NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT - New Albany, Ohio

3.2.5 Maintaining Visual Contact
A. Once an individual has been arrested, he/she should be transported immediately to
the Police Department for slating. The transporting officers shall not lose sight of
his/her prisoner(s) except:
When the prisoner is being treated at a medical facility and the attending
physician prohibits the officer from being present.
When a prisoner of the opposite sex is enclosed in a toilet facility.
When circumstances outside the officer’s control prohibit the officer from
maintaining visual contact.
As soon as the officer regains contact with the prisoner, the officer will conduct a search
of the person. At all other times, the prisoner should be restrained by handcuffs or
appropriate temporary restraining devices. During the slating process, restraining devices
may be removed.
B. Two officers will transport a prisoner(s) on trips of extended length. Should the officers
need to stop for fuel, food, or toilet facilities, the location will be selected randomly by the
officers. Use of drive-through facilities should be utilized when transporting a prisoner(s).
Under no circumstances will the prisoner(s) select the location of the stop. Should a
prisoner(s) need to use the toilet facilities, a physical search will be conducted if the
prisoner is out of view of the officers.
C. One officer may transport two prisoners. In those instances it is recommended that the
officer secure the prisoners with leg shackles, especially when the transport is more than
ten miles or when the officer believes the prisoners are high risk.
Transports of three prisoners must be done by at least two officers. Again, the use of leg
shackles is recommended. When possible, officers should divide three prisoners into
seperate cruisers for transportation. Prisoner transports of more than three in one cruiser
are not permitted.
D. A transporting officer should not stop to render law enforcement assistance to third
parties along the transport route except under extreme emergency conditions where the
risk to the third party is clear and the risk to the prisoner is minimal. Transporting officers
will not become involved in pursuits, roadblocks, or situations that might endanger the
prisoner. The transporting officer should utilize his/her radio to advise the appropriate
law enforcement agency of the need for assistance/services to third parties encountered
along the route.
3.2.6 Prisoner Communications
Safety aspects of the transportation function require that the prisoner’s right to communicate with
attorneys, clergy, family, and/or others normally will not be permitted when the prisoner is being
transported. A prisoner will not be permitted to make any phone calls or communicate with the
public while being prepared for transport, during transport, or at any stopping location along the
route. Should special circumstances arise and an exception be necessitated, the transporting
officers shall monitor the conversation.
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