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Date: 02/23/23 Revision: NEW Reviewed: 02/04/25 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: GEN 506.0 5 Page: 1 of 2 SUBJECT: INTERVIEW ROOMS I. PURPOSE : The purpo se of this standard op erating pro cedure is to provide guidelines for the use of interview rooms at the Sheriff's Office. II. SCOPE : This procedure shall apply to all law enforcement personnel. III. DISCUSSION : The Sheriff's Office has rooms at the district offices and the Crimin al Investi gations Division designated for int erviewing arrestees, det ainees, persons of interest , suspects , victims , and witnesses . These inv estigations are usually conducted by Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office deputies/detectives, but interview rooms may be ut ilized by other law enforcement agencies during joint investigations , or as needed by such agency during their own investigation . IV. PROCEDURE : A. Deputies/detectives should estab lish safe conditions for the various situations that may be encountered when conducting interviews or interroga tions in an interview room . The following procedure shall be followed to ensure safety and the admissibility of any statements made therein. 1. Weapons Control [CALEA 42.2.8(a)] a. While conducting interviews, deput ies/detectives , who are armed with a firearm or any other approved agency weapon, shall have the weapon secured in its approved holster. 2. Security Concerns [CALEA 42.2.8(b)] a. All civilian visi tors shall be escorted throughout the o ffice. It is the respons ibility of the deputy /detective to maintain control of all persons they may have present for interviews or inter rogations. b. The interview room must be searched prior to and following an interview for contraband or safety issues. c. Depu ty/detectives shall ensure any person in custody has been searched prior to entering the interview room for contraband or weapons. d. The observing deputy /detective is responsible for maintaining the security of the suspect, detainee, or arreste e, the safety of the interviewing deput y/detective, and the pre vention o f escape. 3. Number of Personnel Allowed in the Interview Room [CALEA 42.2.8 (c)] a. When possib le, two investigat ors sh ould conduct the interview; however, during an interview/inte rroga tion, there should be no more tha n two interviewers in the intervie w room with a victim, suspect , or witness at one time. This does not include att orneys or parents in the case of a juvenile or exigent circumstances , such as necessary back up or medic al emergencies that may require assistance. GEN 50 6.05 02/23/ 23 Page 2 of 2 b. In the event an occasion should arise where the suspect interrogation would be conducted by one individual , at lea st one other deputy /detective will monitor the interrogation by utilizing a window or the came ra monitoring system. 4. Means and Methods for Summoni ng Assis tance [CALEA 42.2.8(d)] a. Deputies /detectives shall utilize their issued portable radio or cellular phone to alert personnel of an emergency . b. In the event the deputy/detective is conduc ting an interview/i nterrogation by themsel ves, the y can verball y call o ut for assistance to the deputy /detective who is observing through the window or camera monitoring system. c. In the event of a medical emergency, EMS shall be immediately requested to evaluate or render necessary aid. d. In the event of a building evacu ation (e .g., power failure, bomb threat, fire, etc.), the inter viewing deputy/detective is responsible for removing the person from the building and securing them in a safe lo cation. 5. Use of Video and Audio Recording Equipment [CALEA 42.2.8 (e)] a. Interview rooms ar e equipped with video and audio monitor ing equipment. This equipment should be utilized for the purpose(s) of officer safety , the monitoring of the interview s and inter rogat ions, and for evident iary purposes. Absent special situations, all criminal interviews should be video and audio recorded. It is up to the investigator of the case to deter mine if an interview will be recorded. 6. Other Equipment or Items to be K ept in the Interview Room [CALEA 42.2.8( f)] a. The interview room s are each equip ped wi th chair s and, if needed, a table. 7. Access to Restrooms, Water, or Com fort Breaks [CALEA 42.2.8 (g)] a. Any person being interviewed shall be given reasonable acc ess t o comfort breaks, which include acc ess to the res troom facilities and water. It is the respon sibility of the deputy /detective to escort any person needing to use the restroom facili ties or exit the interview for any reason. Water may be taken into th e interview area in a paper , plastic