4-410 - City Vehicles and On-Duty Accidents

Policy

Any MPD employee involved in an accident while in a City vehicle, or any vehicle while on official duty, shall immediately notify the dispatcher to send a Traffic Investigation squad and supervisor to the scene of the accident. If the accident occurs outside of the City of Minneapolis and it is not practical for a Traffic Investigation squad to respond, the employee shall notify the local law enforcement agency to respond and complete the traffic accident investigation. The employee shall notify their supervisor as soon as practical. Every effort shall be made to leave the vehicle(s) in the position it came to rest following the accident. (4/18/08)

Sworn employee(s) involved in a vehicle accident while on-duty shall complete a CAPRS report and statement, including the vehicle P# involved in the incident. If an employee is unable to complete this report, the employee’s supervisor shall complete the report and the employee shall complete their statement as soon as they are able. Copies of the report shall be forwarded to the employee’s Commander, prior to the end of the employee's shift. CAPRS reports completed for accidents involving marked or unmarked police vehicles shall use the code SQUADA. (04/18/08)

Sworn employee(s) assigned to investigate an accident scene involving a City vehicle driven by another sworn employee shall gather the necessary information from the persons involved and complete a State of Minnesota Traffic Accident Report State of Minnesota Traffic Accident Report (PS-32003-07), including vehicle P#. (4/18/08)

Sworn employee(s) assigned to investigate an accident scene involving a City vehicle driven by an MPD civilian employee (including Traffic Control and Community Service Officers) shall gather the necessary information from the persons involved and complete a State of Minnesota Traffic Accident Report as well as a CAPRS report and statement. The CAPRS report shall be titled CITYA and include the vehicle # or P# of the vehicle involved. Civilian employees involved in the accident may be asked to complete a statement. (4/18/08)

If damage occurs to a City vehicle that was not the result of a traffic accident, the MPD employee responsible for the vehicle and/or the MPD employee who discovers the damage shall notify their immediate supervisor, who shall make arrangements to have the vehicle repaired. Towing needed for MPD vehicles must be ordered through the Auto Desk. (4/18/08)

• Confidential Informant:

  A person who cooperates with a law enforcement agency confidentially in order to protect the person or the MPD’s intelligence gathering or investigative efforts, and:

  1. Seeks to:
     1. Avoid arrest or prosecution for a crime; or
     2. Mitigate punishment for a crime in which a sentence will be or has been imposed; or
     3. Receive a monetary or other benefit;
  2. Is able, by reason of the person’s familiarity or close association with suspected criminals, to:
     1. Make a controlled buy or controlled sale of contraband, controlled substance, or other items that are material to a criminal investigation;
     2. Supply regular or constant information about suspected or actual criminal activities to a law enforcement agency;
     3. Otherwise provide information important to ongoing criminal intelligence gathering or criminal investigative efforts.
• Investigation: A structured process of gathering, examining, and evaluating facts and evidence to determine what occurred, assess compliance with laws and policies, and support appropriate actions or decisions.
• Police Vehicles:
  1. Fully Marked Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD that has clearly identifying police markings, emergency lights visible from front, sides and rear, siren, and a manufacturer's rating to make it suitable for pursuits. Currently, the Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Police Interceptor SUV, Chevrolet Caprice, and the Chevy Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle (PPV) are the only vehicles in the MPD Fleet with such a rating.
  2. Low Profile Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD that has a permanent or temporary MPD door marking, emergency lights visible from front, sides and rear, siren, and a manufacturer's rating to make it suitable for pursuits.
  3. Unmarked Squad Car: Any vehicle used by the MPD not clearly identified with a shield, logo or department name that has emergency lights visible from the front, sides and rear, and a manufacturer’s rating to make it suitable for pursuits.
• Reports and Statements: Police Report: A report or statement in a report that sets forth the officer's account of an incident and is entered into the MPD's Records Management System. Public Safety Statement: A mandatory statement from the Involved Officers which provides information necessary to ensure public safety. This may include questions about the direction in which the Involved Officer fired their firearm, injured people, location of dangerous weapons or information on any suspects still at large and any other information necessary to facilitate the commencement of the investigation. Voluntary Statement: A statement given by Involved or Witness Officers to Investigations Bureau Investigators which is voluntary and outlines details associated with the Critical Incident. Voluntary statements from officers are essential for bringing criminal charges against suspects, defending officers, and maintaining community trust by providing the Chief of Police with sufficient information to appropriately address community concerns. Voluntary statements will be taken in question and answer (Q&A) format.