Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

STANDING ORDER(GENERAL) 323

INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)
1. BACKGROUND
The purpose of this Order is to regulate the maintenance of an investigation diary
in every case docket.

2. DEFINITIONS
In this Order, unless the context otherwise indicates, —
(a) “FIC” means a First Information of Crime; and
(b) “Investigation Diary” means a form SAPS 5.

4. COMPLETION OF THE INVESTIGATION DIARY

(1) An Investigation Diary must be maintained in such a manner that it —
(a) contains a complete chronological record of all work done in the
case;
(b) serves as an index to all the statements and documents contained in
the case docket;
(c) enables an inspecting officer to follow the investigation without
difficulty and to satisfy himself or herself that all reasonable steps
have been or are being taken to bring the case to a successful
conclusion;
(d) serves as a proper and convenient medium for the conveyance of
instructions by an inspecting officer or member, as well as requests
by the prosecutor to an investigator;
(e) serves as reference in court should any aspect of the investigation
process be brought into question;
(f) serves as a cross reference or supporting document to the
investigating officer’s pocket book (SAPS 206) and the vehicle
register (SAPS 132 (b)).

(2) Negative, destructive, virulent or flippant remarks in the Investigation Diary

must at all times be avoided. The fact that departmental steps against a
specific member is considered, may not be reflected in the Investigation
Diary. The SAPS 5 must be completed on both sides. If a case, in respect
of which a First Information of Crime (SAPS 4) is completed, requires no
further investigation, it is not necessary to complete the Investigation Diary
on the reverse side. If there is any amendments are made or an entry is

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Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

cancelled, the Investigation Diary must be initialled and dated in the margin
next to the amendment or cancellation.

(3) Generic entries to be made in the investigation diary

(a) The time and date of each entry must be reflected and each entry
must be legibly signed.

(b) An entry must be made in respect of every statement or other

supporting document filed in the case docket, indicating the
reference number under which it is filed in the case docket next to the
entry. The reference number used to index each statement and other
documents in the case docket must correspond with the reference number
reflected in the investigation diary.

(c) The pages of the investigation diary must be numbered

chronologically "C 1", "C 2", "C3", etc.

(d) The first entry in the diary should be made by the member who took
the FIC and without repeating any information already contained in
the FIC, giving details which, although not regarded as evidence,
may be of value to the member who was assigned to take over the
investigation.

(e) The names, addresses and telephone numbers of witnesses or of

persons who have supplied information to the complainant, must be
recorded carefully in order that they may be interviewed by the
investigator and proper statements obtained. This entry in the diary
must then be signed by the member who obtained the first
information.

(f) When a house or other place is visited or searched, or where an

enquiry is made from any person in connection with any particular
subject, the name and address of such place or person must always
be stated.

(g) The description of the scene of crime, suspect, property, etc, which is
not included in the statement, must be reflected in the diary.

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Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

(h) The forwarding of an SAPS 69, 11, 55, 92, etc and the fact that a
copy was filed in the docket, must be mentioned. The receipt of an
SAPS 69 or other document must also be mentioned.

(i) The diary must show in detail whether use has been made of
informers and any reports made by them must be recorded in the
diary. Their statements must be filed in the case docket if of
evidential value.

(j) The progress of the case in court must be shortly described. Dates of
trial, remand dates and anything of importance occurring in court,
must be mentioned. The reason for the remand of the case or the
discharge of an accused, must always be reflected.

(k) If the case docket is sent to another station for any purpose, the date
of despatch and receipt must be recorded in the diary, in each
instance.

(4) Entries to be made with regard to livestock or livestock products

In case where livestock or livestock products have been taken into safe
keeping must be finalized as soon as possible. When a case is remanded,
the investigating officer must do the following at each postponement of the trial:

Step Action

1 Make an entry in the investigation diary of all the aspects of

the investigation that are still outstanding and the time he or
she needs to finalize the investigation

2 Request the public prosecutor to —

inform the presiding officer of the costs involved in the safe
keeping of livestock or livestock products so that a date for
the trial can be established in order to finalize the case as
soon as possible. A note in this regard must be recorded in
the Investigation Diary.

