Manual of the St. Paul Police Department, 1923 — 10

OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS

P. 258. Addressed to Chief of Police.—All official communications and reports shall be addressed to the Chief of Police.

P. 259. Official Correspondence.—All official correspondence received from or forwarded to persons outside of the Department, except night messages at headquarters, shall first be submitted to the Chief of Police, unless otherwise ordered by him. No member of the Department shall in any way communicate or correspond with any person outside of the Department concerning Department business, unless the communication has first been submitted to the Chief of Police for his official sanction and signature.

P. 260. Written on One Side.—Communications shall be written on one side of the paper only, unless blanks provide otherwise.

P. 261. Official Reports Requested by Chief of Police.—Whenever an official or special report is called for by the Chief of Police, the commanding officer to whom the order is directed shall, after careful investigation conducted personally or through his immediate subordinates, report the result in writing over his own signature.

P. 262. Reports of Murders, Burglaries, Robberies, Suicides, etc.—An officer while investigating a murder, burglary, robbery, suicide or other serious matter, shall be careful to get all particulars.

(a) In murder cases, in making report, he must always give, if possible, full name, residence, age, nativity and occupation of principals, whether married or single, together with the names and addresses of witnesses, how and where crime was committed, cause and attending circumstances thereof, and, if possible, secure photograph of person committing the crime, if not apprehended, and also names and addresses of all relatives and intimate friends.

(b) In burglary cases, the address, name of owner and description of property stolen and value thereof, manner in which entrance was effected, names and descriptions of persons suspected, if any, and such other points connected therewith as may be pertinent, should be obtained.

(c) If robbery, the name and address of person robbed, time and place of robbery, description and value of property stolen and of person who committed the crime.

(d) Property Lost or Stolen.—In reporting property lost or stolen it shall be described in the following manner:

P. 263. Watches should head the list, giving the description of case and movement, number of case and movement, and initials and engraving, if any.

P. 264. Jewelry, first describe article, whether ring, lavalier, bar pin or brooch, hair ornament, ear ring, etc., then describe setting. If set with diamonds, list these first, giving weight of stones and number of each article. Then list jewelry set with stones other than diamonds; give size, kind and number of stones set in each article and description and shape.

P. 265. Clothing.—Give maker's name, color and kind of cloth, size and style of garment with any special marks.

P. 266. Miscellaneous Property should be reported minutely, the name, description, number, initials, value, etc. Owner's name, address and telephone call should always be added to these reports.

(e) If suicide, give name, age, occupation, nativity, description, time, manner and circumstances attending same, and name and address of nearest relative or friend and attending physician.

(f) If accident, state the nature thereof, and extent of injuries, how, when and where, and under what circumstances it occurred, with name, age, occupation and residence of person or persons injured, and names of witnesses; if occasioned by street car or train, where possible secure number of car or engine and names and addresses of employes. Whenever the city is liable, the report should be kept confidential, and not given to outsiders without first consulting the Corporation Counsel.

(g) If fire, give time of discovery, name of street and number of house, kind and character of premises, name of owner and occupants, name of person turning in alarm, location of fire box used, origin or cause of fire, whether accidental or the work of an incendiary, and such other facts as may be pertinent thereto.