SOP Station House Management by Kerala Police

3.24. F) PRISONERS ESCORT DUTY 45
the Hon’ble Court in
writing (PSO 443, 444;
Circular No.21/1980,
39/1967, 189/1968,
77/1972).
6. On escort duty with
prisoners, the Head
Constable or Head Constables
in the escort
should not carry any
arms. Of the constables
forming the escort, not
more than one half shall
carry arms. In a party
of one Head Constable
and six Constables,
three constables will
have fire arms. The others
may be armed with
lathies. Each Constable
armed with a fire arm
should carry ten rounds
of ball ammunition in
his pouch. In such parties
one armed Constable
will walk in front of
the party. When there
are several armed Constables,
there should be
one in front and the
others divided on either
side of the prisoners.
It will be the duty of
the Constables without
arms to hold the prisoners
chains, if secured
by chains or ropes, to
prevent their escapes.
When disturbances occur
or are apprehended,
the arms carried should
be increased at the discretion
of the Officer
despatching the escort
party.
7. The minimum strength
of the Police guard shall
be as follows:-
1. For a single prisoner-
Two Constables.
2. For Two and
not more than four
prisoners- Two Constables.
3. For more than
four and not more than
six prisoners- One Head
Constable and 3 Constables.
4. For more than
six and not more than
ten prisoners- One Head
Constable and Four Police
Constables.
8. A female warden or a
woman Police Constable
shall whenever possible
accompany a female
prisoner instead of one
of the Constables.
9. When prisoners are of
desperate character or
are likely to attempt
to escape or when the
number exceeds, then
the strength of the
guard shall be increased
at the discretion of the
officer in charge of the
escort.
10. Whenever an order for
the production of a prisoner
to give evidence or
to answer a charge is received
from a competent
Court by the Officer in
charge of a jail, such officer
shall send a copy
of the Court’s order to
the head of the local
Police, who thereupon
shall cause the necessary
Police guard to be
detailed in accordance
with the terms of the
order and the prisoner
shall be in the custody
of this guard.
11. Whenever a prisoner is
sent for examination to,
or halt at night enroute
at a station, where
there is a Central Jail;
he shall be confined
therein; where there is
no Central Jail, he shall
be confined in the Subsidiary
Jail, and where
there is no Subsidiary
Jail, he shall be confined
in the Police lockup.
12. A Police Officer who
despatches an escort
shall be held responsible,
that a proper and
sufficient escort is sent,
that the men are provided
with the necessary
arms and accoutrements,
and money for
expenses, that proper
discretion is used in regard
to increasing the
escort under special circumstances,
that clear
instructions are given
to the Officer in charge
of the escort about the
production of prisoners
before Courts and
their disposals. In case
they are released by
Court but are wanted in
connection with other
cases, and that a full
and detailed record in
the matter is made in
the General Diary.
13. The prisoner escort duty
officer shall be fully responsible
for the safety
and security of the prisoner
from the time when
the prisoner has been
taken over from the jail
till the time when the
prisoner has been returned
to the jail.
14. The Escort Officer shall
not provide any thing
to the prisoner in excess
of the amount disbursed
from the Jail for