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Newport News Police Department
2. Once the scene is secured, an officer will be assigned to keep a log of all personnel entering the scene,
time of stay, the reason for entry and time of exit, continue to note their observations thoroughly,
spontaneous statements received, and evidence observed (not collected, unless failure to do so would
result in the loss of same). The officers on the scene must be prepared to brief the investigators upon
arrival. [42.2.1(a,c)]
3. The responding investigators are responsible for ensuring all statements from any witnesses are
taken. [42.2.1(d)]
4. In the event of an illegal drug overdose death, the MCD investigator will notify the Special
Investigations Division (SID) for purposes of information exchange. A SID investigator will
investigate the illegal narcotics portion of the investigation. All pertinent information will be shared
with the Real-Time Crime Center.
D. Occupational Fatalities
1. Reports of occupational fatalities or catastrophes, including occupational fatalities involving police
officers, shall be reported to the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), Occupational
Safety Enforcement Division. If unable to contact the DOLI or OSHA directly, notify the State Police
duty sergeant.
2. The reporting officer will provide the date, time, exact location of the accident, and their name and
phone number as an incident reporter.
3. The fatality scene shall be preserved to the extent possible pending the arrival of the Occupational
Safety Enforcement Division (usually within two hours of being notified).
4. The on-duty patrol supervisor will ensure these requirements are met.
E. Investigation of Hospice Deaths Occurring Outside the Medical Facility
1. Local hospice programs use sound philosophy in allowing and encouraging dignified deaths of the
terminally ill. Intrusion by police officials to investigate routine hospice deaths can be considered
apathetic by the grieving family.
2. In hospice death cases where the patient dies outside a medical facility, the attending nurse will
typically notify the decedent's physician of the death. The physician will then sign the death
certificate, and the family will notify the funeral home to remove the body. The procedure is done
outside any police intervention.
3. Local funeral homes have been requested to evaluate the scene to divert later concerns from family
members as an alternative to police involvement in hospice death investigations. The funeral homes
have agreed to report any suspicious observations or suggestions of death by criminal causes to the
Police Department, who shall investigate the death as otherwise outlined in this policy.
F. Determining Medical Examiner’s Cases [41.2.4]
Officers and investigators will use the following criteria to determine if the Medical Examiner’s Office
needs to be notified.
1. Death by violence, unusual or unnatural manner (accident, suicide, homicide from physical,
mechanical, chemical, electrical, thermal, or related means).
2. Death by suspicious manner, where the officer is unable to determine from the evidence whether
death may be from accidental, suicidal, or homicidal causes.
3. The death occurred without medical attention in the following instances:
a. Found dead without obvious cause.
b. Unattended at any time by a licensed physician.
c. Unattended by a physician during a terminal illness, particularly if such illness appears to be a
disease previously diagnosed and treated.
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