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SECTION 508 SEARCHES

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SECTION: 508

TITLE:     SEARCHES

EFFECTIVE DATE:  February 15, 2017

POLICY:

Designated facility staff shall conduct searches of the facility and offenders to control contraband and provide for its disposition. These policies shall be made available to staff and offenders, reviewed at least annually, and updated when necessary.

DISCUSSION:

To provide for the safe and secure working and living environment, searches of the facility and persons entering the facility are required. With the elimination of gender specific duty assignments in male housing units, it is necessary, in order to effectively control contraband, to allow for cross gender pat searching of male offenders by female staff. Care shall be taken to treat offenders with humanity and dignity while providing for a safe environment. Searches shall be conducted courteously, professionally, and in such a way as to allow the offender as much dignity as possible consistent with the nature of the procedure.

DEFINITIONS:

  1. Contraband: Any item, which is not specifically issued or authorized by the institution, or any authorized item that has been altered for other than their intended purpose; or approved items in excess of authorized amounts. (14:402)
  2. Narcotics, hallucinogens, intoxicating beverages, legal or illegal drugs and/or their paraphernalia;
    • Weapons or plans for their manufacture;
    • Perishable goods, including food or beverages;
    • Any item that can be shown to threaten the security, safety, or good order of the facility;
    • Evidence of a crime.
  3. Pat Search: A systematic search of a clothed person for contraband prior to entering a secure area.
  4. Inventory/Custody Search: A systematic search where an offender is allowed to retain only authorized items of personal property. All unauthorized property is inventoried, receipted, and secured by the facility.
  5. Clothing Search: A systematic search of an offender's clothing, in the presence of the offender, prior to being transferred from Intake/Booking to an offender housing unit.
  6. Strip Search: A systematic visual examination of the unclothed body of an offender, inclusive of body cavities.
  7. Body Cavity: Body openings, such as the anus, vagina, inside of the ear, inside of the nose and mouth.
  8. Housed Population: All offenders assigned a bed in the facility.
  9. Reasonable Suspicion: A level of suspicion based upon direct observation of an offender's conduct or demeanor, which can be articulated and could lead a reasonable person to conclude that an individual may be concealing contraband.
  10. Exigent Circumstances: Any set of temporary and unforeseen circumstances that require immediate action in order to combat a threat to the security or institutional order of a facility.

RULES:

  1. All persons conducting searches shall receive related training during recruit training.
  2. Female staff shall be authorized to conduct pat searches of offenders of either sex.
  3. Male staff shall be authorized to conduct pat searches on male offenders only.
  4. Facility staff shall not witness clothing or strip search of an offender of the opposite sex unless exigent circumstances exist.
  5. Staff shall conduct all searches with the maximum amount of respect and dignity afforded to the offender.
  6. Pat searches shall take place:
    1. Upon admission to the facility
    2. Anytime an offender exits their assigned housing unit at the Evangeline Parish Jail;
    3. Prior to any offender returning to their assigned housing unit at the Evangeline Parish Jail;
    4. Prior to any offender being transported out of the facility;
    5. When any offender worker arrives at and/or departs from any housing unit area at the Evangeline Parish Jail ;
    6. When a staff member has reasonable suspicion that an offender is concealing contraband;
    7. At irregular intervals to discourage the transportation of contraband throughout the facility.