Transporting Prisoners Epd 800.0

TITLEEDMONSTON POLICE GENERALPROCEDURE ORDER NUMBER TRANSPORTING PRISONERS EPD800.0 SECTION NUMBER OF PAGES EFFECTIVE DATE REVIEW DATE

ADULT ARREST PROCEDURES 6 10/22/2014 NEW AMENDS RESCINDS CALEA CHAPTERS AUTHORITY DATE: 1, 41, 70, 72 Chief Stephen Walker I. PURPOSE an individual or aid in their escape, the officer shall secure them. The purpose of this general order is to establish both procedures and general principles for the B. If the items are transported in the same safe and secure transport of arrested persons in vehicle as the arrestee, they shall be secured in police vehicles. the trunk. Exigent circumstances, such as an unruly crowd, may interrupt the search. II. POLICY C. If an individual must be transported from an In order to protect the officer, prisoner and arrest location without being searched, the public, it shall be the policy of this Department transporting officer shall transport the arrestee to to consider all prisoners as dangerous. the nearest safe location where a search can be conducted. The Department does not maintain or have a Temporary Detention or Holding Facility D. The officer shall then search the arrestee and capabilities. the immediate area of the transport vehicle where the arrestee is seated. The arrestee shall Generally, all prisoners will be transported to the then be immediately transported to a processing Regional Processing Center located at the facility. District I Station of the Prince George’s County Police Department. E. Upon arrival at the processing facility, each officer who accepts custody of an arrestee will Officers will adhere to the established search that arrestee again. For these types of procedures of a detention or holding facility to searches, arrestees are generally searched by which a prisoner is transported. officers of the same sex. If possible, an officer will have a witness present when searching an Extradition is the responsibility of the Office of arrestee of the opposite sex. the Sheriff for Prince George’s County IV. PRISONER SEARCHES AND III. NON-INVASIVE SEARCHES & TRANSPORT TRANSPORT OF ARRESTEE BY ARRESTING OFFICER A. Transporting officers shall search arrestees coming into their custody, regardless of whether A. Absent a threat of imminent serious bodily they had been previously searched. injury to the officer or others, the custody officer B. If possible, transporting officers will be the shall handcuff and search an arrestee before same sex as the arrestees. For female arrests, transport. If the search reveals any weapons, male officers will determine if a female officer evidence, contraband, or items that could injure is available to respond to the scene to make the TRANSPORTING PRISONERS EPD 800.0 transport. The reverse is true for male arrests by A. When transporting sick or injured arrestees, female officers. the decision to handcuff shall be based on the type of injury, demeanor of arrestee, and safety C. Officers shall not delay transport solely to considerations. When restraining devices could provide this arrangement. Supervisors shall aggravate an injury, officers may forego the use balance the propriety of such arrangements of handcuffs. against staffing considerations and workload at time of transport. B. When transporting a suspected mentally ill individual, an appropriate restraining device V. INSPECTIONS OF TRANSPORT shall be used. Violent arrestees may be handled VEHICLES and secured in the safest and most expeditious manner possible. A. For officer and arrestee safety and security, the transporting officer shall inspect the seating VIII. CERTAIN TYPES OF RESTRAINT areas of the transport vehicle. This shall be done PROHIBITED at the beginning of each tour of duty, and before and after the transport of an arrestee or civilian A. To minimize the chances of positional passenger. restraint asphyxia, arrestees will not be “hog- tied” or restrained in a manner that increases the B. If off-duty, the vehicle shall be inspected possibility of positional restraint asphyxia. The before and after the transport. chances of positional restraint asphyxia increase when: VI. HANDCUFFING ARRESTEES 1. The restrained individual’s normal breathing A. All persons taken into custody shall be is affected, such as when the subject is handcuffed, except as noted. The arrestee shall restrained face up or face down with pressure on be secured with his or her hands behind his or the back or chest her back or in front with the handcuff chain passed through the belt. Handcuffs shall always 2. The restrained individual violently struggles be double-locked unless circumstances require against officers’ restraint attempts, thus tiring immediate transport of the arrestee. the respiratory muscles.

B. The handcuffing of disabled or injured 3. The restrained individual is intoxicated by persons is discretionary, based on mobility of CDS or alcohol. the individual and apparent escape potential. 4. Chemical agents such as OC Spray are C. Whenever officers elect not to employ a deployed and affect normal breathing. restraining device; they may enlist the assistance of other officers for added safety. Uncertainty IX. TRANSPORT VEHICLES surrounding particular situations shall be resolved by the use of a restraining device. A. The primary transport vehicle for use during normal operations is the cruiser. One officer D. Restraining devices/handcuffs shall be used may transport one arrestee, who will occupy the in accordance with General Order EPD801.0 - right rear seat. “Use of Restraining Devices”. B. Transport vehicles without barriers will have VII. HANDCUFFING INJURED OR ILL the rear doors and windows controls deactivated PERSONS to minimize unauthorized exit from the vehicle.

