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Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/12/29, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police Department Custodial Searches - 1 Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Custodial Searches 900.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides guidance regarding searches of individuals in custody. Such searches are necessary to eliminate the introduction of contraband, intoxicants, or weapons into the Santa Monica Police Department facility. Such items can pose a serious ris k to the safety and security of Department members, individuals in custody, contractors, and the public. Guidance for custody searches when transporting a person in custody may be found in the Transporting Persons in Custody Policy. Nothing in this policy is intended to prohibit the otherwise lawful collection of evidence from an individual in custody. 900.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Pat-Down Search - This type of search is used by officers in the field to check an individual for weapons. It involves a thorough patting down of clothing to locate any weapons or dangerous items that could pose a danger to the officer. Custody search - An in-custody search of an individual involves a thorough patting down of an individual's clothing and a search of the individual's property, shoes and clothing, including pockets, cuffs and folds on the clothing, to remove all weapons, dangerous items and contraband. Physical body cavity search - A search that involves a phy sical intrusion into a body cavity. Body cavity means the stomach, rectal cavity, or vagina of an individual. Strip search or Visual Body Cavity Search - A search that requires an individual to remove or rearrange some or all of the individual's clothing to permit a visual inspection of the underclothing, breasts, buttocks, anus or outer genitalia. This includes monitoring an individual who is changing clothes, where the individual's underclothing, buttocks, genitalia or breasts are visible to the monitoring employee. 900.2 POLICY All searches shall be conducted with concern for safety, dignity, courtesy, respect for privacy and hygiene, and in compli ance with policy and law to protect the rights of those who are subject to any search. Searches shall not be used for intimidation, harassment, punishment or retaliation. 900.3 PAT-DOWN SEARCHES When an officer has reasonable suspicion to believe that a person being lawfully detained may possess weapons or other dangerous items, or in such circumstances the officer reasonably believes that the individual may present a threat to officer safety, that officer may conduct a Policy 900 Santa Monica Police Department Santa Monica Police Department Policy Manual Custodial Searches Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/12/29, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Monica Police Department Custodial Searches - 2 pat-down search of that individual. When conducting pat-down searches, officers shall make the following considerations: (a) Prior to detaining any individual in any police vehicle, an officer should conduct a normal pat -down search of the individual. (b) Whenever practical, a pat -down search of an individual should be conducted by an officer of the same sex as the person being searched. (c) This policy does not preclude a male officer from performing a pat-down search of a female detainee or a female officer from performing a pat -down search of a male detainee when the officer believes the detainee may be in possession of a weapon or other dangerous item. (d) If it is not practical to wait for an officer of the same sex to arrive on scene, it is recommended that a witness officer be present during any pat -down search of an individual of the opposite sex of the searching officer. (e) Officers shall also comply with the regulations of the Portable Audio/Video Policy and Mobile/Aud io Video Policy. 900.4 FIELD AND TRANSPORTATION SEARCHES A sworn officer shall conduct a custody search of an individual immediately after the individual's arrest, when receiving an individual from the custody of another, and/or before transporting a person who is in custody whether by any Department vehicle or any other means (e.g. ambulance). Whenever practicable, a custody search should be conducted by a sworn officer of the same sex as the person being searched. If a sworn officer of the same sex is not reasonably available, a witnessing officer should be present during the search. 900.5 SEARCHES AT POLICE FACILITIES Custody searches shall be conducted on all individuals in custody, upon entry to the Santa Monica Police Department facilities. The search should be conducted by an officer or other authorized member of the same sex as the individual being searched. If a member of the same sex is not available, a witnessing member must be p resent during the search. Custody searches should also be conducted any time an individual in custody enters or re-enters a secure area, or any time it is reasonably believed that a search is necessary to maintain the safety and security of the facility. 900.5.1 PROPERTY Members shall take reasonable care in