Course Project Overview
Introduction
The purpose of your project is to apply criminal justice documentation skills to a real world scenario. Throughout the term, you will be exposed to documentation concepts, skills, and exercises related to various professions within the criminal justice field. Daily submission of criminal justice documentation is a critical component of employment in all criminal justice professions. The course project affords students with an opportunity to create appropriate paperwork for a fictitious case.
Instructions
Your course project is based on the assault call in the Course Project Scenario. Each week you will reference the scenario and produce a portion of this project. Detailed instructions and grading criteria for each submission can be found within each unit.
Your weekly submissions begin in Unit 2, so be proactive and get started on this project as soon as possible. The weekly schedule is as follows:
U3– Complete a Search Warrant Affidavit for an application for a search warrant using the facts provided in the Course Project Scenario.
Unit 3 Course Project: Narrative Report
Introduction
Search warrants are a Fourth Amendment requirement when conducting search and seizure if the owner does not give permission. During police investigations, it is commonplace to search for evidence and/or seize evidence. However, in order to search for and/or seize this evidence, law enforcement officials must show they have probable cause to complete a Search Warrant Affidavit to search for and/or seize the evidence needed.
Instructions
Read the Course Project Scenario. Using those facts, complete the Search Warrant Affidavit for an application for a search warrant in order to document the facts that assert in the Affidavit.
CJ350 Course Project Scenario
The following information is for an assault call.
On July 3, 2015 youwere dispatched with backup at 1800, to an upscale apartment complex located at 2200 Brasco Lane, Barnett State. Officer Shawn Jones arrived at 1810 and Officer Sydney Lee arrived at 1815.
The victim, Julie Pinetti,met you and your fellow officersat the security desk. She has a torn blouse, blackright eye, her lip and nose are bleeding, and she hasseveral red marks on her lower left arm and neck. You ask if she needs medical attention to which she states she doesn’t believe so, but you request that an ambulance meet you at the security office. She invites you back to her apartment, where she states her live–in boyfriend of six years (David Chambers) who is responsible for her injuries, is still in her apartment. You ask if she will give you and your co-workers permission to enter the residence and search it, to which she replies, “Yes” and tells you it is in Building 9, 1st floor apartment 1B. You wait with Ms. Penneti at the security office, while Officers Lee and Jones go to the apartment.
A Barnett State Ambulance arrives at 1840 and EMT Thomas Smith treats her wounds. While waiting with Penetti, Officer Lee radios you to let you know that there was no one in or around the residence. After Penettiis treated, she refuses to be transported to the hospital, so the medical personnel releases her. You let Penetti know that no one was found in her apartment and follow her back to her residence.Pinetti tells you that D. Chambers probably left to go to his brother’s house (John Chambers), as he normally goes there after they argue, but that she doesn’t know the address.
During your interview of Penetti, she relates that D. Chambers beat her this evening after what started out as an argument about who was calling him on his cellphone. She tells you that she saw a strange numberwith a 252 area code come across his caller ID. She questioned him about it since she had seen the number several times before at all hours of the day and night. She said he told her on several occasions that it was a wrong number, but she believed he was cheating on her and it was another woman’s number. She said she doesn’t know who the number belongs to and has never spoken to anyone at that number before, so she is not even sure if it belongs to a woman or not. She tells you that she pressed him about the number again since it had called his phone three times earlier in the day and that “he just snapped.” She said that he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her down the hallway towards the living room and threw her on the coffee table and it broke. She said he then pinned her to the floor, punched her in the face, grabbed her around the throat, and began to squeeze. She expressed fear and said that she thought he was going to kill her, so she grabbed a large piece ofglass from the floor that belonged to the broken coffee table and slashed him across the face. She stated that from that point, she was able to get up and run out of the apartment to the security desk.
Penetti related that she and D. Chambershad been in several altercations in the past and the police had been called out the home before, but this time she believed he would be back to kill her.
You step outside and leave Officers Lee and Jones with Penetti so you can confirm criminal history information for D. Chambers. You confirm with dispatch that Mr. Chambers indeed does have a violent past and learn that he has had several arrests for domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, animal cruelty, multiple drug offenses (cocaine possessions, marijuana possession, methamphetamine possession, intent to distribute), and attempted murder. Furthermore, D. Chambers is on probation for one of his many drug offenses and there is currently a Domestic Violence Injunction (DVRO) with Penetti that was just issued two weeks prior to this call. You also request information on D. Chambers’ brother, John Chambers since this is where Penetti stated that she believed he went. You learn that J. Chambers resides at 12011 S. Main Street, Barnett State and that he only has one arrest for DUI eight years prior and he has a carry-conceal permit and a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson registered under his name.
You step back inside the apartment to speak with Penetti about your newly discovered information in reference to D. Chamber’s criminal history. Penetti states that she did currently have a DVRO against D. Chambers due to an incident that occurred two weeks prior where he slapped her across the face and told her he would kill her.However, she allowed him back into the home because he apologized for it and promised to never do it again. She tells you she “loves him.” She says, “He just acts mean when he’s drinking beer or is high on coke, it’s not his fault!” You then ask if D. Chambers was intoxicated with either drugs or alcohol during their altercation, at which time she replied, “Yes.” You explain that you want to complete an extensive search of the apartment and Penetti complies.
