The San Antonio Police Department today spelled out the changes it is making in its investigative procedure in the wake of the Special Victims Unit scandal, where more than 100 cases were allowed to fall through the cracks, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Police Chief Bill McManus says he has been working with panels of city leaders, and with respected police consultant Robert Stewart to come up with new standard operating procedures for case management, not just in SUV, but in all departments of the SAPD.
He says the key will be to relieve police supervisors like sergeants and lieutenants of paperwork so they can keep their eyes on their detectives.
"They enhance supervisory review of case assignments, they establish a case audit schedule, and they establish communication guidelines with crime victims," McManus said.
He says no case will be allowed to be declared 'closed' unless a supervisor signs off on it, and requires that supervisors conduct regular reviews of active cases.
McManus says a key will also be the enhanced involvement of crime victims. He says everybody who reports being a victim of a crime will receive a card which contains the case number, the name of the detective assigned to the case, and all the information needed to keep up on the status of the investigation.
"It gives all the information that anyone will need to follow up on their case, all the way from property crimes to any other crime that they may be reporting."New procedures include:
*A requirement that Special Investigations Section detectives contact the victims no more than 48 hours after receiving the case.
*Increased supervisory oversight of monthly case autit procedures.
*Superviors have sole authority to close cases.
Similar requirements will cover other sections, like Major Crimes and Covert Operations.
All detectives will be required to sign off on the new Standard Operating Procedures, many of which have already been implemented.