Law enforcement officers should conduct motor vehicle searches that are both legal and thorough. Such searches should be conducted in strict observance of the constitutional rights of the owner and occupants of the motor vehicle being searched, and with due regard for the safety of all officers, other persons, and property involved.

These documents provide department personnel with guidelines for the search of motor vehicles.

A motor vehicle inventory is an administrative measure designed to protect motor vehicles and their contents while in police custody; to protect the agency against claims of lost, stolen or damaged property; and to protect departmental personnel and the public against injury or damaged property due to hazardous materials or substances that may be in the vehicle. Law enforcement agencies are responsible for safeguarding the above property and interests and conducting motor vehicle inventories only in accordance with agency policy.

These documents provide officers with guidelines for determining when and how a motor vehicle inventory should be conducted.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Officers are routinely faced with the question of whether to impound or tow motor vehicles for purposes of safekeeping property, securing evidence, protecting the public, or securing property under asset forfeiture statutes, among other reasons. These documents provide guidelines that officers should use to decide issues related to the propriety of and procedures for impounding motor vehicles.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

The use of an mobile video recording (MVR) system provides persuasive documentary evidence and helps defend against civil litigation and allegations of officer misconduct. Officers assigned the use of these devices should adhere to the operational objectives and protocols outlined by their agency so as to maximize the effectiveness and utility of the MVR and the integrity of evidence and related video documentation.

These documents provide law enforcement agencies with guidelines for the use, management, storage, and retrieval of audio-visual media recorded by in-car video systems.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Law enforcement agency often use mobile communication devices (MCDs) in the course of police operations to enhance departmental communication. MCDs may be used by officers to conduct official business when the use of radio communication or landline telephones is inappropriate, unavailable, or inadequate to meet communication needs and when the device is used in accordance with this policy. Information or data housed in personal or departmental MCDs related to the course and scope of employment is the property of the police department.

These documentsprovide law enforcement officers with guidelines for the use of cellular phones as well as similar MCDs. They do not cover the use of mobile data terminals (MDTs).

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated. 

A law enforcement agency’s goal should be to coordinate juvenile justice and delinquency prevention that meets the needs of juveniles, while holding juveniles accountable for their actions. Agencies should develop procedures that avoid formal processing of juveniles through the justice system under certain conditions. By adopting such methods, large numbers of youth can be diverted from unnecessary charges and can avoid being processed through the system, thus decreasing the probability of further delinquencies. Referral to local social service agencies rather than the juvenile justice system can often have profoundly positive, long-term effects. These documents contain practices which concentrate on possible youth disparities, informal justice procedures, rehabilitative approaches, extrajudicial measures and sanctions, and positive law enforcement and youth interaction.

Some missing person reports involve individuals who have voluntarily left home for personal reasons, while other reports are often unfounded or quickly resolved. However, there are many instances in which persons disappear for unexplained reasons and under circumstances where they may be considered at risk. The roles of the report-taker and initial responding officer are critical in identifying the circumstances surrounding missing persons and in identifying those persons at risk. Therefore, agencies should ensure that (1) all reports of missing persons are given full consideration and attention by members of the agency to include careful recording and investigation of factual circumstances surrounding the disappearance, and (2) that particular care is exercised in instances involving missing children and those who may be developmentally, intellectually, or cognitively impaired or others who are insufficiently prepared to take care of themselves.

These documents establish responsibilities and guidelines for the investigation of missing persons.

Protection of the crime scene, appropriate documentation, and preservation of evidence are crucial steps in criminal investigations and often provide the basis for effective identification, prosecution, and conviction of suspects. 

These resources provide guidelines for responding to and effectively dealing with the operational demands at crime scenes; for protecting the crime scene; and for preserving evidence. 

A police officer may surreptitiously record conversations when such use is appropriate to the proper performance of his/her official duties, where the recordings are consistent with agency policy, and as long as the person being recorded would have no reasonable expectation of privacy about the conversation.

These documents are intended to provide officers with instructions on when and how to use micro-cassette recorders (MCR) so that officers may reliably audio record their contacts with the public in accordance with state law. These documents do not govern the use of surreptitious recording devices used in undercover operations.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.

Responding to situations involving individuals reasonably believed to be persons in crisis (PIC) necessitates an officer to make difficult judgments about the mental state and intent of the individual and necessitates the use of special skills, techniques, and abilities to effectively and appropriately resolve the situation, while minimizing violence. The goal is to de-escalate the situation safely for all individuals involved when reasonable and consistent with established safety priorities. However, applicable law of the jurisdiction shall guide the detention of PIC.

Law enforcement agencies should provide officers with training to determine whether a person’s behavior is indicative of a mental health crisis and with guidance, techniques, response options, and resources so that the situation may be resolved in as constructive, safe, and humane a manner as possible.

These documents provide guidance to law enforcement officers when responding to or encountering persons experiencing a mental health crisis. 

This topic is under review by the IACP Policy Center. For more information, please email the Policy Center.

Law enforcement agencies should provide guidelines on the selection of departmentally approved police duty knives, knives an officer may carry, and how and when knives may be carried and used in order to increase officer safety, affect positive public perception, and further reduce department liability.

These documents establish guidelines for the selection, maintenance, carry, safe handling, and proper use of the police utility knife.

This topic has been archived - it is intended for reference purposes only and will not be updated.
 

Information gathering is a fundamental and essential element in the all-encompassing duties of any law enforcement agency. When acquired, information is used to prevent crime, pursue and apprehend offenders, and obtain evidence necessary for conviction. Agencies should gather information directed toward specific individuals or organizations where there is reasonable suspicion (as defined in 28 CFR, Part 23, Section 23.3 c) that said individuals or organizations may be planning or engaging in criminal activity, gather it with due respect for the rights of those involved, and disseminate it only to authorized individuals as defined. While criminal intelligence may be assigned to specific personnel within the agency, all members of an agency should responsible for reporting information that may help identify criminal conspirators and perpetrators.

These documents provide law enforcement officers in general, and officers assigned to the intelligence function in particular, with guidelines and principles for the collection, analysis, and distribution of intelligence information.

The documents are intended to remain at all times consistent with the current language of 28 CFR, Part 23.