The arrest and detention of individuals is a daily activity
of the police organization. As a result, it is of utmost importance
that an adequate facility be designed and maintained for the temporary
detention of prisoners. This facility shall be designed to insure
the highest possible degree of safety for the arrestee, the officer,
and the public.
The purpose of this order is to establish a facility to secure
individuals under arrest and develop procedures to equip, maintain,
and utilize that facility. The safety and protection of the individual,
the officer, and the public are our objectives.
A.
Organization, management, and administration.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the Chief of Police or his
designee to establish an area within the existing police facility
as a processing area. This area shall be equipped and maintained to
ensure the safety of all individuals using this area. Procedures will
be established for proper security, management and control of the
individual under arrest.
(2)
Access of the media or its representative to the processing
areas shall be prohibited. Access shall only be granted at the direction
of the Chief of Police, and it shall be his responsibility to ensure
that the rights of the individual are not violated. Further, caution
should be taken to ensure that ongoing interviews or investigations
are not interrupted or that procedures required by law to be completed
not be delayed.
(3)
It shall be the responsibility of the Chief of Police or his
designee to oversee the maintenance and use of the holding area.
B.
Training and staff development.
(1)
All members of the Township Police Department shall receive
training in the operation of the processing area and precautions concerning
holding prisoners while awaiting transport. All personnel will be
completely familiar with this policy prior to using the processing
area to process a prisoner.
(2)
Training shall be given to all officers in techniques for control
and the subduing of the violent or disorderly arrestee to help insure
minimal risk of injury to the arrestee and the officer.
C.
Management information systems and arrestee records.
(1)
An incident report and arrest file shall be completed for all
arrestees brought to the police station and held in the holding area.
The report shall include information on:
(2)
The file shall be maintained until there is no practical reason
to keep the information, as prescribed by state law, or at the order
of a Court of Records for the destruction of all records.
(3)
The release of arrestee information shall only be given to authorized
agencies. Information shall only be given when in compliance with
existing state and federal regulations.
D.
Physical plant.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the Chief of Police to oversee
the operation of an adequate facility for the holding/processing of
arrestees.
(3)
Arrestees who are found to be under the influence of alcohol
or narcotics present a special problem. It will be the responsibility
of the arresting officer to see that the arrestee is under observation
at all times.
(4)
Arrestees who are violent or present a risk of injury to themselves
or others shall be removed, as soon as practical, only to a detention
facility capable of handling such individuals.
E.
Safety and sanitation.
(1)
Emergency exits for the use of arrestees from the processing
area shall be incorporated in the floor plan for the part of the building
housing that area.
F.
Medical and health care.
(1)
Arrestees who are found to need emergency health care shall
be taken as soon as practical to the hospital for treatment. All costs
shall be the responsibility of the arrestee unless otherwise provided.
All treatment will be included in the crime report.
(2)
A first-aid kit containing approved items for the treatment
of minor injuries shall be available to the arresting officer and
provided upon request or administered by qualified personnel. The
officer(s) responsible for checking vehicle equipment will maintain
and replenish all first-aid and disinfectant supplies on an "as necessary"
basis. These supplies will be checked at least weekly.
(3)
All medical assistance requested of or required by an arrestee
shall be made a part of the written report completed by the arresting
officer. This information shall be included in the crime report. The
following information shall be assessed visually or by questioning
the arrestee:
(a)
Current health of the detainee.
(b)
Medications taken.
(c)
Behavior, including level of consciousness and mental status.
(d)
Any other deformity, trauma, marking, abrasion, contusion, laceration,
jaundice, difficulty in movement, paralysis, etc.
NOTE: It is important to assess the extent of an arrestee's
injuries and overall mental and physical condition. Diseases, such
as diabetes, epilepsy, etc., can provide the officer with answers
to questions about the arrestee's actions.
G.
Food services. When the holding of an arrestee is required for an
extended period of time (five hours to eight hours), food service
shall be provided.
(1)
The arresting officer or officer in charge of an arrestee will
be responsible for the supplying of the food and the maintenance of
a record of the time and what food was supplied and consumed.
(2)
The officer will submit a copy of the receipt along with a letter
of explanation for reimbursement.
H.
Security and control.
(1)
Searches; inspections of processing area.
(a)
It shall be the responsibility of the arresting officer to thoroughly
search all subjects he/she placed under arrest for contraband or weapons
prior to securing them in the processing area.
