Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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4.20 Prisoner Transportation: Special Transport Situations
4.20.7 Restraints during Transport (Revised: 7/14/20 )
All arrested persons an d persons in protective custody who are to be trans ported to a detention
facility will be handcuffed as soon as practical prior to being transported.
A. Unless exceptional circumstances exist, all arrested or detained persons shall be
handcuffed with their hands behind their back during transport. Handcuf fs shall be placed
in such a manner so as to reduce the possibility of injury and shall be double -locked
whenever possible. Exceptions may be made in limited instances at the discretion of the
transporting officer and may include:
1. Physically impaired or otherwise incapacitated persons
2. Elderly or ill pers ons arrested for minor offenses
3. Multiple arrestees when limited handcuffs or transport vehicles available. I n such
cases it may be necessary to use alternate restraints and/or to secure arrestees
together with their arms intertwined and their hands handcuffed in front.
4. Duration of transport : A transport of several hours may require that a prisoner be
secured with alternate restraints.
B. All arrested or detained persons being transported in a pol ice vehicle shall be properly
secured with a seat belt when practical.
C. The use of leg shackles and soft restraints is permissible when transporting a prisoner to
or from another institution. Factors to consider before using these devices include:
1. Nature of charges against the prisoner
2. Escape potential of the prisoner
3. Risk of assault by the prisoner
4. The sentence the prisoner is ser ving or may be subject to serve
5. Duration of transport.
D. No person should be transported face down in a vehicle.
E. No person s hall be handcuffed to any part of a vehicle.
F. No prisoner shall be left unattended while in a vehicle.
G. Officers will use the following procedures when taking a prisoner to the San Francisco
County Jail:
1. All prisoners entering the correctional facility will be escorted into the facility
through the sally port entrance only. This includes prisoners who are walked into
the facility from outside.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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2. Upon arrival, officers shall notif y Dispatch and pull up in the police vehicle, in
front of the electronic door.
3. After driving into the sally port, officers are to secure their sidearms and other
personal weapons in the lock boxes provided. This includes knives, ammunition,
batons and c hemical agents.
4. After all weapons are secured, the officers may remove the prisoner from the
vehicle.
5. Once inside the County Jail, handcuffs will only be removed to conduct a
preliminary booking search (i.e., metal detector, shoes and sock, etc.).
6. When leaving, after they are clear of the sliding sally port door , the officers will
advise Di spatch they are back in service .