With violence involving firearms dominating the news headlines, it is crucial that all law enforcement agencies have timely and sustainable protocols for the recovery and forensic processing of all firearms and firearm-related evidence.

These documents establish guidelines for the recovering and processing of firearms.

The critical mission of law enforcement establishes a compelling need to maintain a drug-free work environment. Employees who engage in unauthorized use of controlled substances and drugs risk their safety, and that of their coworkers and the community they serve; undermine the integrity of the agency; and increase the potential for corruption. Therefore, law enforcement agencies should maintain a drug-free workplace in part through the use of random employee drug testing for all safety-sensitive positions.

These documents are intended to outline and enforce procedures for maintaining a drug-free workplace.

Sworn law enforcement personnel should take reasonable measures to assist firefighters and protect life and property within the limitations of their training, experience, personal protection clothing, and fire suppressant equipment. However, no officer should be expected to engage in unreasonable, irresponsible, or illogical attempts at fire rescue.

These documents provide direction on law enforcement responsibilities at the scene of structural fires. Note they do not address HAZMAT incidents, open land fires, wildfires, or motor vehicle accidents involving fire.

The field interview is an important point of contact for officers in preventing and investigating criminal activity. In order to maintain the effectiveness and legitimacy of this practice and to protect the safety of officers who must approach suspicious individuals, law enforcement officers should conduct field interviews and perform pat-down searches in conformance with procedures set forth by agency policy.

These documents are intended to help officers determine when field interviews and pat-down searches are warranted and to establish the proper way to conduct them.

Personnel are the most valuable assets in a law enforcement agency. The documents provided are intended to assist agency personnel in developing policies, procedures, and guidelines to assist law enforcement employees in navigating potential mental health and wellness challenges.

Note this update combines what was formerly two separate policies (Employee Mental Health, Critical Incident Stress Management).

Through the development of policies and procedures to detect and respond to instances of employee misconduct, a law enforcement agency can protect its interests and reputation, promote public trust, ensure that heightened integrity remains a mainstay of the law enforcement profession, and mitigate potential civil litigation. These documents outline the essential components of a well-administered, professional program governing internal investigations and disciplinary procedures.

Law enforcement agencies should provide personnel with an understanding of the leave provided under federal law by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

These documents how agencies should provide employees with leave for serious health and certain family matters as required by federal law.

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

Law enforcement agencies should develop evidence-based guidelines for effectively conducting eyewitness identifications in order to maximize the reliability of identifications, minimize erroneous identifications, and gather evidence that conforms to contemporary eyewitness identification protocols. These documents recognize that the sequential and simultaneous approaches are both valid methods of conducting an identification procedure and do not recommend one over the other. However, regardless of the method that an agency decides to utilize, the basic procedures outlined in these document should be followed.

These documents establish guidelines for eyewitness identification procedures involving showups, photo arrays, and lineups. Erroneous eyewitness identifications have been cited as the factor most frequently associated with wrongful convictions. Therefore, in addition to eyewitness identification, all appropriate investigative steps and methods should be employed to uncover evidence that either supports or eliminates the suspect identification.

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

In any emergency or threat environment, law enforcement agencies should determine the necessity and the means to evacuate citizens from imminent danger. The safety of persons, including emergency service providers is the first priority in a threatened area. It is essential that evacuations be planned and carried out systematically, efficiently and in a manner that gives primary consideration to the protection of human life.

These documents establish guidelines for evacuating buildings and communities due to a bomb, chemical-biological, hazardous material, fire, or natural disaster threat.

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

Law enforcement agencies should develop policies to ensure that evidence in its custody is properly secured and stored, readily retrievable, and that any changes in its custody have been properly and fully documented.

These documents establish guidelines for maintaining the integrity of the evidentiary chain of custody.

This topic has been combined with the Search Warrants policy guidance. 

Please contact the Policy Center with any questions. 

Police agencies should develop a cooperative response protocol shared by the agency, the emergency call center, emergency medical services, and hospital emergency department staff. The coordinated activities and responsibilities identified in agency policy and training should be designed to enhance the response to incidents involving acute behavioral emergency (ABE). 

An ABE is condition that may present with a wide spectrum of behaviors, including unintelligible speech, insensitivity to pain, disproportionate physical strength, and paranoia.

These documents provide guidance and direction in responding to individuals who appear to be experiencing an ABE.