(b)
Each officer is responsible for making sure the processing area
is clear of all weapons and contraband that could compromise the safety
and security of the facility. Items to be kept with the prisoner will
be turned over to the officer transporting the prisoner to prison.
(c)
An inspection officer will check the processing area on a weekly
basis. The inspection officer is responsible for documenting inspections
and notifying the Chief of Police of needed repairs. All tools and
maintenance equipment will be kept in their proper storage areas and
not left in the processing area. No detainee will be allowed to possess
weapons of any sort while in the Township police processing area or
building. Items legally retained will be returned to the arrestee
upon release.
(2)
Arrestees shall be secured in the processing area through the
use of handcuffs or other approved wrist-locking devices.
(a)
The wrist-locking device shall be secured to the seat of the
holding room through the cuffing bar that is an integral part of the
seat.
(b)
There shall be a sufficient number of wrist-locking devices
to insure the detention of multiple arrestees.
(c)
There shall be no more than one arrestee secured in any holding
room.
(d)
Additional restraining devices may be utilized to secure an
unruly or security risk arrestee.
(3)
In the event of the escape of an arrestee(s) from the holding
area, the following procedures will be followed:
(a)
Immediate notification of the Chief and/or Assistant Chief.
(4)
Emergency situations. If the number of persons under arrest
and detained in the holding area exceeds the number for which the
area was designed, the following procedure will be followed:
(a)
Temporary overcrowding of this area is permitted under these
circumstances until additional room is found.
(b)
Additional areas in the police building may be utilized with
careful attention to the securing and safety of the arrestee and protection
of Departmental property.
(c)
The temporary utilization of holding facilities of neighboring
police departments with the use of Township Police Department personnel
to maintain security and control.
NOTE: Emergency situations that threaten any part of the Township
building shall be reported immediately to the Chief or Assistant Chief.
I.
Supervision of arrestee.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the arresting officer or the
officer in charge of the arrestee to supervise the arrestee through
close observation and contact.
(2)
It is required that the arrestee never be left alone while in
the processing area unless required by law.
(3)
Special care shall be taken where male prisoners are supervised
by female officers or female prisoners are supervised by male officers.
Utilization of additional male or female personnel may be required
to maintain security and integrity.
J.
Arrestee rights.
(1)
It is the basic legal right for an arrestee to have access to
his attorney. The arrestee shall be given the right to contact or
confer with his attorney upon request. Such request shall be complied
with at the earliest possible convenience of the supervisory officer.
(a)
Special care shall be taken when granting a conference with
an arrestee's attorney. When possible, all conferences shall be held
in the processing area.
(b)
When a confidential conference cannot be held in the processing
area, a secondary office will be supplied. Special care shall be taken
to ensure there is no means of escape and that the prisoner is secure.
(c)
All attorneys will be searched for weapons and contraband prior
to being allowed access to arrestees. Following contact between attorneys
and arrestees, both the attorney and the arrestee will be searched
to insure no weapons or contraband were transferred.
(2)
When an arrestee requests to use a telephone, he shall be permitted
to make two local or collect phone calls. This request will be granted
at the convenience of the supervising officer. When the arrestee is
unable to complete the phone call, the supervisory officer shall assist
him in completing his call.
(3)
No person shall be detained for an unreasonable period of time,
pursuant to state statute, without being arraigned. The arrestee's
opportunity to make bail will not be impeded by Township Police Department.
K.
Visitors.
(1)
Visitors shall not be permitted in the holding area without
permission of the supervisory officer. Any visitor allowed contact
with an arrestee shall:
(2)
No arrestees will be accepted from outside police agencies to
be held for any reason. Arrestees may be processed in Department facilities
only when Department personnel are present. Positive identification
will be requested from enforcement personnel from other agencies prior
to allowing them access with prisoners to be processed.
L.
Release of arrestee.
(2)
All property taken from an arrestee shall be logged on a recovered
property receipt and maintained by the supervisory officer.
(3)
Upon release of an arrestee, all property not confiscated shall
be returned to him. If an arrestee is released for transportation
to another detention facility, the receipt may be signed by the officer
receiving the arrestee and his property.
(4)
Prior to releasing an arrestee, positive identification will
be made. If the defendant cannot be positively identified, the subject
will be arraigned. At the arraignment, the District Justice will be
informed that positive identification has not been made.
N.
Property of arrestee. All property that is taken from an arrestee
and held as evidence or otherwise held will be done so in accordance
with Departmental regulations.
