Policy Text
Policy Delano Police Department
418 Delano PD Policy Manual
Contacts and Temporary Detentions
418.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for temporarily detaining but not arresting
persons in the field, conducting field interviews (FI) and pat-down searches, and the taking and
disposition of photographs.
418.1.1 DEFINITIONS
Definitions related to this policy include:
Consensual encounter - When an officer contacts an individual but does not create a detention
through words, actions, or other means. In other words, a reasonable individual would believe that
his/her contact with the officer is voluntary.
Field interview - The brief detainment of an individual, whether on foot or in a vehicle, based
on reasonable suspicion for the purpose of determining the individual's identity and resolving the
officer's suspicions.
Field photographs - Posed photographs taken of a person during a contact, temporary detention,
or arrest in the field. Undercover surveillance photographs of an individual and recordings captured
by the normal operation of a Mobile Audio Video (MAV) system, body-worn camera, or public
safety camera when persons are not posed for the purpose of photographing are not considered
field photographs.
Pat-down search - A type of search used by officers in the field to check an individual for
dangerous weapons. It involves a thorough patting-down of clothing to locate any weapons or
dangerous items that could pose a danger to the officer, the detainee, or others.
Reasonable suspicion - When, under the totality of the circumstances, an officer has articulable
facts that criminal activity may be afoot and a particular person is connected with that possible
criminal activity.
Temporary detention - When an officer intentionally, through words, actions, or physical force,
causes an individual to reasonably believe he/she is required to restrict his/her movement without
an actual arrest. Temporary detentions also occur when an officer actually restrains a person’s
freedom of movement.
418.2 POLICY
The Delano Police Department respects the right of the public to be free from unreasonable
searches or seizures. Due to an unlimited variety of situations confronting the officer, the decision
to temporarily detain a person and complete a field interview (FI), pat-down search, or field
photograph shall be left to the officer based on the totality of the circumstances, officer safety
considerations, and constitutional safeguards.
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2019/12/06, All Rights Reserved. Contacts and Temporary Detentions - 1
Published with permission by Delano Police Department