G.O. 35
LONGWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
NUMBER: GO - 35
SUBJECT: DOCUMENT IMAGING
EFFECTIVE: MARCH 1, 2011
REVISED: NOVEMBER 15, 2022
GENERAL ORDER
DOCUMENT IMAGING
GO – 35 PAGE 1 OF 3
I. PURPOSE:
Establish guidelines for document imaging by police department personnel.
II. SCOPE:
It is the policy and goal of the Longwood Police Department to reduce the amount of
paper and storage used to daily operations. Document imaging will be used to store all
records related to Café reports, code enforcement reports, training records, C.I.D.
records, and traffic records.
III. GENERAL:
A. Document imaging provides the ability to convert paper documents into
computer files by using electronic scanning devices. Digitally scanned
documents can be uploaded into a designated local hard drive or network drive
and made part of the official document.
B. Electronic reproduction recordkeeping systems may substitute for the original
or paper copy, per section 92.29, F.S. An agency that designates an electronic or
microfilmed copy as the record (master) copy may then designate the paper
original as a duplicate and dispose of it in accordance with the retention
requirement for duplicates.
IV. DEFINITIONS:
A. Document Imaging: The process of scanning documents or images and
transferring them into a computer file.
B. Café Record: A compilation of records, graphics, forms and documents related
to a specific case number within the Café database.
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C. Scanner: A device that scans an image or document for use or storage on a
computer.
D. Portable Document Format (PDF): A computer file format for the transmission
of a multimedia document that is not intended to be edited further and appears
unaltered in most computer environments; also: a document that uses this
format.
V. DOCUMENT IMAGING:
A. Documents collected by employees that do not fall under the classification of
evidence will be forwarded to the records section through their chain of
command. All documents must be complete with dates, signatures, and the
corresponding case number.
B. Documents that are entered into evidence such as contracts, legal documents,
identification cards, social security cards, letters, notes, etc. will be photocopied
and forwarded to the records section before the property is submitted into
evidence. The records section will then scan and upload those documents into
Café.
C. Documents pertaining to a law enforcement incident or Café record must be
scanned; which will automatically convert the documents into Adobe’s Portable
Document Format (PDF) file format to ensure the full encapsulation of the
specimen or original. The records section will be responsible for scanning all
related documents for each case and uploading them into Café.
D. The records section will electronically archive arrest and capias records and
supporting documents into Café. All original documents from an arrest or capias
report, along with all SAO transmittal sheets, will be forwarded to the state
attorney’s office.
E. Employees who have recovered or produced digital images will be responsible
for uploading those images into evidence.com
F. To archive a document into any designated file or network drive, the records
section must ensure the following is accomplished and verified:
1. All physical documents are counted and visually inspected before
scanning.
2. Each document is accurately scanned by the scanner.
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3. Each scanned document is readable by sight and shown to reflect the
data accurately within the resulting PDF file.
4. The PDF file must be archived to a designated local hard drive or
network drive.
5. The resulting PDF file is accurately uploaded and saved into the
corresponding Café record, or designated local hard drive or network
drive.
G. FCIC/NCIC records can be scanned into a PDF file format and uploaded into
Café. It is prohibited to scan a criminal history record into a PDF file format and
upload it into Café or any other hard drive or network drive.
H. All records that are not related to a Café report such as training records,
inspection reports, C.I.D files, etc. will be uploaded and archived into a
designated local hard drive, network drive, or an electronic storage server. This
will be accomplished by the creator of the document.
VI. DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS:
Documents collected by employees that have been scanned into a PDF file format and
archived into a designated local hard drive or network drive will become obsolete. The
records section will then destroy the obsolete records in accordance with the records
retention schedules.