You start your search at the front, observing several blood drops on the tile floor near the front door foyer, and follow a trail of blood droplets to the living room area. In the living room you observe a large wooden and glass coffee table smashed with several large and small glass shards shattered all over the floor and nearby furniture. Furthermore, you see a large piece of glass with a large amount of blood on one side lying on the floor next to the couch on the south wall of the living room. As you leave the living room, headed down the hall, towards the bedroom you observe there to be clumps of long blonde hair on the floor that appears to be consistent with Penetti’s hair and her story of being dragged down the hallway from her bedroom. You walk towards the bedroom and upon entering, you notice the bed to have all the covers thrown about the room, as well as clothing all over the floor. Upon entering, you notice there to also be several beer bottles under the bed and a white powdery substance on the nightstand that was placed on the west wall of the bedroom.
You ask Penneti if she knows what the white powdery substance is on the nightstand in the bedroom and she states, “It’s probably his coke.” You ask if she knows if there is anymore in the home, to which she tells you, “He keeps his stash in a shoebox under the bed.” You go back to the bedroom and find a small white New Balance shoe box under the bed. You open it and find ten small plastic baggies of a white powdery substance, as well as eight small plastic baggies of what appears to be a green leafy substance. Penneti tells you none of it is hers and that David was the only one who used drugs. You walk further into the bathroom and find there to be wet blood all over the floor and sink area. You ask Penetti if she was in the bathroom bleeding at all, and she tells you she was not and that it must have been D. Chambers after she left, because she had just cleaned the bathroom yesterday. You request the Crime Scene Unit conduct an extensive search and evidence collection of the apartment and they arrive at 2030. You leave the apartment in search of D. Chambers’ brother, J. Chambers at the address given to you by dispatch.
You and Officer Lee arrive at J. Chambers’ residence at 12011 S. Main Street, Barnett State. You are met at the front door by John Chambers who asks you what is going on. You explain that there was an altercation between his brother, David and his girlfriend, Julie, earlier in the eveningwhere they were both injured. He said he was not surprised as they have a volatile relationship. You ask if D. Chambers was at his home, and he stated that he was not. You ask if you could search the home for him, to which he stated youcould. You search the home, but do not find any sign of D. Chambers. You ask John if he knows anywhere his brother may go and he stated that he can sometimes be found on Skid Row on the upper east side of the city because that’s where he scores his drugs. He related that David was not always like this and that it wasn’t until their parents died that he turned to drugs, alcohol, and became violent. He says he has pleaded with J. Pinettiseveral times to leave D. Chambers because he is afraid that he will kill her, but she keeps letting him back in the house. “I just don’t understand it, don’t get me wrong, I love my brother, but he is a violent criminal now and I wouldn’t put it past him to kill J. Pinetti.” He tells you that if he sees his brother he will let you know.
You and Officer Lee then go to Skid Row to see if you can find D. Chambers. After you and Officer Lee complete an extensive search, there is no sign of him. You then contact dispatch and request a “Be On The Look Out” (BOLO) for D. Chambers given his driver’s license picture and other identifying information and recent facial injury. Dispatch quickly provides you with a wanted poster and releases it to the entire department.
Three days after the initial call for service, July 6, 2015 you receive a call from J. Chambers stating that D. Chambers called him to let him know he was staying at the Motel 6 off East Tarpon Way in room #10. He relates that D. Chambers asked him to come and help him as he and J. Pinettihad gotten into a fight a few days ago, hurting her pretty bad. He told J. Chambers that it wasn’t his fault, as he was high on coke and had been drinking all day. He said that D. Chambers asked if he would come to the hotel, as he was hurt pretty bad from when J. Pinettihad cut his face. He said he was really sorry and hoped that he could make things work with J. Pinetti. You ask if he had agreed to meet D. Chambers and he said he had agreed, thinking that it would be an opportunity for the police to apprehend him. J. Chambers stated he fears for his brother’s health and Julie’s safety. You leave the residence and contact dispatch to request back-up to meet you at 1421 East Tarpon Way, room #10 (Motel 6).
Upon arrival at 1421 East Tarpon Way, room #10, on July 6, 2015 at 1430, you and Officer Lee are met by a man, who identifies himself as D. Chambers. He appears to be under the influence of either drugs and/or alcohol. He has a severe cut on the right side of his face and has several other bruises and abrasions on his hands and forearms. He is slurring his speech and swaying from side to side. You request D. Chambers to put his hands in the air and get down on the ground. He begins to scream, “You’re gonna have to kill me because you’re not taking me to jail!” You again tell him to, “Put your hands in the air and get down on the ground or I’m going to TAZE you.” He laughs at you and says, “You’re not taking me down!” At this point you deploy your TAZER, hitting D. Chambers in the upper torso area and he immediately falls to the ground. You then place his hands behind his back and secure him with handcuffs. You request dispatch send an ambulance to your location to assess D. Chambers.
An ambulance arrives at 1445 and EMT Edward Swartz assesses D. Chambers and states that he will be transporting him to Mercy General due to him appearing to be under the influence of drugs and the large gash across his face. Upon arrival at the hospital you explain to D. Chambers that he is under arrest for Domestic Assault/Battery, Attempted Murder, and Resisting Arrest. Officer Randy Bartell is placed outside the door of his room and you leave the hospital. After D. Chambers’ release from Mercy General he is transported to Barnett State Jail, where he is awaiting trial for his charges.
