Policy Text
Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Policies and Procedures
TITLE:
PROTECTIVE CUSTODY ORDERS
NO: H-515
APPROVED:
Donny Youngblood, Sheriff-Coroner
EFFECTIVE:
September 5, 2013
REVIEWED:
10/20/2020
REVISED:
09/05/13
UPDATED:
11/17/2017
H-515-1
POLICY
When an officer of the Sheriff’s Office has reasonable cause to believe a child might be in danger
of abuse by a family or household member, the officer shall seek a court order to remove the minor
child from the house and place them into protective custody. The Officer may remove the minor
child without a court order if the officer has reasonable cause to believe the child is in imminent
danger of serious bodily injury. The courts have stated, “To take a child into protective custody
without a warrant, the officer must have reasonable cause to believe that harm will occur in the
period of time it would take to procure a warrant and remove the child from the home.” See Rogers
v. County of San Joaquin, 487 F.3d 1288, 1294-95 (9