A520.2.3RB_StevensEric

 I am going to use a recent conflict that I encountered at work recently while acting as a supervisor for my shift. I was appointed acting sergeant in charge in the absence of my sergeant. When we are appointed acting supervisor we are called Patrolman in Charge (PIC). We are responsible for the subordinates of the shift which require us to approve reports, make legal decisions, and to ensure that the subordinates are following the policies of the agency.

The conflict was between a technically senior by time in the agency patrol officer. He was faced with a decision that required supervisor approval to proceed with the investigation of a crime by a patrol officer or to forward the case to a detective. The case involved a follow up investigation on a financial fraud crime. The officer submitted a report detailing the events of the subject who fraudulently obtained funds by cashing a stolen company check. The officer did a fantastic job documenting the elements of  the crime according to state statue. The officer developed what we call probable cause for an arrest in the criminal justice system. I called thew officer and asked why an arrest wasn't made in the incident or if he was going to seek an arrest warrant for the subject. The officer said to me that he believed that an arrest was not required at that time based upon his abilities and understanding of current policy that he said required the case be forwarded to an economic crimes detective for follow up. I said to the officer that he had enough to proceed with the case on his own investigative information.

 I asked the officer how we could come to a resolution in the case without appearing that he either one pushed the case off on the detective or cut the detective out of potentially valuable information that could assist in the clearing of outstanding cases. I suggested that he contact the detective by phone and let him or her know the particulars of the case and express his intentions. In the end we both came to an agreeable solution and the detective was very pleased with the work the officer produced and told him to seek an arrest warrant. By doing this the officer presented himself as a valuable asset to the sheriff's office.