Arrest Policy
Last updated
Last updated
Processing a suspect involves multiple steps.
Cuffing: This is done at the original scene by the arresting officer. As the suspect is being placed under arrest, make sure to cuff them. There should only be one officer going for cuffs at a time, make sure to communicate that you are going for cuffs.
Rights: After placing the suspect under arrest, read them their Miranda Rights.
Fingerprints: Once a suspect has been brought to the station, bring them down to get fingerprinted in order to confirm their identity. Ask your commanding officer the location for your station.
Mugshot: After the suspect has been fingerprinted, remove any hats, glasses, masks, and anything covering their face. Take the suspect to the mugshot room to take their mugshot for our records.
Put suspect in cell: After you have done the identification steps for a suspect (Fingerprints and Mugshots) escort the suspect to the waiting cells.
Search: After placing the suspect in the cells, search them and take any illegal or questionable items off of them.
Uncuff: After taking any weapons and illegal items off the suspect, you may at this point uncuff them. If for any reason, the suspect has given you a reason to fear for your life, well they are in the cells, you may keep them cuffed, just make sure to uncuff them before you send them to jail.
Writing up charges: Once the suspect has been uncuffed, (or placed in cells and searched), you may write up their charges based on their crime. Also add any charges due to the items you took off them. (See MDT Charges for details on charges).
Plead guilty or not guilty: After writing up the charges, read them back to the suspect and the reasoning for each charge. Ask if they plead guilty or not guilty. If they plead not guilty, they can appeal the charges at the attorney’s office. If they are found to be guilty after, they will be sent for the max amount of time. If they plead guilty, you can send them for a reduced time, no more than 20% months off. They can get 25% with authorization of Lt. or higher.
Fine: After getting the plea, fine the suspect the recommended fine in the MDT. An additional 10% can be taken off on their sentence on top of the reduced time for an additional fine of $2,500 per month. You may not reduce the fine sent to the suspect.
Send to jail: Send the suspect to either Jail or Community Service. They may be given Community Service instead of jail in the event that their recommended sentence is below 40 months, and they have to have no prior felonies. Max time someone can be sent to jail for would be 120 months
Write up the report: After you have sent the suspect to jail, tell your other officers you are going 10-7 to write up the report. Make sure to include what the report is about, who was involved, where the event took place, and a summary of what took place. Note down what you confiscated from the suspect, as well as if you took any time off the sentence and why. Include any details such as how many suspects were involved, what vehicles were found on scene (used in the crime), how many suspects were arrested, and how many got away. Make a brief note on where the chase went if you were in a chase as well. Once done with your report, title it with the suspect’s name and note what type of report it is.
