Tier 1 Investigations (Cont.)

Police managers must determine which crimes occurring in the precinct or patrol work group will be handled by tier I detectives. My recommendation is all in-custody and known suspect cases unless the crime is homicide, most sex crimes, the majority of economic crimes, and serial cases. Generally, ninety percent of the investigation is completed at the initial scene, and it is a redundant and costly action to send the case forward to another detective unit when the majority of the work is completed. Few cases exceed the skill level of generalist detectives, and if the case surpasses the skill level of tier I detectives, send the case to tier II detectives. The concept is to streamline the investigative process by eliminating controllable practices that interfere or disrupt the investigative process, and reduce redundant processes.   

Tier I investigations is a perfect placement for new detectives for several reasons, especially for large departments that have the ability to promote numerous detectives. First, the new detective will be immersed in multiple type investigations rather than specializing on one crime-type. The detective will learn that investigative techniques are applicable to all crimes, and gain invaluable experience that cannot be replicated using the crime-type model of investigations. Important, the detective will realize that criminals do not compartmentalize crime like the police, which will open their eyes to widening their field of search for investigative leads understanding career criminals commit crimes across the strata of crime type to support their lifestyles. Detectives will gain superior intelligence files that link criminal associates, and loosely knit criminal clusters that network and interact together to accomplish their crime schemes. Detectives have the advantage of understanding criminal conduct from a macro level perspective rather than from a micro-level perception, which will change their approach to investigative processes. Seven to 10 percent of criminals are committing 70 to 90 percent of the crime, and the detective will learn to make the connection of crime to career criminal associations.          

Police managers may want to create a Pilate program to determine the usefulness of the model. Remember, there is no perfect plan, and any new innovation requires constant refining and tweaking before it becomes operational. Police managers will more appropriately judge the process if they include detectives to discuss problems, challenges, pros and cons of the system because the detectives do the work. Further, police management must sell the new innovation to detective components, if they believe the tiered investigative model is worth pursuing, and spend time to explain the usefulness of the model. The model does not conform to institutional thinking and cultural beliefs, and may initially receive pushback from the rank and file, or the model will be embraced because detectives understand the weaknesses and inadequacies of the current policing archetype.        

Tier I detectives may be selected from multiple locations throughout each department, and will serve as generalist detectives. The commander may use the reactionary squads already in the precinct to serve as tier I detectives. My recommendation is to use existing detectives from detective bureaus and units to serve as tier I detectives because they are familiar with the department’s investigative process and procedures, are experienced investigators, and can be inserted into the precinct or patrol work group with the least disruption to the department mission (consult Chapter 2 – Setting the Stage for Change), which is extremely important to adoption progression, and evaluative processes.  It is also recommended that detective sergeants be assigned to precinct tier I detective squads for the same reasons provided for detectives. Dependent upon the tier I squads assigned to a precinct, management may want to attach a detective lieutenant to oversee the work unit. Supervisory assignment depends on the size of the precinct investigative component, and police management must weigh the pros and cons associated to the investigative processes.                

The design of tier I investigations dramatically changes the current policing model provided in figure 10.1.  Figure 10.1 demonstrates that the funnel represents a closed system in which only a certain volume of product (investigations) can pass through the system, and if capacity is reached, the intake reservoir will overflow because output does not equal input. The output cannot accommodate full intake because the system funnels the investigative workload through one channel, which does not have the capability to expand to meet increased volume of work. In figure 10.2, our system input remains unchanged, but cases are now diverted into two separate investigative components (funnels), which has the capacity to significantly reduce workflow and workload for each investigative component, and create a more efficient process by eliminating controllable processes that interfere or disrupt the investigation. Controllable processes that interfere or disrupt an investigation are meeting the demands placed on detectives for in-custody cases and known suspect cases, and juggling the remaining caseload to solve crimes (current model of investigations). This was the principal issue I observed from detective bureaus. Detectives did not have time to investigate cases because they spent most of their time finalizing investigations for in-custody suspects. Clearance rates are reduced dramatically because detectives do not have the time to investigate unsolved cases, and most likely, if police do not arrest the suspect at the scene, or do not know who the suspect is, police will most probably not solve the crime. Based on statistics from the FBI, police clearance rates are remarkably low. Tiered investigations provides the detective time to solve cases.                

Organizational design determines business model processes, and in the tier investigation model, the process is designed to provide real time crime analysis of crimes, and direct in-custody and known suspect cases to tier I investigators, while simultaneously directing the remainder of cases to tier II investigators. Intake remains the same, but two options are created to divert the case to the appropriate investigative units. The process permits for the system to expand and contract based on input (new cases). Workloads are diminished because the detective will either take in-custody and known suspect cases (tier I), or will be assigned cases in which the suspect is not known, is a serial investigation, or the case is complex (tier II). Figure 10.2 provides the workflow process of the tiered investigative system. The process initiates with intake of crimes, which is channeled into the precincts or patrol work groups, and from which cases are assigned to tier I or tier II detectives immediately. Cases assigned to tier I and II are fully investigated and submitted to the appropriate court for prosecution. We will discuss tier III later in the chapter, but for now, the system is created to handle all investigations through tier I and tier II.

Excerpt from Proactive Policing Leadership (Hampton, 2016)