Child Abuse Reporting

Policy: Child Abuse Reporting

Author: Chief Joseph M. Hallman

WILEAG Standard: 6.6.7

Issue Date: June 14, 2021

Reviewed Date: March 23, 2026

Revised Date: March 23, 2026

 

Purpose:

The purpose of this Policy & Procedure is to provide officers with guidelines for recognizing instances and accepting reports of child abuse and neglect and coordinating the investigation of such cases with the appropriate County Child Protective Services agency and District Attorneys’ offices.

Policy:

The UW-Platteville Police Department will investigate all reported incidents of alleged criminal child abuse and ensure the appropriate county department or licensed child welfare agency is notified as required by law.

Definitions:

  1. Child- Unless otherwise specified by a cited statute, a child is any person under the age of 18 years.
  2. Child abuse- Any offense or attempted offense involving violence or neglect with a child victim when committed by a person responsible for the child’s care or any other act that would mandate notification to a social service agency or law enforcement (Wis. Stat. § 48.981).

Procedures:

  1. Officers are deemed mandatory reporters of actual or suspected child abuse or neglect, as required by Wis. Stat. §48.981(2)(a)(29) and as a State of Wisconsin Employee under Executive Order#54.  Reference UW-Platteville Institutional Policy “Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect”. (6.6.7.1)
  2. Complaints may be received from numerous sources, including relatives, clergy, nurses, physicians, teachers, school employees, neighbors, the child involved, or they could be initiated by the police officers themselves.
    1. Officers shall respond to and record all reports of child abuse, neglect, and abandonment irrespective of the source or method of reporting and obtain the following information when reasonably possible:
      1. Child’s name, age, and address
      2. Present location of child
      3. Parent’s/guardians’ names and addresses
      4. The school the child attends, if applicable
      5. Complainant’s name, address, and relationship to child, however they may remain anonymous)
    2. A preliminary interview will be conducted with the reporting individual, when known, to determine the basis for the report, to include determination of such factors as
      1. The physical condition of the child;
      2. A description of any abusive or neglectful behavior;
      3. Evidence of parental disabilities such as alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illness, or other factors that demonstrate or suggest parental inability to care for the child;
      4. Description of suspicious injuries or conditions;
      5. The nature of any statements made by the child concerning parental maltreatment; and
      6. Any evidence of parental indifference or inattention to the child’s physical or emotional needs.
  3. Notification
    1. Complaints of child abuse are investigated as soon as possible, not only to protect the child, but for the purpose of obtaining evidence.  (6.6.7.1)  All cases (caregiver or non-caregiver abuse) shall be referred to the appropriate county department or licensed child welfare agency by telephone or in person, but in all cases before completing his/her shift and no later than 12 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays (Wis. Stat. §48.981(3)(a)(2). (6.6.7.3)
    2. Notification, to the above agency, should contain at a minimum:
      1. The name, address, age, sex and race of the child.
      2. The nature and extent of the child's injuries, including any evidence of previous cases of known or suspected abuse or neglect of the child or the child's siblings.
      3. The names and addresses of the persons responsible for the suspected abuse or neglect, if known.
      4. The family composition.
      5. The source of the report and the name, address and occupation of the person making the report.
      6. Any action taken by the reporting source.
      7. Any other information that the person making the report believes may be helpful in establishing the cause of the child abuse, physical injury or neglect.
    3. If there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child died as a result of abuse or neglect, the appropriate Coroner shall also be notified. (Wis. Stat.§48.981(5).)
  4. Officer Investigation & Reporting
    1. Whenever possible, forensic interviews of child victims and/or witnesses should be conducted by personnel properly trained to elicit accurate information from a child while minimizing additional trauma to the child. 
    2. These investigators should:
      1. Conduct interviews in child appropriate interview facilities.
      2. Be familiar with forensic interview techniques specific to child abuse investigations.
      3. Present all cases of alleged child abuse to the prosecutor for review.
      4. Coordinate with other enforcement agencies, social service agencies and school administrators as needed.
      5. Provide referrals to therapy services, victim advocates, guardians and support for the child and family as appropriate.
      6. Participate in or coordinate with multidisciplinary investigative teams as applicable
    3. In all reported or suspected cases of child abuse, a written report will be completed.  Officers shall write a report even if the allegations appear to be unfounded or unsubstantiated. 
    4. The investigation and written report should address the following, as applicable:
      1. The overall basis for the contact. This should be done by the investigating officer in all circumstances where a suspected child abuse victim was contacted.
      2. The exigent circumstances that existed if officers interviewed the child victim without the presence of a parent or guardian.
      3. Any relevant statements the child may have made and to whom he/she made the statements.
      4. (If a child was taken into protective custody, the reasons, the name and title of the person making the decision, and why other alternatives were not appropriate.
      5. Documentation of any visible injuries or any injuries identified by the child. This should include photographs of such injuries, if practicable.
      6. Whether the child victim was transported for medical treatment or a medical examination.
      7. Whether the victim identified a household member as the alleged perpetrator, and a list of the names of any other children who may reside in the residence.
