Police Custody as a System and Unified Policy : Best Practices for Reducing Officer and Prisoner Risks of Injury and Death

Police Custody as a System and Unified Policy : Best Practices for Reducing Officer and Prisoner Risks of Injury and Death

  For law enforcement officers to engage in Best Practices to better control prisoners physically in custody, from arrest to jail release, and have essential information to ensure greater safety and security for both officers and prisoners during the entire custody process, policymakers must view custody as a system of continuous and interactive activities, events, and information. Officers must not be expected to integrate and understand the many diverse agency policies and procedures that guide officers conduct during prisoner custody. A comprehensive, unified custody policy with corresponding procedures and training are needed to better ensure greater safety and security for officers and prisoners for the duration of a prisoner’s custody. Physical control and information requirements for an integrated and unified “custody system” policy must be identified. Requisite training and education for policymakers and officers will be critical to advance the proposition that custody is a system requiring a unified policy.