NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT - New Albany, Ohio

NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT
Directive 3.2 – Restraining Devices
3.2.1 Pre-Transport Prisoner Searches
When transporting a prisoner in a patrol vehicle, the transporting officer will search the prisoner
prior to placing the individual in the vehicle. All weapons, evidence, and/or contraband found will
be removed and recorded on a Property Receipt (PD-99-163) (see Addendum D). When the
prisoner is being relayed from one vehicle to another, the receiving officer will search the
prisoner, even though the prisoner has already been searched.
If the officer is transporting a prisoner to another jurisdiction’s holding/detention facility, all jewelry
and items within the prisoner’s pockets will be removed.
Should the prisoner be a member of the opposite sex, the officer will attempt to locate an
employee of the same sex to perform the search. Exceptions to this rule may be made when it
can be articulated that the prisoner of the opposite sex poses an immediate danger to the officer.
The following order will be used to locate a member of the opposite sex to conduct a search of a
prisoner:
1. Police officer, on duty
2. Dispatcher, on duty
3. Clerical staff, on duty
4. Sworn personnel from a another law enforcement agency
The officer conducting the search shall thoroughly inspect the person and garments of the
prisoner but shall not conduct a body cavity search or strip search. A body cavity search is
permitted only when an officer has obtained a search warrant.
3.2.2 Searching Transport Vehicles
An officer will inspect and search his/her patrol vehicle prior to initiating patrol duties at the
beginning of his/her respective shift and submit a cruiser inspection form to the on duty
supervisor. The purpose of the search and inspection is to check the overall condition of the
vehicle and recover any items of evidence/contraband inside the vehicle. If, during an officer’s
shift, he/she allows any individual in the cruiser, the officer will search the cruiser for any items
that may have been unintentionally or deliberately left inside, prior to resuming patrol duties.
The officer may attempt to find the owner and return the property; however, all
evidence/contraband and any unreturned property will be recorded on a Property Receipt
(PD-99-163) before being secured in a property locker. The officer will then complete the
appropriate Incident Report.
3.2.3 Prisoner Restraining Requirement
Individuals (including juveniles) who have been placed under arrest shall be handcuffed with their
hands behind their back during transport. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the
transporting officer in special circumstances such as the transportation of individuals who are ill,
elderly, young, or disabled (see Sections A, B, and C, below). Whenever possible, all arrested
individuals should be properly secured with a seatbelt.
6