Policy Text
Policy
912Fremont Police Department
Transporting Persons in Custody
912.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides guidelines for transporting persons who are in the custody of the Fremont
Police Department. Transporting Officers, as used in this section, refers to both sworn Officers
and Detention Officers.
See the Handcuffing and Restraints Policy for additional guidance.
912.2 POLICY
It is the policy of the Fremont Police Department to provide safe, secure, and humane
transportation for all persons in custody.
912.3 PATROL DIVISION COMMANDER RESPONSIBILITIES
The Patrol Division Commander should establish related procedures for:
•Safely transporting persons who have their legs restrained.
•Seating placement of persons being transported in vehicles with and without safety
barriers.
912.4 TRANSPORTATION OF ARRESTEES BY DETENTION OFFICERS
Detention Officers are non-sworn, professional employees whose primary assignment is the care
and custody of persons arrested by members of the Fremont Police Department. This section
applies to the transportation of arrestees by Detention Officers.
For the procedures related to the transport of persons in custody by Detention Officers, refer to
the Detention Officer Transport procedure (900).
912.4.1 PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION BY DETENTION OFFICERS
Arrested persons meeting the following criteria are eligible for transportation by Detention
Officer(s):
(a)Arrestees with no urgent or immediate medical concerns
(b)Arrestees who are able to walk with little or no assistance
(c)Arrestees who are not physically combative or in a lower body restraint device (WRAP)
(d)Arrestees who are not juveniles
912.5 TRANSPORT OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES
Persons in custody should be transported in a vehicle properly equipped to transport passengers.
They should be appropriately restrained and positioned during transport.
Transport Officers transporting a person in custody should:
(a)Search all areas of the vehicle accessible to a person in custody before and after each
transport.
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Transporting Persons in Custody
(b)Immediately search persons in custody after arrest, when receiving the person from
the custody of another Transport Officer, and before transferring the person. Refer to
the Custodial Searches Policy before conducting any search other than a field search.
1.Whenever practicable, a search should be conducted by a Transport Officer of
the same gender as the person being searched. If a Transport Officer of the
same gender is not reasonably available, a witnessing Transport Officer should
be present during the search.
(c)Provide Communications Unit with any required notifications (e.g., start time, mileage,
end time).
(d)Properly secure all property.
(e)Use audio/video equipment (when properly equipped) to observe and record any
person in custody during transport (see the Mobile Audio/Video and Body-Worn
Camera policies for additional guidance).
(f)Make a reasonable effort to prevent inappropriate conversations between persons
being transported (e.g., demeaning or insulting language) or conversations between
a person being transported and someone outside the vehicle.
(g)Plan travel times and routes to avoid situations that might impede transportation
(e.g., heavy traffic, unfavorable road conditions, extreme weather) when reasonably
practicable.
(h)Make a verbal welfare check with a person in custody at least every 10 minutes.
Provide sufficient visual observation and audio communication during the transport of:
1.Individuals in auxiliary restraints.
2.Individuals in leg restraints.
3.Individuals wearing a spit hood.
4.Individuals who are a suspected suicide risk.
(i)Verify that the vehicle's security devices (e.g., window and rear-door child-safety locks)
are activated.
(j)Assess uncooperative persons who cannot or will not sit upright for a medical condition
(see the Medical Aid and Response Policy for additional guidance):
1.If no medical condition exists, alternative transportation should be arranged
(e.g., a special transport van).
912.5.1 TRANSPORTING PERSONS IN LEG RESTRAINT DEVICES
When transporting a person who has been restrained in a leg restraint device,Officers shall
observe the following procedures:
(a)Restrained suspects transported in a patrol unit should be seated in an upright position
and shall be secured by a seatbelt. If the Officer is unable to place a seatbelt on a
suspect due to safety concerns, the Officer shall notify a supervisor prior to transport
and shall document it in a police report.
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(b)The prisoner shall not be placed or transported face-down. When the person cannot be
transported in a seated position, they should be transported by an alternative means.
(c)When a restrained person is transported by ambulance, a patrol unit will accompany
or follow the ambulance to the medical facility. The Officer should inform medical
personnel of the details of the contact.
(d)Officers shall inform the jail staff that a leg restraint device was used on the arrestee
prior to arrival at the jail.
912.6 TRANSPORT RESTRICTIONS
When transporting multiple persons, Transport Officers:
(a)Persons in custody should be transported individually when practicable, or within their
own compartment of a multiple-compartment vehicle, unless supervisor approval is
received based on unusual circumstances.
1.Juveniles and adults shall not be transported together