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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-2003 ICPD SOG'S Iowa City Police Department Standard Operating Guideline SOG #: Effective date: 03-03 APRIL 11, 2003 Subject: Reference: TRAFFIC CONTROL, TRAFFIC DIRECTION / CONTROL VEHICLE CRASHES Section: CPS Comf~and S!gnature: I Purpose." The purpose of this guide is to identity those procedures to be used when directing traffic. Procedures: i::i: ' TRAFFIC DIRECTION AND CONTROl ;;c- c:, The purpose of this section is to establish procedures for traffic d~recbon and control. A. Manual Traffic Direction 1. Manual traffic direction will be used in situations when there is a failure of normal traffic control signals, during emergencies, at accidents, or when other traffic control devices are not present or adequate. 2. Effective manual traffic direction is dependent upon the use of clear and easily understood gestures and the high visibility of the person directing traffic. 3. In order to provide for officer safety and driver recognition and response, reflective, high visibility vests are provided in patrol vehicle. All personnel directing traffic should wear the provided vests. 4. Members performing traffic direction and control will ensure that their presence and purpose are appropriately indicated to drivers and pedestrians. This may be accomplished by positioning so that they can clearly be seen by all parties. 5. Officers directing traffic may utilize flashlights, traffic wand, road flares, and/or traffic cones while manually directing traffic. These will be used in a manner to enhance visibility. 6. Officers will remain calm and professional whenever directing traffic. When drivers or pedestrians fail to understand or obey hand signals, the officer will handle these instances with professionalism. 7. Signals and Commands - Manual signals for traffic direction should be consistent with departmental training. B. Emergency Traffic Direction Fire Scenes - Members of this department will assist fire operations by: 1. consulting with the fire officer in charge of a scene to determine their needs; 2. providing protection for the fire scene and for fire rescue equipment 3. setting up perimeter traffic control points to allow for the entrance and exit of emergency vehicles and personnel authorized to be at the scene; C. Adverse Road and Weather Conditions Adverse road and weather conditions may include but are notqimite~ ' 1. accident hazards such as debris, downed power lines, hazardous material spill/leak; 2. acts of nature such as snow, ice, and flooding Upon discovering an adverse road or weather condition affecting safe roadway travel, members of this department are expected to notify communications and the watch supervisor. A decision will be made as to how best correct or control the situation. The supervisor may direct that the appropriate city department be notified of and asked to respond to the incident. Members of the Iowa City Police Department will provide traffic direction, control services and scene protection when the presence of adverse road and weather conditions warrant such steps. Direction or control will be maintained until appropriate steps have been take to alleviate the situation. D. Manual Operation of Traffic Signals 1. Manual operation of traffic control signals may be necessary in the case of accidents or other emergencies, or to alleviate traffic congestion resulting from a specific event. 2. In instances of a traffic signal malfunction, the lights may be set on "flash" mode if this will not cause undue problems, until the appropriate agency or department can respond to correct the problem. E. Temporary Traffic Control Device 1. Temporary traffic control devices may be used in either pre-planned events or to serve as a temporary measure for unusual or emergency situations. In the event that a temporary traffic control device is used, due to an emergency situation, contact will be made with the agency or department who is responsible for the applicable roadway or signal. Officers should periodically check any temporary traffic control devices in their area to ensure that they are situated appropriately, or at times of high traffic volume, require additional traffic control efforts. The Emergency Communications Operator shall record the date and time that notice was made to the agency or department with responsibility for the damaged device and/or record the time that any temporary device was put in place. 2. In instances where a temporary traffic control device will be in place for an extended duration, the commander of the day watch will make contact with the appropriate department or agency; of the location, nature and reason for the temporary device; and will request they review the nature and placement of the device for appropriateness. 