U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

POLICE SURVEILLANCE TRAINING, PART 3 - THE WRAP UP

NCJ Number
48054
Author(s)
G GUERINPAINE K
Editor(s)
K PAINE
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THE CLIMAX OF THE SURVEILLANCE OPERATION, EITHER AN ARREST OR A SIMPLE DISBANDING OF THE OPERATION, IS DESCRIBED IN THIS SLIDE AND CASSETTE PROGRAM.
Abstract
THE WRAP-UP OF THE SURVEILLANCE OPERATION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE REST OF THE PROCEDURE. SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT SEEM IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE OFFICERS CANNOT FIND ANYTHING, OR THEY DID NOT GET ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR AN ARREST. REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION DISCOVERED BY THE OPERATION, THE OFFICERS MUST BE CAREFUL WHEN ENDING THE PROJECT. THE EQUIPMENT MUST BE REMOVED WITH CARE, THE COVER OF THE OFFICERS MUST NOT BE BROKEN, AND THE FINAL REPORT SHOULD BE COMPLETED QUICKLY AND READ BY ALL MEMBERS OF THE SURVEILLANCE TEAM. EVIDENCE AND PHOTOGRAPHS SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED AND LABELED, TAPES TRANSCRIBED, AND LOG BOOKS FILED AWAY. ALL OF THE INFORMATION MUST BE READY FOR USE BY POLICE SQUAD THAT WILL MAKE ANY NECESSARY ARREST. THE SURVEILLANCE TEAM RARELY DOES SO BECAUSE IT COULD RUIN THE COVER OF THE TEAM MEMBERS. A DECISION BETWEEN USING PLAINCLOTHES OR UNIFORMED OFFICERS FOR THE ARREST MUST BE MADE. IN ALL CASES, THE SURVEILLANCE TEAM SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE NOTICED BY THE TARGETS SO THAT EVIDENCE IS NOT DESTROYED BEFORE ARRESTS CAN BE MADE. THE TIMING IS CRITICAL AND THE CRIMINALS HAVE TO BE TAKEN BY SURPRISE. THE EVIDENCE AND WARRANTS MUST BE OBTAINED LEGALLY OR THE CASE CANNOT BE PROSECUTED, THUS WASTING ALL OF THE SURVEILLANCE TIME AND PREPARATION. THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE IS TO GET AN INDICTMENT. THE FOUR MAIN ASPECTS OF THE WRAP-UP OPERATION ARE: (1) THE PURPOSE OF THE OPERATION SHOULD BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD AND ESTABLISHED; (2) ALL OPERATIVES SHOULD ADHERE TO AGREED UPON SURVEILLANCE PROCESURES; (3) THE SURVEILLANCE TEAM SHOULD BE PREPARED TO BACK UP REGULAR OFFICERS AND MAKE THE ARRST AND GATHER EVIDENCE ON THEIR OWN; AND (4) THE INFORMATION GATHERING SHOULD RESULT IN CLEAR AND ACCURATE REPORTS. THE WRAP-UP MUST FOLLOW THE ENTIRE SURVEILLANCE PROJECT WITH AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF SUCCESS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE WHOLE PROJECT WORTHWHILE. FOR PARTS 1 AND 2 OF THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 48052-48053. A HANDBOOK IS ALSO INCLUDED WITH THE SET. (BAC)