2 TRANSPORTING PRISONERS EPD 800.0

C. For vehicles equipped with transport Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic, and it partitions, arrestees will occupy the right rear is determined that no other medical treatment is seat. required may be transported.

D. With two officers aboard, the passenger D. The arrestee must be accompanied by a officer shall sit behind the driver and the arrestee Detainee Medical Release Form completed by will occupy the right rear seat. If transporting the attending EMT or paramedic. two arrestees, one arrestee will be placed in the right rear seat; a second arrestee shall occupy the E. The Detainee Medical Release Form shall be right front seat. given to the Regional Processing Officer upon arrival at the facility. E. For vehicles equipped with transport partitions, both officers shall sit in the front XI. TRANSPORT OF ARRESTEE BY compartment. If there are two arrestees, both AMBULANCE will sit behind the partition. A. When arrestees are transported to a hospital F. Disorderly or violent arrestees shall be by ambulance, an officer shall either follow the transported by two officers when possible. ambulance or accompany the arrestee in the ambulance. A decision to accompany arrestees G. A special transport vehicle may be requested, in the ambulance may be based on the following if available, through Public Safety considerations: Communications when circumstances of the arrest warrant the need or for multiple or/ mass 1. Arrestee's temperament arrest or a violent arrestee. 2. Whether the arrestee is ambulatory 3. Arrestee's escape risk X. TRANSPORTING SICK OR INJURED 4. Desire of ambulance personnel ARRESTEES BY OFFICERS B. Arresting officers may request that arrestees A. Arrestees shall be transported to a hospital be transported to a specific hospital; however, without delay and prior to being taken to a Fire/EMS personnel have the final authority to processing facility for processing when the determine the hospital. arrestee: XII. SPECIAL TRANSPORT SITUATIONS 1. Exhibits erratic behavior 2. Has an alleged or obvious injury A. Physically and mentally disabled arrestees 3. Has ingested any non-food or non-prescribed may require special care and attention substance immediately before arrest. concerning transport.

B. Officers shall transport or shall ensure B. Nonambulatory arrestee’s requiring wheel transportation of arrestees to the closest Prince chairs, crutches or prosthetics may require George's County hospital to avoid custody assistance from EMS personnel for specialized issues. These hospitals include: transport.

1. Doctor's Community Hospital C. Officers shall ensure the safety and due care 2. Greater Laurel/Beltsville Regional Hospital during the transport notifying hospital staff or 3. Prince George's Hospital Center detention personnel of any and all safety or 4. Southern Maryland Hospital Center escape risk. XIII. NOTIFICATION TO PSC OF C. An arrestee who has been evaluated on the TRANSPORT scene of an incident by an Emergency

A. An officer beginning an arrestee transport random and shall not leave the arrestee shall transmit the following information to PSC: unattended.

1. Identify officer by car or I.D. number. XIV. ESSENTIAL MEDICATIONS FOR 2. Give location transporting from. ARRESTEE 3. Odometer reading (mileage). 4. Number of prisoner(s) and brief description A. Essential medications are those that prevent 5. Destination. life-threatening conditions and are required to maintain an arrestee's functional stability. B. Upon arrival at the destination, the officer shall transmit "ARRIVAL," followed by the B. Officers shall comply with an arrestee's odometer reading. The dispatcher will request to transport essential medications acknowledge the officer with a time check. XV. SECURITY C. Officers will advise the dispatcher whenever CONSIDERATIONS AT a transport is interrupted and again when it is HOSPITALS resumed, giving destination and mileage each time. A. At any hospital the custody officer may seek the assistance of the facility’s security XIII. SECURITY DURING TRANSPORT personnel. For safety and security, they may secure firearms and weapons, and will comply A. Officers are responsible for the security and with security procedures unique to the facility. safety of arrestees in their custody. As such, they shall maintain visual contact with arrestees B. When conflicts exist between such during transport. procedures and Departmental regulations; a police supervisor should be consulted. B. Officers shall not routinely divert or delay the transport of an arrestee. C. When in a hospital outside the County or on a military reservation, the officer will contact C. Officers may take emergency police action security personnel to ensure that lawful custody when arrestees are aboard. Such circumstances is maintained. include those in which the safety of police officers or citizens is jeopardized. D. In all cases, the custody officer in a hospital is responsible for security of the arrestee until D. When emergency police action is taken, the formally transferred to another authority. The transporting officer must ensure arrestee safety officer shall, at all times, remain with the and minimize escape opportunity. arrestee, ensuring the arrestee's security until the transfer of custody to another officer or security E. During transport all communications from personnel. the arrestee to family members, attorneys, media etc. are prohibited. XIII. ARRESTEES REQUIRING ADMISSION F. Officers of this Department shall not transport prisoners to situations such as visitations, A. The custody officer will accompany an funerals, etc., or directly to courts or correctional arrestee requiring immediate surgery to the facilities other than the Prince George’s County surgical suite and remain there until evidence Detention Center. has been removed and placed in the officer's G. If an officer is involved in a transport custody. outside of the town of Edmonston and the duration of such a transport warrants a meal stop, the officer shall select the meal site at