3. When temporary traffic control devices have been placed by a private contractor or an entity of the City due to construction, it shall be the responsibility of the placing entity to erect, place and maintain all such devices. Officers should periodically check construction sites in their area to determine the integrity and effectiveness of the device. If a device is not in place, not functioning, not visible, or otherwise creates a hazard for the motoring public, the placing entity should be contacted to correct the situation. Iowa City Police Department Standard Operating Guideline SOG #: Effective date: 03-O2 APRIL 11, 2003 Subject: Reference: TRAFFIC, HIGH-RISK TRAFFIC STOPS TRAFFIC STOPS, CITATIONS Section: ePS Although stopping a motorist on the highway for traffic violations or other purposes is often considered a routine function of patrol officer, it is one that has been demonstrated to be potentially dangerous for both the officer and motorist even during apparently "routine" situations. Therefore, it is the policy of the Iowa City Police Department that motor vehicle stops shall be performed professionally and courteously, and with a view towards educating the public about proper driving procedures while consistently recognizing and taking the necessary steps to minimize the dangers involved in this activity for the officer, the motorist and others users of the roadway. It is the policy of the Iowa City Police Department to establish guidelines for stopping and approaching motorists in a manner that promotes the safety of the officer and the motorist. Definitions: Procedures: TRAFFIC STOPS STOPPING AND APPROACHING TRAFFIC VIOLATOR The following procedures should be followed whenever possible. It is recognized that varying conditions such as roadway construction, volume of traffic and the urgency of making the stops may require officers to adjust these procedures to padicular conditions. 1. Officers shall perform vehicle stops only when they have an articulable reason to do so. 2. Once an initial decision has been made to stop a motorist, the officer should select an area that provides reasonable safety, avoiding curves, hills, heavily trafficked or poorly lit areas and roads without shoulders. 3. Whenever possible, the officer shall also avoid the use of private drives, business locations and areas where a large volume of spectators is likely to gather. 4. When a location has been selected for the stop, the officer shall notify communications of its nature, providing the location of the stop and the license plate number of the vehicle. The officer may include the number of occupants. In instances where a plate is not visible, the officer(s) should give a description of the vehicle being stopped. At the officer's discretion or dispatcher's request, additional information may be exchanged. 5. At the desired location, the officer should signal the operator to stop at the far right side of the roadway or at the safest shoulder by activating the eCerge~y lights and/or siren as necessary. ~' ' ~::' a. On multilane roads, the officer may facilitate movement to the rig~t-~h°ul(J~r by gradually changing lanes behind the violator until the dght s~de; of th~ roadway is reached. :. ~-. b. Should the v~olator stop abruptly ~n the wrong lane or location, ~ offic~i; should instruct him/her to mOve by using the appropriate hand sigr~als or I~,- activating the vehicle's public address system. 6. Once propedy stopped, the officer should position the police vehicle about one- half to one and one-half car length behind the violator's vehicle and at a slight angle, with the front approximately 2 feet to the traffic side of the violator's vehicle. a. At night, the spotlight should not be used to direct the violator off the roadway, but may be used to illuminate the vehicle's intedor once stopped. The patrol vehicle should use its Iow beams as high beams may blind oncoming motorists. 7. When exiting the patrol vehicle, the officer should be particularly alert to suspicious movements or actions of the vehicle operator or passengers. 8. Approaching from the ddver's side, the officer should be observant of the trunk and passenger compartments, and stop at a point to the rear of the trailing edge of the left front'door in order to communicate with the driver. a. Where circumstances dictate, particularly where traffic is close enough to create a potential problem, the officer may choose to approach the violator's vehicle from the right-hand side and stop at the trailing edge of the dght front door. b. When the violator's vehicle has occupants in the rear seat, the officer should approach to a point near the leading edge of the front door, being particularly observant of occupant movements and choosing a path that will not allow the occupants to thrust the door open against the officer. c. When dealing with a motorist who is non-compliant, officers should take those steps necessary to ensure the safety of themselves and the public. When practical, officers should employ verbal skills to defuse, deflect or delay a possible physical confrontation with a subject until a second unit arrives. Officers should identify themselves, the department, the reason