Initially in the event of the death of an inmate, which division conducts the initial investigation and is advised of the incident?

Initially in the event of the death of an inmate, which division conducts the initial investigation and is advised of the incident?

• A. Homicide Bureau.
• B. Jail Crimes Division.
• C. Internal Affairs.
• D. Risk Management.

Answer: (B)

When a death occurs in custody, the person who takes the first look and leads the initial inquiry is the Jail Crimes Division. They’re the unit trained to handle incidents inside the jail environment—securing the scene, preserving evidence, interviewing staff and inmates as needed, and determining whether any criminal activity or policy violations occurred. They communicate immediately with the medical examiner or coroner and coordinate with the sheriff’s office on next steps. External units would come in later only if the situation requires it: the Homicide Bureau would take over if there’s clear or suspected homicide, Internal Affairs handles investigations into staff misconduct rather than the incident itself, and Risk Management focuses on liability and safety risks rather than conducting the initial investigation.

When a death occurs in custody, the person who takes the first look and leads the initial inquiry is the Jail Crimes Division. They’re the unit trained to handle incidents inside the jail environment—securing the scene, preserving evidence, interviewing staff and inmates as needed, and determining whether any criminal activity or policy violations occurred. They communicate immediately with the medical examiner or coroner and coordinate with the sheriff’s office on next steps.

External units would come in later only if the situation requires it: the Homicide Bureau would take over if there’s clear or suspected homicide, Internal Affairs handles investigations into staff misconduct rather than the incident itself, and Risk Management focuses on liability and safety risks rather than conducting the initial investigation.