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Policy 1011Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/02/26, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentSeat Belts - 1Seat Belts 1011.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy establishes guidelines for the use of seat belts and child restraints. This policy applies to all members who operate or ride in department vehicles (Vehicle Code § 27315.5). Guidance for transporting persons in custody may be found in the Transporting Persons in Custody and Handcuffing and Restraints policies. 1011.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Child restraint system - An infant or child passenger restraint system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Regulations set forth in 49 CFR 571.213. 1011.2 POLICY It is the policy of the Santa Ana Police Department that members use safety and child restraint systems to reduce the possibility of death or injury in a motor vehicle collision. 1011.3 WEARING OF SAFETY RESTRAINTS All members shall wear properly adjusted safety restraints when operating or riding in a seat equipped with restraints, in any vehicle owned, leased or rented by the Department while on- or off-duty, or in any privately owned vehicle while on-duty. The member driving such a vehicle shall ensure that all other occupants, including non-members, are also properly restrained. Exceptions to the requirement to wear safety restraints may be made only in exceptional situations where, due to unusual circumstances, wearing a seat belt would endanger the member or the public. Members must be prepared to justify any deviation from this requirement. 1011.4 TRANSPORTING CHILDREN Children under the age of 8 shall be transported in compliance with California’s child restraint system requirements (Vehicle Code § 27360; Vehicle Code § 27363). Rear seat passengers in a cage-equipped vehicle may have reduced clearance, which requires careful seating and positioning of seat belts. Due to this reduced clearance, and if permitted by law, children and any child restraint system may be secured in the front seat of such vehicles provided this positioning meets federal safety standards and the vehicle and child restraint system manufacturer’s design and use recommendations. In the event a child is transported in the front seat of a vehicle, the seat should be pushed back as far as possible and the passenger-side airbag should be deactivated. If this is not possible, members should arrange alternate transportation when feasible. A child shall not be transported in a rear-facing child restraint system in the front seat in a vehicle that is equipped with an active frontal passenger airbag (Vehicle Code § 27363). Santa Ana Police Department Santa Ana PD Policy Manual Seat Belts Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/02/26, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police DepartmentSeat Belts - 21011.5 INOPERABLE SEAT BELTS Department vehicles shall not be operated when the driver's seat belt is inoperable. Persons shall not be transported in any seat in which the seat belt is inoperable. Department vehicle seat belts shall not be modified, removed, deactivated or altered in any way, except by the vehicle maintenance and repair staff, who shall do so only with the express authorization of the Chief of Police. Members who discover an inoperable restraint system shall immediately, or as soon as practicable, report the defect to CDC personnel or the appropriate supervisor. Prompt action will be taken to replace or repair the system. 1011.6 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITHOUT SEAT BELTS Vehicles manufactured and certified for use without seat belts or other restraint systems are subject to the manufacturer’s operator requirements for safe use. 1011.7 VEHICLE AIRBAGS In all vehicles equipped with airbag restraint systems, the system will not be tampered with or deactivated, except when transporting children as specified in this policy. All equipment installed in vehicles equipped with airbags will be installed pursuant to vehicle manufacturer specifications to avoid the danger of interfering with the effective deployment of the airbag device.