for the contact, continue to repeat commands, and advise the motorist that failure to comply could result in cdminal charges. When a situation escalates to a physical confrontation, officers are guided by departmental Use of Force directives when responding to the actions of the motorist. d. In two-officer police vehicles, the passenger officer should be responsible for radio communications, note taking and relaying messages to the communications center. He/She will also act as an observer and cover for his/her fellow officer. (note: this does not apply to training cars with an FTO which are to be considered One officer cars) 9. Non-uniformed officers operating an unmarked patrol vehicle with concealed emergency lights and siren may make vehicle stops if the stop is consistent with the officer's assignment, i.e. Officers assigned to address special concems in an area in which the use of an unmarked vehicle is determined to be useful. Prior to the initiation of a traffic stop, when cimumstances allow, officers in unmarked vehicles should check for the availability of a marked unit in the vicinity. If available, the marked unit should initiate the stop. Officers operating unmarked patrol cars must recognize that persons failing to stop for them may be doing so due to legitimate concerns for their safety. Persons may legitimately continue to a lighted area with traffic prior to stopping for an unmarked vehicle. 10. N. on-uniformed officers operating vehicles not equipped with emergency lights or s~ren shall not make motor vehicle stops unless there is an imminent danger of loss of life should they fail to act. In other less urgent cases that demand attention, officers shall contact the communications center, request that a marked patrol vehicle perform the stop, and assist in directing the marked unit to the su ect vehicle's location. ISSUING CITATIONS Enforcement action incidental to traffic law violations will be carried out by~m n~ (wr~tt.en o.r verbal), written citation(s), or physical arrest. A large number of ~i~ns arrests is not the purpose or emphasis for conducting traffic stops. IX~ syst~'~ emphasizing quantitative enforcement, i.e. ticket quotas, shall be utilized. Physical arrests should be utilized for sedous offenses such as OWl, eluding, assault with a motor vehicle, or other offenses which constitute a serious misdemeanor or above. In incidents where an officer elects to take a person into physical custody in lieu of issuing a citation, the decision to arrest should be based on sound legal principles. When a person commits a less serious violation the officer has the discretion to decide if the operator should given a warning or citation. In cases of non-hazardous or inadvertent moving violations or equipment violations, officers may elect to issue a verbal or written warning to the violator. During the traffic stop officers should greet the violator in a courteous manner, explain the reason for the stop and request the ddvers license and other documentation as determined by the officer. The officer should request that the operator remove the drivers' license from their wallet or purse. When taking the license, it should be taken in the officer's weak hand. 1. When issuing citations, conducting roadside sobdety tests or conversing with the violator, the officer and other parties should be positioned to the side of the road, clear of passing motor vehicles. 2. During the stop, the violator should remain in his/her motor vehicle while the officer writes the citation or conducts other business. Under normal circumstances, violators should not be permitted to sit in patrol vehicle while citations are being prepared or other police business is being conducted. 3. When preparing citations, the officer should position paperwork and related materials in a manner that allows him/her to maintain vantage over actions of the violator and other occupants. 4. Upon deciding to issue a citation, the officer should advise the violator of the following: a. That a citation(s) will be issued, the violation(s) for which it is being issued, and the fine amount imposed if scheduled. b. Explain the methods of responding to the citation, i.e., manda~ry court appearance or pay the scheduled fine or appear in court to c~r~t.e~t t~ charge. c. Explain the unsecured bond amount and purpose. d. Make sure the violator is aware of the scheduled court date. e. Request the violator sign the citation, explaining that signing of the~tation~ not an admission of guilt. f. If the violator signs the citation, provide copies of the citation to the violator and suggest they read both sides of the citation. If the violator refuses to sign the citation, the violator shall be advised that failure to sign will result in a physical arrest being made. Upon continued refusal to sign, the violator may be physically arrested. An officer may issue a citation when he/she believes a violation was hazardous, intentional, or believes a citation is necessary to achieve voluntary compliance with the law. STOPPING AN APPROACHING MOTORIST In cases where a motodst in oncoming traffic must be stopped, the following actions may be taken: 1. Drive the police vehicle to the extreme right portion of the roadway and as the violator approaches signal him/her to stop by using hand signals and/or emergency lights. 