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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGO 99-03 Prisoner TransportOPS-09.1 1 PRISONER TRANSPORT Original Date of Issue General Order Number March 17, 1999 99-03 Effective Date of Reissue Section Code December 8, 2015 OPS-09 Reevaluation Date January 2017 Amends OPS-09 Previous Version C.A.L.E.A. Chapter 70 INDEX AS: • Use of Force • Prisoner Transport • Handcuffing I. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for transporting persons in the custody of officers of the Iowa City Police Department between points of arrest and initial booking. II. POLICY Transporting prisoners is a potentially dangerous function. Therefore, it is the policy of the Iowa City Police Department to take the precautions necessary while transporting prisoners to protect the lives and safety of officers, the public and the person in custody. OPS-09.2 2 III. PROCEDURES A. Vehicle Inspection 1. At the beginning and end of each tour of duty, all vehicles regularly used for prisoner transport shall be inspected for readiness as follows. a. The safety screen shall be securely in place and undamaged. b. All windows shall be intact and outer door latches in proper working order. c. Rear-seat door handles and window controls shall be deactivated. d. The interior shall be thoroughly searched to ensure that no weapons or contraband have been left behind or hidden within the vehicle. 2. Prior to placing a prisoner in a vehicle for transport, the transporting officer shall inspect the interior for weapons or contraband. The vehicle shall be searched again after the prisoner has been delivered to the detention facility or other destination. B. Handcuffing/ Use of Restraints 1. Officers should handcuff (double-locked) all prisoners with their hands behind their back and palms facing outward. 2. The officer may handcuff the prisoner with his/her hands in front, or use other appropriate and approved restraining device(s) where the prisoner: a. is in an obvious state of pregnancy; b. has a physical handicap; c. has injuries that could be aggravated by standard handcuffing procedures. 3. Known juveniles will be handcuffed only when reasonably necessary to ensure the safety of the officers, juvenile or others. 4. Prisoners shall not be handcuffed to any part of the vehicle during transport. 5. Additional approved restraint devices may be used to secure a prisoner who violently resists arrest or who exhibits behavior such that he/she poses a threat to himself, the officer, to the public, or to prevent escape. 6. Officers are prohibited from transporting prisoners who are restrained in a prone position. The technique of "hog tying" shall not be used by members of this department. C. Transport 1. Prior to transport, all prisoners shall be thoroughly searched for any weapons or contraband. 2. Prisoners should not be handcuffed together. 3. When possible, females should be transported separately from males. 4. Juveniles shall not be transported in the same area of a vehicle with adult prisoners. 5. Special precautions should be employed when transporting high-risk prisoners. In particular: a. combatants should be transported separately; OPS-09.3 3 b. members of rival gangs should be transported separately. 6. Prior to initiating transport, the officer should provide Communications with the following information: a. arrest location and destination; b. mileage reading before and after the transport of juveniles or members of the opposite sex; c. number of persons being transported; d. nature of the charge(s). 7. The officer should assist the prisoner(s) into the squad car, taking care to avoid the prisoner(s) striking their head on the vehicle. Prisoners should be instructed not to lean back on their wrists. 8. Prisoners should be transported in a manner that allows for constant visual observation. Officers operating vehicles equipped with video shall activate the camera to document the prisoner during transport. Seating of officers and prisoners should, when possible, conform with the following: a. Where the vehicle has a security screen but one transporting officer, the prisoner should be placed in the back seat on the right hand side of the vehicle. When the vehicle is not equipped with a screen and has only one transporting officer, the prisoner shall be placed in the right front seat and secured with a seatbelt. b. When a prisoner is being transported in a two-officer vehicle without a security screen, the prisoner shall be placed in the right rear seat. The second officer shall sit in the left rear seat. c. Leg restraints should be used when a prisoner exhibits, or an officer reasonably believes the prisoner is likely to engage in, violent behavior or is an escape risk. d. A solo transporting officer shall not transport more than one prisoner in a vehicle without a screen. e. Prisoners may be instructed not to speak to each other, or have contact with outside parties during the transport process. f. Prisoners should be secured in a seatbelt during transport if the officer(s) feel they can safely do so. 9. The physical wellbeing of prisoners shall be monitored during transit. Particular attention shall be directed to persons reported or suspected of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol or who have a history or propensity for violence. a. Prisoners