How should officers handle the discovery of new criminal activity while supervising someone?

• A. Report to supervisors and follow policy for any new crimes discovered
• B. Ignore it if the supervisee denies involvement
• C. Handle internally without reporting
• D. Publicly announce the info to the community

Answer: (A)

When you supervise someone and uncover new criminal activity, the priority is to escalate through the chain of command and follow the department’s procedures for handling such information. Reporting to your supervisors and applying the established rules ensures the discovery is managed consistently, legally, and ethically, with everything properly documented. This protects public safety, maintains accountability, and preserves the integrity of any investigation, while also safeguarding both the supervisee and the agency from potential liability.

Even if the supervisee denies involvement, the discovery still needs to be reported because it may indicate crimes beyond what was initially observed and requires formal review and possible action. Handling the matter internally or keeping it secret can bypass due process, create safety risks, and violate policy. Publicly announcing it to the community is inappropriate and could jeopardize investigations and victims’ rights.

So, always report the new information to your supervisors and follow the department’s policy for handling such discoveries.