Metropolitan Police Department Washington D.C.

Subject: Radio Broadcasts and Lookouts

Series Number Change 302 02 Effective Date September 01, 1974 Revision Date *

The purpose of this order is to establish the policy and procedures for use of radio broadcasts, lookouts, and the PD Form 106. This order consists of the following parts:

Part I Responsibilities and Procedures for Members of the Department

PART II Responsibilities and Procedures for Special Assignment Personnel

Part III Responsibilities d Procedures for Supervisory and Command Personnel

Part I

A. Policy.

1. It is the policy of this department, in any event involving the commission of a crime where descriptive information which

could aid in the apprehension of suspects is obtainable, that information shall be obtained and disseminated by the police radio system as soon as possible, but is every event, within ten minutes of the tine the initial radio assignment was dispatched.

2. it shall also be the policy of this department to broadcast, as soon as possible, other operational and/or tactical information which may be necessary to aid in the coordination of departmental efforts to fulfill assigned responsibilities and goals.

B. Responsibilities

1. It shall be the responsibility of the member(s) assigned to the first primary mobile unit dispatched to the scene of an incident or crime requiring subsequent radio broadcasts to obtain the necessary information and to broadcast a flash lookout, if necessary • within the shortest possible time, but in every event within ten minutes of the time the initial radio assignment was dispatched.

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General Order 302.02	September 01, 1974	2 of 6

2. Should any member(s) of the department assigned to a radio equipped vehicle, or equipped with a portable radio, be at the scene of any such incident or crime prior to the arrival of the first primary mobile unit dispatched, that member shall, if practicable, immediately obtain the necessary information and broadcast the required flash lookout, It shall further be this members responsibility to advise the officer(s)assigned to the primary mobile unit upon its arrival, that the flash lookout has been secured and to provide the officer(s) so assigned with

the PD Form 106 When the message has gone over the air.

3. Officers who are not equipped with portable radios, or who find that they are closer to a telephone than to their vehicle radios, shall expedite their transmittal of lookouts by calling the Communications Division by phone on police Emergency number (911).

C. Procedures.

1. PD Form 106 (Look-out Information) shall be utilized is lieu of rough notes to obtain the required data for subsequent radio broadcasts and lookouts.

a. The portion of PD Form 106 entitled “Flash Look Out” shall be completed immediately upon arrival at any crime sees, the "Vehicle Information" section shall also be completed if appropriate ad the data contained therein shall be broadcast immediately required in part I, paragraphs B1 and 2.

b. The section of PD Form 106 entitled "Follow-Up or General Broadcast Information" shall then be completed and broadcast as soon as possible.

2. The flash lookout should normally be confirmed to descriptive information which is quickly obtainable and would make a wanted person readily identifiable. Generally such lookouts should contain as many items as possible of following information relative to the person(s) wanted.

a. Race

b. Sex

c. Appropriate age

d. Appropriate build (small-average-heavy)

e. Appropriate height (short-average-tall)

f. Lay unusual characteristics (beard-deformity, etc.)

g. Type and color of clothing

h. Method and direction of escape"

i. Whether or not armed

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General Order 302.02	September 01, 1974	3 of 6

3. General broadcasts are certain radio messages which may be broadcast directly from mobile units. General broadcasts are Generally limited to the following categories of messages:

a. Detailed lookouts for persons wanted for the commission

of felonies under circumstances that suggest that subjects are still near the scene or in flight there from.

b. Conditions at the scene of serious accidents, fires, explosions, disasters, or other similar incidents creating congestion and necessitating the detour of traffic.

c. Follow-up information from crime scene.

4. Information from crime scenes, other the lookouts, shall not be broadcast except by the official in charge at the scene or upon the request of a supervising official of this department to the personnel of the mobile units involved.

5. In situations requiring a general broadcast, the transmitting unit shall radio the dispatcher as follows: e.g.. ‘Scout 101 to radio, general broadcast,’ explaining the type of situation only if the dispatcher is not yet aware of it.

6. If, upon responding to the scene of a general broadcast type assignment, a mobile unit discovers that the crime is less serious than previously reported, the personnel of the responding unit shall sot request a general broadcast but shall advise the dispatcher of the change of classification and be governed by the directions of the dispatcher to whether any further information should be broadcast. The same procedure shall be followed if a sex offense is involved or, if for any reason, the personnel of a mobile unit are in doubt as to certain information being put into a general broadcast. If the information is of a delicate nature, a landline inquiry shall be made.