who report or display symptoms of serious physical illness or injury during transit shall be taken to an emergency room for treatment. b. Escorting officers shall remain with the patient at all times unless relieved by other authorized personnel (this may include medical staff). c. Potentially violent persons in custody shall be restrained at all times in treatment facility unless such restraint would interfere with essential treatment. d. In the event a prisoner who has committed a serious offense is admitted to a hospital, long-term security may be appropriate. In OPS-09.4 4 such cases the supervisor of the arresting officer shall design a schedule that permits 24-hour security of the prisoner. Adequate rotation of officers will be maintained. Visitors, including phone contact, not approved by the Police Department shall be prohibited. Officers shall avoid fraternization with the prisoner. e. When released from the hospital, the prisoner shall be transported to the appropriate holding facility. The transporting officer shall ensure that all hospital treatment instructions and medication directions are given to the holding facility staff. 10. Symptoms or reports of physical or mental illness (such as threats of suicide or psychotic behavior) shall be reported to the receiving officer. 11. Any wheelchairs, crutches, prosthetic devices, and medication should be transported with, but not necessarily in the possession of, the prisoner. In instances where a person with a disability must be transported, and the disability prevents transport in a marked patrol car, a watch supervisor should be contacted for assistance. Alternate methods of transport may include but are not limited to the use of an unmarked unit, transport van, or requesting an ambulance to transport. 12. Prisoners should not be left unattended during transport. 13. Officers shall not engage in unrelated enforcement activities while transporting prisoners unless failure to act would risk death or serious bodily injury to another. In non-life threatening yet serious situations, officers should call for back-up assistance and may remain on-hand until such assistance has arrived. 14. Any escape shall be immediately reported to the communications center with a complete description of the fugitive, mode and direction of travel, original charge and propensity for violence if known. The officer shall ensure that the watch supervisor is notified. The officer shall complete a report detailing the escape. When a subject is not immediately captured, the watch supervisor should consider notifying outside agencies and request assistance. He/she may also consider the use of a canine unit in tracking the subject. If this is done, it shall comply with the general order pertaining to canines. 15. If a prisoner is an escape risk, the officer shall notify the receiving agency of this information. 16. When a prisoner is transported to the Iowa City Police Department for processing or questioning, the officer shall maintain control and shall ensure that visual contact is maintained with the subject at all times. In this case, the officer will decide if the handcuffs may be removed during the processing or interview process. Officers shall abide by all Departmental directives pertaining to prisoner/detainee processing and weapons security. 17. When officers are detained for a period of time waiting for jail entry authorization, they shall monitor the wellbeing of their prisoners and ensure that restraints have not unduly tightened. Officers assigned to the prisoner holding van will check handcuffs of prisoners and make sure they are properly adjusted before prisoners are placed in the OPS-09.5 5 vehicle. The officer will inform dispatch of the check and the prisoner’s name. At regular intervals, the officer will verbally check with the prisoners to make sure no problems have developed. If a problem develops, with two officers present and at the officer’s discretion, the prisoner may be removed from the vehicle and the handcuffs or other problem checked. All checks will be noted in the CAD log. 18. Upon arrival at the Johnson County Jail, weapons shall be secured in the provided lockers. 19. Prisoners are considered in the custody of the Iowa City Police Department until they are received by Johnson County Jail personnel or released by the officer. 20. Persons who are transported for noncriminal procedures should be patted down and seated as indicated above. The officer will decide if the use of restraints is warranted. 21. Upon arrival at the receiving agency, the officer shall comply with the security requirements of the agency pertaining to weapons and prisoner restraints. Officers should advise the receiving officer of any medical conditions or special concerns regarding the prisoner as well as delivering all required paperwork and/or documentation regarding the subject. The receiving officer’s name should be included on the appropriate form. Samuel Hargadine, Chief of Police WARNING This directive is for departmental use only and does not apply in any criminal or civil proceeding. The department policy should not be construed as a creation of higher legal standard of safety or care in an evidentiary sense with respect to third-party claims. Violations of this directive will only form the basis for departmental administrative sanctions.