Effective Date: 10/4/00

Series: Law Enforcement and Security

Part 446: Law Enforcement

Chapter 17: Reporting of Serious Incidents

Originating Office: Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety

17.1 Purpose. These procedures and responsibilities are provided to ensure that the Office of the Secretary is promptly and properly apprized of all incidents, unusual events and emergency conditions, which may result in inquiries to the Secretary or which could cause intensive public interest and/or potential residual effects on the Department.

17.2 Policy. An efficient notification system to inform designated officials of serious/significant incidents shall be implemented and maintained in all Departmental bureaus/offices with law enforcement authority.

17.3 Responsibilities. The field official in charge of a serious incident, event or condition shall ensure that the designated bureau/office reporting office and the Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety (MRPS) are properly notified. The MRPS will notify the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Policy and International Affairs. The Deputy Assistant Secretary - Policy and International Affairs, based on the seriousness of the incident, will through the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget, notify the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and other officials deemed appropriate. Follow-up information will flow in the same channel(s). These notification procedures constitute minimum reporting requirements. Bureau/office heads may promulgate additional notification requirements to meet specific bureau/office needs.

17.4 Procedures. All incidents of the nature described below are to be immediately reported electronically (telephone, telefax, etc.) by the field official in charge of the incident to the designated bureau's reporting offices and the MRPS. Reportable incidents include:

A. DEATH AND INJURIES.

(1) The death of any Interior employee while on duty.

(2) The hospitalization of 3 or more employees due to a work related incident.

(3) The life-threatening injury to any law enforcement officer while in the performance of his/her duties.

(4) Any USE OF FORCE by a law enforcement officer which results in serious injury or death to another individual.

B. RESOURCE, PROPERTY and/or ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE. Major natural or man-caused disasters which cause significant injuries, resource, property and/or environmental damage; and/or severely impacts visitor use of a DOI-administered area, including structural fires, dam failures, floods and storms. And/or requests for assistance from other Federal, state or local agencies due to any of the aforementioned events. Wildfires are excluded.

C. THREATS, SABOTAGE and/or TERRORIST ACTIVITY. Actual, attempted or planned terrorist activity, sabotage or other hostile threats or acts against DOI property.

D. SEARCH and RESCUE and REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE. Major searches and/or rescues, generally defined as any operation requiring a significant call-out of interagency resources or involving large numbers of personnel.

E. POLITICAL INCIDENTS. Serious incidents, major events or serious accidents involving senior political officials of State, Federal or foreign governments or their immediate families.

F. LAW ENFORCEMENT INCIDENTS.

(1) Serious crimes which occur in a DOI-administered area.

(2) The discharge of a weapon by an employee toward another individual or any discharge of a weapon at any DOI employee.

(3) Significant law enforcement events other than planned special events which have required or may require the dispatch of specially-trained teams to augment normal enforcement capabilities.

(4) Major or unusual drug seizures or drug-related arrests in which the circumstances, value and/or the amount of the seizure could attract media or political attention.

G. SHOOTING INCIDENTS. Any shooting incident which is defined as:

(1) The intentional or unintentional discharge of a firearm by an employee either on or off duty. This does not include firearms discharged in training, the authorized destruction of wildlife, hunting and/or other resource management activities.

(2) The discharge of a firearm during the course of a joint or task force investigation by a local, state, or federal law enforcement officer, that results in injury or death and is witnessed by an Interior employee.

(3) Any discharge of a firearm at an Interior employee.

17.5 Incident Reporting During Normal Business Hours. All incidents of the nature described above are to be immediately reported telephonically or by telefax or telecommunication by the field official in charge of the incident to the designated bureau's reporting offices. The MRPS shall be immediately notified at (202) 208-6319, or (202) 208-4108 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. If there are questions as to whether a serious/significant incident should be reported, the Action Officer, MRPS, should be contacted by paging 1-800-345-8859.

17.6 Incident Reporting During Non-Business Hours. Reporting will be made telephonically by paging the Action Officer, MRPS at 1-800-345-8859. The reporting party will receive a telephone call within 15 minutes requesting pertinent information. If no telephone call is received, the reporting party shall telephone the Shenandoah National Park, Eastern Interagency Coordination Center (EICC) at 540-999-3422. The EICC will take the pertinent information, your name and call back number and relay same to a member of the MRPS staff.

The MRPS shall, additionally, provide to all law enforcement administrators the names and telephone numbers of the MRPS law enforcement and security staff.

17.7 Information to be Included in the Report.

Subject: (nature or classification of incident)

Time and Date:

Location: (describe where the incident occurred)

Summary: (briefly describe the incident)

Names and Titles: (victims, witnesses, suspects or other significant to the report)

Status of Case and Agencies Notified: (e.g., FBI, State/county police)

Bureau/Office Contact: (name and telephone number of individual to be contacted for additional information)

17.8 Written Reports. All telephone reports of serious/significant incidents, events, conditions, and etc., must be followed by the appropriate written report(s) to the Department of the Interior, Director, MRPS, MS 7356, Main Interior Building, within 3 working days of the initial telephone report. Internal bureau/office distribution is at the discretion of the bureau/office head.

17.9 Summary. These guidelines shall not be construed as relieving Departmental employees of their obligations of direct reporting to the Office of Inspector General relative to Departmental Manual 355 DM 2.

10/4/00 #3342

Replaces 9/21/93 #446-1