Section 44.41.050. Uniform homicide reporting.

   (a) A law enforcement agency shall report each homicide or suspected homicide committed within the jurisdiction of the agency to the Department of Public Safety within 25 days of the homicide's discovery. The report shall be on a form approved by the commissioner of public safety and must contain information as determined by the commissioner to be necessary to aid law enforcement personnel in comparing homicides and suspected homicides and discovering those that exhibit similar characteristics. If the Department of Public Safety determines that a homicide or suspected homicide meets the Violent Criminals Apprehension Program criteria, the department shall notify the law enforcement agency that submitted the report, and the agency shall complete and forward to the department within 30 days a Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Criminals Apprehension Program form.
   (b) The Department of Public Safety shall enter the information submitted under (a) of this section into a file and shall compare the information to information on other homicides or suspected homicides for the purpose of discovering similarities in criminal methods and suspect descriptions. If the Department of Public Safety finds homicides exhibiting similar criminal methods or suspect descriptions, the department shall notify the concerned law enforcement agencies of the discoveries.
   (c) If a law enforcement agency terminates active investigation of a homicide or suspected homicide due to the arrest of a suspect, death of the primary suspect, or other reason, the agency shall notify the Department of Public Safety of the termination and the reason for the termination within 30 days following the termination.
   (d) The Department of Public Safety shall participate in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Criminals Apprehension Program. The Department of Public Safety shall transmit each Violent Criminals Apprehension Program report received under (a) of this section concerning homicides or suspected homicides, discoveries under (b) of this section of homicides exhibiting similar criminal methods or suspect descriptions, and notices of and reasons for termination of investigations of homicides received under (c) of this section to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Criminals Apprehension Program manager, at least on a quarterly basis.

Notes

History

(Sec. 3 ch 54 SLA 1994)