Policy Text
Policy
417San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/01, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentContacts and Temporary Detentions - 1Contacts and Temporary Detentions
417.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for conducting field interviews (FI) and pat-
down searches, and the taking and retention of photographs of persons detained in the field but
not arrested. Due to a variety of situations confronting the officer, the decision to FI or photograph
a field detainee shall be left to the discretion of the involved officer based on the totality of the
circumstances available to them at the time of the detention.
417.1.1 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.
417.2 POLICY
The San Luis Obispo 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.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Contacts and Temporary Detentions
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/07/01, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentContacts and Temporary Detentions - 2417.3 FIELD INTERVIEWS
Based on observance of suspicious circumstances or upon information from investigation, an
officer may initiate the stop of a person, and conduct an FI, when there is articulable, reasonable
suspicion to do so. A person, however, shall not be detained longer than is reasonably necessary
to resolve the officer’s suspicion.
Nothing in this policy is intended to discourage consensual contacts. Frequent casual contact with
consenting individuals is encouraged by the San Luis Obispo Police Department to strengthen
community involvement, community awareness, and problem identification.
417.3.1 INITIATING A FIELD INTERVIEW
When initiating the stop, the officer should be able to point to specific facts which, when considered
with the totality of the circumstances, reasonably warrant the stop. Such facts include but are not
limited to an individual’s:
(a)Appearance or demeanor suggesting that he/she is part of a criminal enterprise or is
engaged in a criminal act
(b)Actions suggesting that he/she is engaged in a criminal activity
(c)Presence in an area at an inappropriate hour of the day or night
(d)Presence in a particular area is suspicious
(e)Carrying of suspicious objects or items
(f)Excessive clothes for the climate or clothes bulging in a manner that suggest he/she
is carrying a dangerous weapon
(g)Location in proximate time and place to an alleged crime
(h)Physical description or clothing worn that matches a suspect in a recent crime
(i)Prior criminal record or involvement in criminal activity as known by the officer
417.4 PAT-DOWN SEARCHES
Once a legal stop or consensual encounter has been made, and consistent with the officer’s
training and experience, an officer may pat a suspect’s outer clothing for weapons if the officer has
a reasonable, articulable suspicion the suspect may pose a safety risk. The purpose of this limited
search is not to discover evidence of a crime, but to allow the officer to pursue the investigation
without fear of violence. Circumstances that may establish justification for performing a pat-down
search include but are not limited to:
(a)The type of crime suspected, particularly in crimes of violence where the use or threat
of deadly weapons is involved.
(b)Where more than one suspect must be handled by a single officer.
(c)The hour of the day and the location or neighborhood where the stop takes place.
(d)Prior knowledge of the suspect's use of force and/or propensity to carry weapons.
(e)The appearance, actions and demeanor of the suspect.
San Luis