      8. Identification of any prior related reports or allegations of child abuse, including other jurisdictions, as reasonably known.
      9. Previous addresses of the victim and suspect.
      10. Other potential witnesses who have not yet been interviewed, such as relatives or others close to the victim’s environment.
      11. Where a child or unborn child is believed or reported to be in immediate danger, the assigned officer shall begin the investigation immediately and take any necessary action to protect the child or unborn child. (Wis. Stat. §48.981(3))
      12. Medical records of the victim as necessary (Wis. Stat. §146.82(2)(a)11)).
  5. Protective Custody
    1. Before taking any child into protective custody, the officer should make reasonable attempts to contact the appropriate county department or licensed child welfare agency. Generally, removal of a child from his/her family, guardian or other responsible adult should be left to the child welfare authorities when they are present or have become involved in an investigation.  Generally, members of this department should remove a child from his/her parent or guardian without a court order only when no other effective alternative is reasonably available and immediate action reasonably appears necessary to protect the child. Prior to taking a child into protective custody, the officer should take reasonable steps to deliver the child to another qualified parent or legal guardian, unless it reasonably appears that the release would endanger the child or result in abduction. If this is not a reasonable option, the officer shall ensure that the child is delivered to the appropriate county department or licensed child welfare agency intake worker. (Wis. Stat §48.981).
    2. Whenever practicable, the officer should inform a supervisor of the circumstances prior to taking a child into protective custody. If prior notification is not practicable, officers should contact a supervisor promptly after taking a child into protective custody.
    3. Children may only be removed from a parent or guardian in the following situations (Wis. Stat. §48.19):
      1. A court has ordered the removal of the child.
      2. An officer believes on reasonable grounds that any of the following conditions exist:
        1. A court has ordered the removal of the child.
        2. The child is suffering from illness or injury or is in immediate danger from his/her surroundings and removal from those surroundings is necessary.
        3. The child is an expectant mother and there is a substantial risk that the physical health of the unborn child, and of the child when born, will be seriously affected or endangered due to the expectant mother's habitual lack of self-control in the use of alcohol, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, exhibited to a severe degree, unless the expectant mother is taken into custody.
    4. Officers are required to take children into custody in the circumstances described above. (Wis. Stat §48.981(3))
  6. Follow-Up & Additional Considerations
    1. An officer who has taken a child into protective custody shall attempt to deliver the child to an intake worker and immediately notify the parent, guardian, legal custodian and Indian custodian of the child by the most practical means. The officer shall continue such attempts until the parent, guardian, legal custodian and Indian custodian of the child is notified or the child is delivered to an intake worker, whichever occurs first (Wis Stat. §48.19; Wis. Stat. §48.20; Wis Stat. §48.981).  If abuse is apparent, the investigating officer will contact the appropriate County on-call worker. The Officer shall check the physical condition of the child to determine if medical treatment is needed.
    2. If neglect is apparent, the investigating officer will contact the appropriate County on-call worker. The Officer shall check the physical condition of the child to determine if medical treatment is needed.
    3. If a child requires emergency medical treatment an ambulance will be dispatched and the child will be transported to a hospital. The appropriate on-call County CPS worker should be contacted and asked to meet with the officer at the hospital.  The investigating officer will document and photograph all apparent injuries of the child and the condition of the surroundings where the child was located and process the evidence.
    4. Interviews
      1. Absent extenuating circumstances or impracticality, officers should audio/video record the preliminary interview with suspected child abuse victims. Officers should avoid multiple interviews with a child victim and should attempt to gather only the information necessary to begin an investigation. When practicable, investigating officers should defer interviews until a person who is specially trained in such interviews is available. When possible, child victims should not be interviewed in the home or location where the alleged abuse occurred.
      2. An officer should not detain a child involuntarily who is suspected of being a victim of child abuse solely for the purpose of an interview or physical exam without the consent of a parent or guardian unless one of the following applies:
        1. A reasonable belief that medical issues of the child need to be addressed immediately.
        2. A reasonable belief that the child is or will be in danger of harm if the interview or physical exam is not immediately completed.
        3. The alleged offender is the custodial parent or guardian and there is reason to believe the child may be in continued danger.
        4. A court order or warrant has been issued.
  7. Referral to the District Attorney’s Office (6.6.7.2)
    1. All cases of suspected or threatened child abuse/neglect shall be referred to the Grant County District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution.
    2. The following types of reports of suspected or threatened abuse will routinely be referred to the district attorney for criminal prosecution (as specified in Wis. Stat. §48.02(1)(b) to (f)).
      1. Sexual intercourse or sexual contact under Wis. Stats. 940.225, 948.02, 948.025, or 948.085.
      2. A violation of Wis. Stat. 948.05 (Sexual exploitation of a child) c. Permitting, allowing or encouraging a child to violate Wis Stat. 944.30 (Prostitution)  (6.6.7.4)
      3. A violation of Wis. Sat. 948.055 (Causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity)
      4. A violation of Wis. Stat. 948.10 (Exposing genitals or pubic area).
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