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Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

(5) Entries to be made with regard to inspections

All inspections conducted in the case docket by the station commander,
detective commander, inspecting officer or a designated member, must be
recorded in the investigation diary and signed by the inspecting officer.
The following entries must be made where applicable:
(a) The date and time at which the investigation is entrusted to the
investigator, his or her name and any remarks or instructions which
may be deemed necessary, must be recorded. The member giving
the instruction must sign it and print his or her name or use a name
stamp. It is not necessary to repeat the full contents of letters and
documents, a brief reference to their main purport is sufficient;

(b) If observations, calling for action or reply, are made in the diary by a
commander, the investigator must make a report in the diary
showing what action has been taken, briefly giving the result and
referring to any statements or other evidence which may have been
obtained as a result thereof;
(c) Every item must be dealt with in sequence and to render this easier,
observations must be made in separate paragraphs and numbered
consecutively starting from "1". The investigating official must
report back on every paragraph in the same manner; and
(d) If a paragraph requires no definite action, the reply thereto should
read "Noted" or "Will be complied with in future", as the case may be.

5. FILING OF THE INVESTIGATION DIARY IN THE CASE

DOCKET
The investigation diary must be filed in the “C” clip of the case docket. The
investigation diary must be filed in sequence, ie. “C1", “C2", “C3", “C4", etc. The
investigation diaries must be filed from top to bottom enabling it to be read like a
book.

6. EXAMPLE OF AN INVESTIGATION DIARY

An investigation diary must be kept in accordance with the following
example. [This specimen does not purport to contain all the investigation and
enquiries necessary in the imaginary case it deals with it is merely intended to give
a general idea of the manner in which an investigation diary should be kept].

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Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

Part C 1...........

Deel........................

INVESTIGATION DIARY * ONDERSOEKDAGBOEK

Station CAS no
Stasie Pretoria................................... MAS no .................123 /......11 /
2011..............

Date and Time Particulars of investigation / Enquiry Reference

Datum en Tyd Besonderhede van ondersoek / Navraag Verwysing

2011-11-11 1. First information of crime, statement of Robert Chetty, the A1

11:00 complainant/victim, filed as per

2. Summary of the case/incident

Complainant alleges that a certain William Smith, a former
employee, was seen near his shop late in the evening on
1987-06-13. He does not know where Smith resides but his
parents reside in Kruis Street, Johannesburg. He is,
however, not prepared to include this in his statement.

3. Preliminary investigation
3.1. SAPS 55 in respect of suspect completed, and filed as per B1
3.2. SAPS 11 in respect of stolen property, as well as the
value, completed and filed in the docket as B2

4. NOW A SIGNATURE CAN BE ATTACHED BY THE

PERSON WHO HAS ATTENDED THE SCENE OF
CRIME OR WHO TOOK DOWN THE “A.1"
STATEMENT.

2011-11-11 1. D/Sergeant Van der Merwe

12:00 1.1 Docket for further investigation
1.2 According to the complainant, there is a suspect in this
matter known as William Smith.
1.3 Interview the complainant, and get more information.
1.4 Obtain witness statement(s) if there is/are witness(es).
1.5 Conduct enquiries in the vicinity. Engage informers.
1.6 Interview William Smith, and get his version.
1.7 Trace exhibits. Visit Pawn shops and second hand
dealers.

2. SIGNATURE OF THE STATION/DETECTIVE

COMMANDER

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Standing Order (General) 323 INVESTIGATION DIARY (SAPS 5)

Part C 2..........
Deel

INVESTIGATION DIARY * ONDERSOEKDAGBOEK

Station CAS no
Stasie Pretoria................................... MAS no .................123 /......11 /
2011..............

Date and Time Particulars of investigation / Enquiry Reference

Datum en Tyd Besonderhede van ondersoek / Navraag Verwysing

2011-11-11 1. The Station/Detective Commander

1.1. Docket received for further investigation
12:30 1.2. On Friday 2011-11-11 at 09:00, the scene of crime was
visited, and it was established that entry was gained by
using the duplicate key. No breakings were noticed. Large
quantity of soft goods stolen.
1.3. D/sgt Wilson of the Local Criminal Record Centre was
summon to the scene of crime, few positive fingerprints
were found on the door of the safe, and the report will be
forwarded later.
1.4. Investigation continues.
2. Signature of the investigating official.

1. Further investigation
1.1. On Friday 2011-11-11 at 15:45 Smith’s parents were
located, at 45 Thabo Mbeki Avenue, Sunnyside -Pretoria.
According to William Smith’s father, William left by train to
Cape Town with several packages.
1.2. On Friday 2011-11-11 at 16:55, SAPS 55 as well as B3
SAPS 11 and SAPS 21 were completed and done, then
faxed to Kimberley and Cape Town for interception and
search, the confirmation thereof has been filed in the
docket as per
1.3 Investigation continues.

2. Signature of the investigating official.

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