7. The following information shall not be broadcast over the police radio:

a. Information concerning a crime that would obstruct or defeat the ends of justice.

b. Profanity, jargon, or any descriptive term that might be offensive to any person.

c. Observations or messages unconnected to the performance of police duties, including all necessary information that would needlessly lengthen as otherwise valid message.

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General Order 302.02	September 01, 1974	4 of 6

D. PD Form 106 (Look Out Information)

1. PD Form 106 shall be utilized in transmitting lookouts for persons or vehicle(s) over the police radio, except that when a single element of a lookout appears to be more distinctive than any other, that information may be broadcast before proceeding with the order outlined in PD Form 106.

2. A PD Form 106 will be prepared by the personnel initiating a flash lookout message. A sufficient supply of these forms shall be maintained in mobile units.

3. The PD Form 106 and any rough notes that may be made by an officer of the description given him by a witness or victim are considered to be potentially discoverable material and shall be preserved in accordance with the provisions of General Order No. 601.02 (Preservation of Potentially Discoverable Material).

Part II

A. Radio Dispatchers.

1. When the personnel of a mobile police radio unit contact the dispatcher in connection with a flash lookout or a general broadcast, the dispatcher shall record such information a the PD Form 258 e.

2. When a flash lookout has not been broadcast within ten minutes as required in part I paragraph A, the radio dispatcher shall notify a district official by radio, and obtain the officials

name. The dispatcher shall then notify his own supervisor who will inform the Communication Division watch commander.

B. Exchange of Information With Other Jurisdiction..

When a dispatcher wishes to transmit information to or obtain information from a surrounding jurisdiction, he may utilized the Mutual Aid Radio System, which includes the following participating agencies:

1. Alexandria, Virginia, City Police

2. Arlington County Police.

3. Armed Forces Police.

4. Fairfax County Police.

5. Maryland State Police.

6. Metropolitan Police.

7. Montgomery County Police.

8. Prince George’s County Police.

9. United States Park Police.

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General Order 302.02	September 01, 1974	5 of 6

PART III

A. District Supervisory Officials.

1. Supervisory officials on the scene of incidents in which traffic was affected shall be responsible for the issuance of an “all clear” when the situation returns to normal. If such a situation persists into the next tour of duty, an official coming on duty shall be notified and shall assume this responsibility.

2. Supervisory officials shall insure that flash lookouts are broadcast by personnel under their supervision as required in part I paragraph A, and shall supply radio dispatchers with their name when notified of violations of that section.

3. Upon request from supervisory officials at the scene of serious incidents, and approval by the Watch Commander, Communications Division, the Communications Division shall rebroadcast lookouts of suspects and/or vehicles at 15-minute intervals for a period of 1 hour. Should additional broadcasts be considered warranted by the supervisor of the initiating element, the Communications Division, upon request from the official, shall 1 hour broadcasting the lookout at 1 hour intervals for a period of 4 the and then at 2 hour intervals for the next 18 hour period. Supervisory officials requesting repeat broadcasts of this nature shall follow up their verbal request with a completed PD Form 94 prior to the end of their tour of duty.

4. At the conclusion of the 24 hour period, the lookout shall be discontinued unless a supervisory official of the initiating element, with the approval of the official in charge of the element, resubmits PD Torn 94 requesting that the lookout be continued in the manner prescribed in paragraph 3 above.

B. Communications Division Supervisors.

When notified that a flash lookout has not been broadcast within 10 minutes, the Watch Commander, Communications Division shall notify in writing the official in command of the district or division from which the mobile unit was dispatched. This report shall include the name of the district or division official previously notified.

C. Commanders or Directors.

Commanders or directors of organizational elements shall be responsible for investigating, and appropriately dealing with non—compliance with the requirements of part 1, paragraph A, by members of there command.

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General Order 302.02	September 01, 1974	6 of 6

D. Outside Agencies Broadcasting Lookouts.

1. The Potomac Electric Power Company, Washington Gas Light Company, ad Bureau of Traffic Engineering and Operations of the District of Columbia Government have agreed to broadcast police lookouts upon request from the official in command of the Communications Division to make such notification, which shall be confined to the following type of situations:

a. An extremely serious crime has occurred.

b. The description of the suspects or the vehicle is so complete and specific that a civilian observer could sake an immediate identification.

2. The official originating such a lookout shall notify the Communications Division of a cancellation. Requests for such broadcasts are to be kept to a minimum; and members of corresponding agencies are to be directed not to sake an arrest if they sight the wanted person or vehicle, only to notify the police and the official then in charge of the Communications Division.

General Order No. 302.02

(Revised 9/13/76)