B. When an arrestee is admitted to a hospital, transporting officer shall immediately the custody officer will notify the Chief or a notify the Public Safety designee. Communications of the location, description and any other pertinent C. Security of the arrestee shall be maintained information. by the custody officer or by officers summoned by the Chief or a designee. 1. Following the escape the officer will immediately broadcast a comprehensive D. Individuals arrested for violent or serious lookout with the following information: crimes will not be released from custody or left unattended at a hospital before a District Court a. Exact location of escape and last Commissioner conducts an initial appearance known direction of travel; hearing. b. Full physical and clothing description with name of prisoner; E. An officer requiring the services of a District c. Purported dangerousness of prisoner; Court Commissioner away from the d. Nature of the instant criminal charge; commissioner's duty assignment shall comply and e. Possible destination with procedures of the District Court information. Administrative Judge. 2. PSC personnel shall notify any other F. When commitments are issued for arrestees at appropriate jurisdiction(s). Control of a hospital, the custody officer will notify the the area search shall be the Prince George's County Department of responsibility of the agency with Corrections (DOC) to arrange for transfer of primary jurisdiction. custody. 3. PSC responsibilities include the XIV. HOSPITAL RECORDS following:

A. Whenever an arrestee is taken to a hospital a. Re-broadcast the lookout; for treatment, the transporting officer will: b. Dispatch a PGPD supervisor to the scene; 1. Provide the admitting authority the officer’s c. Dispatch a canine team to the scene; name, ID number, agency name, CCN d. Determine if air support is warranted; 2. Request that the CCN be placed on their and e. Transmit a lookout to officers forms working the area of possible prisoner 3. Provide the arrestee description and address destination, to the communications information facility of the appropriate jurisdiction in 4. Provide notification that responsibility for which the possible prisoner payment of incurred expenses lies with the arrestee, not the Department. 4. The officer will assist in the search effort. B. When the hospital's records are prepared for Regardless of the outcome they shall the arrestee, the officer shall request the patient notify the Chief or a designee instruction copy. This paper will accompany the immediately or as soon as practical of arrestee when transferred to another authority or the incident. given to them when released from custody. 5. The officer will complete a report XV. PRISONER ESCAPES WHILE IN containing details of the escape. If the TRANSPORT prisoner was arrested for an offense an Incident Report will be prepared. If the A. In the event of a prisoner escape, the prisoner was arrested as a result of

follow-up action a Continuation Report against the transporting documents, writ, will be prepared. commitment, etc., and by comparing a photograph, when available, to the 6. Supervisory responsibilities: prisoner being transported.

2. All prisoners being transported a. Define the scope of and coordinate between facilities or locations shall be any search effort; accompanied by the appropriate documentation/ reports/ items: b. Ensure that the transporting officer’s responsibilities have been carried out; a. To Court Commissioner - Charging and documents, photograph, personal property and the initial report, if available. c. Notify PSC at termination of search or of an apprehension. b. To Detention Center - Commitment papers, any medical records and personal property. 7. The Chief of Police or a designee shall review the circumstances of the escape and determine c. To other agency/facility - Commitment what if any investigation shall be made of the papers or retainer or other holding document, incident. any medical records and personal property.

XVI. DETENTION FACILITIES End of Document A. Upon arrival at any specified detention or processing facility the following procedure will be adhered to:

1. All weapons will be secured at the designated area of the facility.

2. Restraints will be removed for the purposes of temporary detention or when releasing the arrestee to receiving personnel.

3. All necessary forms shall be completed and any documentation that accompanies the arrestee to receiving personnel shall be submitted.

4. Advise receiving personnel of any potential medical, security or escape concerns.

5. Document any and all transfer of the arrestee.

XVII. DOCUMENTATION

1. It is the responsibility of each transporting officer to verify the positive identification of all prisoners being transported. This shall be done by checking the prisoner’s documents