D074 Amend Canon IV.6.4
Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,
That the 79th General Convention amend Canon IV.6.4 as follows:
Sec. 4. Upon receipt of such information, the Intake Officer may make such preliminary investigationundertake such initial inquiry as he or she deems necessary, and shall incorporate the information into a written intake report, including as much specificity as possible. The Intake Officer shall provide copies of the intake report to the other members of the Reference Panel and to the Church Attorney.
And be it further
Resolved, That the descriptive caption adjacent to Canon IV.6.4 shall be amended as follows:
Investigation.Initial Inquiry.
Explanation
Canon IV.2 (Of Terminology Used in this Title) defines an Investigator as a person having (a) sufficient knowledge, skill, experience and training to conduct investigations under this Title and (b) familiarity with the provisions and objectives of this Title. Canon IV.11.2 describes the role of the Investigator as follows: “Upon referral of an intake report, the Investigator shall investigate all facts pertinent to the factual claims of the intake report. The Investigator shall use appropriate investigative means, with due consideration to pastoral sensitivities, and shall complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible.” It is clear that the Investigator’s role in the Title IV process is very different from that of the Intake Officer – who is merely conducting enough of an inquiry to ensure that the appropriate information is contained in the Intake Report. The Investigator is a person qualified to undertake a professional investigation. Changing the language in Canon IV.6.4 will ensure that there is no misunderstanding of the scope of the Intake Officer’s responsibility.