2. Because of the potential hazard involved, an officer should not leave his/her vehicle when attempting to stop traffic violators in oncoming lanes. 3. If the subject motorist complies with the instructions, the police vehicle may then be turned around and appropriately positioned to the rear of the violator's vehicle. 4. Should the motodst fail to comply with the officer's instructions, the officer should turn the police vehicle around and pursue, stop and approach the violator in the prescribed manner. STOPPING A FOLLOWING VIOLATOR When stopping a motorist to the rear of the police vehicle, the following procedures may be followed: 1. The officer should drive to the right shoulder of the road and, as the violator approaches, signal him/her to stop by using hand signals and/or emergency lights. 2. The officer should not exit his/her vehicle in order to signal the subject motorist. 3. Should the motodst fail to comply, the officer should return to the:~roadway,; pursue, stop and approach him/her in the prescribed manner. HIGH-RISK VEHICLE STOPS .~- The following procedures may be employed when an officer initiating a vehicle sto'~ has reason to believe that an occupant may be armed or dangerous: 1. When planning to perform a high-risk stop on a suspect vehicle, the officer shall notify the communications center, giving location, vehicle information, nature or reason for the stop, and number of occupants visible in the vehicle and request appropriate assistance. 2. An officer should not individually initiate a high-risk vehicle stop unless back-up units will not be available in an appropriate amount of time or the urgency of the situation demands immediate action. In these cases the initiating officer should not attempt removal of the suspects without assistance. 3. After selecting an appropriate location and with adequate support units in position, the officer should signal the suspect vehicle to stop. 4. The initiating officer should position their vehicle to the left of the suspect vehicle and at least 20 feet to the rear of the suspect vehicle. Positioning should be such that it will maximize opportunities for cover and in such a manner as to allow for illumination of the interior of the vehicle and its occupants. 5. The officer initiating the stop, or the officer with the best observation point, should issue verbal commands to the vehicle occupants through the squad cars PA system, if available. 6. Once the suspect vehicle has stopped, officers should exit their vehicles quickly and assume positions of cover, 7. The officer in charge shall first identify himself/herself and then notify the occupants that they are considered to be armed and/or dangerous and that all instructions are to be followed without hesitation or suspicious movements. 8. When ordering the occupants of the vehicle from the vehicle, the officer giving the orders should give a separate command for each movement or action required. While the nature and order of the commands may vary, depending on circumstances, the purpose of the commands will be geared to safely taking control of the occupants of the suspect vehicle. Suspects will be ordered from the vehicle one at a time, with instructions directing them towards backup officers, who will secure and confine them. After a subject is secured and confined, another occupant may be directed from the vehicle. 9. When all visible subjects have been removed from the vehicle, and with appropriate cover, two officers may then approach the suspect vehicle to inspect the passenger compartment and trunk, where appropriate. During the approach to the vehicle, officers should have their weapon drawn and focused towards the. · suspect veh c e. STOPPING OVERSIZE AND OVERWEIGHT VEHICLES In the event that an officer needs to stop commercial and similar ov~r~Ze overweight vehicles, the following procedures should be followed: 1. Select a location for the stop that provides enough room for the vehicle and sufficient stability to support the vehicle's weight, and allow the operator sufficient time and distance to make the stop. 2. Approach the cab from the rear, using the driver's outside mirror to observe the driver and activity in the cab. 3. Avoid climbing onto the vehicle to make contact with the operator. Maintain a position to the rear of the driver's door and ask the operator to exit the vehicle, if and when necessary. While engaged in traffic enfomement, officers may encounter persons who are at times granted exemptions to laws. When encountering these situations, officers may follow the guidelines in Appendix I, of General Order 99-07 Traffic, or if still unsure of the appropriate action, should contact a watch supervisor for fudher guidance.