmation. The date and time of the message is also important, as messages are often time sensitive. Finally, be sure to put your own name on the message; if there is any question, the message recipient will be able to ask you for clarification. TRANSFERRING CALLS Customers hate to be passed from person to person. Whenever possible, do not do it. Help the caller yourself or take a message to have the appropriate person return the call. When it is necessary to transfer a call, be sure to give the name and phone number of the person to whom they are being transferred. This way, if there is an issue with the transfer, the caller will be able to get back to the right person. If possible, stay on the line to ensure the transfer goes smoothly. Remember, in everything we do, we represent the LVMPD. Excellent customer service is required in all facets of the Department, whether dealing with internal or external customers, whether on the telephone or sitting in front of a customer. LVMPD’s Mission is clear, “To provide exceptional police services in partnership with the community.” Showing courage, accountability, respect for people, and excellence is what this department is built on; honesty is our only policy and caring for those we serve is our greatest mission. Page 25