Officer opens fire, does not hit suspect--what's the subsequent protocol?

Logan! · May 17, 2015

Manhunt for serial killer bad guy #1. Detective finds where he's hiding, goes there alone. They exchange gunfire, nobody is hit.

Bad guy #2 comes along, gets into shootout with #1.

#1 lives, arrested. #2 dies.

There's plenty of Google-able info about police-involved shootings that result in the officer killing the suspect, but I can't find any info on what happens if a cop just opens fire, but does not actually shoot anybody? Is it the same kind of investigation? Would the detective be put not the same administrative leave, then on desk duty, with an IA interview, psych evaluation, etc.? The detective's been investigating serial killer bad guy #1 for a long while. Would he be able to interrogate him relatively shortly after the shooting, or would he not be allowed to aid the investigation into bad guy #1 at this point?

Chicago PD specifically, but otherwise general protocol would be helpful. Thanks!

asroc · May 17, 2015

Around here the initial procedure is the essentially the same. Any discharge of a firearm must be investigated, whether you hit anything or not. Officer tells supervisor, supervisor tells everyone else, takes firearm, investigative team arrives (the local PD has a specialized unit for this, so chances are so does Chicago), composes a preliminary report within a couple of days, officer is on administrative leave pending that report.

Pony. · May 17, 2015

yup, they still have to file a discharge of firearm report and find where that round/rounds went.you might even be able to just call CPDs public information officer and ask. thats what im doing tomorrow to check out some procedural point in my WIP(different PD ,though)

T Robinson · May 17, 2015

#1: He would not be going alone.
#2: Detective and Bad guy #2 finding Bad guy #1 at the same time is not very plausible.
#3: As the others have said, investigation is mostly the sane, but there would be a great deal of attention to why he went alone.
#4: If detective was involved in the shooting, he would probably be immediately pulled from investigation. Any defense attorney fresh out of law school could make a case for any evidence after the shootout being tainted. One with two years could cast doubt on any evidence before the shootout.

jclarkdawe · May 17, 2015

Remember that the police department has a potential liability until it can locate the bullet. Bullets can travel for over a mile, and where they land can be a problem. For example, the bullet can hit an individual not connected to the immediate scene or go through the wall of somebody's house. It's not unknown for the police to find out their bullet did something a week or more after the event.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

WeaselFire · May 18, 2015

Logan! said:
... I can't find any info on what happens if a cop just opens fire, but does not actually shoot anybody? Is it the same kind of investigation?

Same as if he shot and killed the guy, with a little less paperwork. An officer involved shooting is exactly that, regardless of target or the end results.

What do you need for your story? This could be written to have the officer desk bound, cleared up quickly or even a prosecution and dismissal of the officer. Depends on what you need to have happen as to what circumstances you add or leave off the situation.

Jeff

Logan! · May 19, 2015

Thanks for all the help, everyone!

I figured it'd be a lengthy process regardless, but was wondering how much wiggle room I had. As its written now, all that shoot out stuff happens, the following chapter is a brief interrogation and confession, then a final chapter and that's the end of the book. I could probably have the final two chapters span a lengthier amount of time to account for the officer-involved shooting investigation, but it just wraps up so nicely as is, with things moving quickly. I definitely don't like to linger if I can avoid it. Decisions, decisions...

Officer opens fire, does not hit suspect--what's the subsequent protocol?

Logan!

asroc

Alex

Pony.

Aspiring supervillain

T Robinson

Born long ago, in a different era

jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

Logan!