HOW TO CONDUCT A SEARCH
MAIN RULE, SEARCH IN DAYTIME, AND EXCEPTIONS, Section 89
A search shall be done in daytime (6.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m.) but can also be done at any other
time if authorized by a Court.
SUMMONING TO ATTEND THE SEARCH
The tenant, his representative or another adult tenant of neighbours shall be summoned to attend
the search.
USE OF FORCE IF LOCKED
Locked premises, pieces of furniture or other articles shall be forced open only if the person in
possession of them is not present or refuses to open them voluntarily. In opening them
unnecessary damage shall be avoided.
PERMISSION TO SEARCH OR INSPECT IN A MILITARY BUILDING
A search or inspection in a military building shall be done with permission of the competent
military officer.
SEARCHING WITH CARE
The search of a dwelling or person should be done with care so as not to upset the order of the
household.
SEARCH SHOULD NOT BE DONE IN THE PRESENCE OF COMPLAINANT
Under no circumstance should searches be conducted in the company or
presence of the complainant (s).
ARREST/SEARCH SHOULD BE WITH THE COOPERATION OF LOCAL POLICE
As a general rule all arrests and search should be conducted with the co-operation of the local
Police whose jurisdiction the arrest/search is going to be conducted.
BREACH OF DISCIPLINE-Service Instruction Number 48
In accordance with the provisions of the Police Service Act (Act 350) the following constitute
breaches of discipline for which Police Officers may be liable and for which punishment may be
imposed in accordance with the provisions of the said Regulation:
1) Disobedience of a lawful order given him by his senior in rank, whether verbally or in writing,
or by authorized signal on parade.
2) Any oppressive or tyrannical conduct towards a junior in rank.
3) Failing to attend to any reasonable request made to him by any member of the public.
4) Lack of civility to any member of the public.
5) Neglect of duty.
6) Neglecting to assist any person injured or taken ill in any public place.
7) Withholding or failing to report promptly any complaint against a Police Officer.
8) Communicating to any unauthorized person matters connected with the Service without
permission from the Senior Police Officer under whom he serves.
9) Accepting directly or indirectly any gratuity, present, subscription or testimonial without the
knowledge and permission of the Senior Police Officer under whom he is serving.
10) Incurring debt without any reasonable prospect, or intention of paying it, or having incurred
any debt, making no reasonable effort to pay it.
11) Divulging any matter or thing, which it is his duty to keep secret.
12) Absence from duty without good cause.
13) Conduct, disorder or neglect to the prejudice of good order and discipline.
14) Insubordination.
15) Disrespect in word, act or demeanour to his senior in rank.
16) The use of abusive or insulting language to, or quarrelling with any member of the Service.
17) Forcing a sentry; where there is a sentry guard and you are to stop but fail to do so.
18) The pawn, sale, loss by neglect, wilful or negligent damage or failure to report any damage
to any of the articles of clothing, arms, accoutrements, or accessories issued to him, or any
Government property committed to his charge.
19) Being inattentive on parade, or talking, singing or otherwise misbehaving himself on parade.
20) Being late for duty or parade.
21) Parading for duty, dirty or untidy in his person, arms, clothing, or accoutrement.
22) Drunkenness.
23) Drinking any intoxicating liquor when on duty.
24) Entering any place licensed for the sale of spirituous liquor when on duty, except when his
presence is required in the execution of his duty.
25) Endeavouring at any time to conceal or disguise his Service number, name & rank (identity).
26) Smoking when on duty;
27) Failing to walk his beat properly or irregularity on beat or sentry.
28) Idling, gossiping, sitting, lying down without cause or sleeping when on duty.
29) Leaving his beat, point, or other place to which he has been ordered without permission or
without sufficient and proper reason.
30) Using unnecessary violence to, or ill-using any person in his custody.
31) Negligently permitting a prisoner to escape.
32) Failing to report the whereabouts of an offender or helping the offender to escape justice
when he knows where such a person is to be found.
33) Omitting to make any necessary entry in any official document, book or paper.
34) Making or signing any false statement in any official record or document.
35) Prevarication before any court or at any inquiry.
36) Neglecting or refusing to assist in the apprehension of any member of
the Service charged with any offence.
37) Protecting any person in any manner otherwise than is allowed by law.
38) Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)
39) Making or joining in making any anonymous complaint.
40) Conveying information directly or indirectly to any person of any warrant or summons,
which has been issued or is about to be issued against such person.
41) Malingering or feigning sickness without due cause
42) Concealing any contagious disease, or neglecting or failing to report the fact if he is
suffering.
43) Gambling or permitting or failing to report gambling in Police Stations or Barracks;
44) Failure to comply with or disobedience of any regulation made under the Police Service Act,
or any Service Instruction made by the Inspector-General of Police.
INTERVIEWS
GENERAL
The primary purpose or objective of all questioning is to obtain information from the person
being interviewed to:
Establish the facts pertaining to a case or matter under investigation;
Determine the identity of the victim and the perpetrator;
Record the facts of a case for later testimony;
A confession of a suspect does not present complete evidence when a Police Officer takes a
statement.
HOW TO CONDUCT QUESTIONING OR AN INTERVIEW
Before questioning or interviewing, you must:
Identify yourself as a Police Officer;
Always be polite and courteous;
Explain the purpose of the interview;
Be straight forward and direct;
Begin with questions the person should not be afraid to answer such as their name,
address and employment;
Remain neutral;
Use calm conversational voice;
Do not be judgmental;
Do not ask leading questions;
Do not express emotions
Be aware that all people are presumed to tell the truth;
Be aware that the suspect is innocent until proven guilty;
Be clear and concise;
Do not use police terms or words the person will not understand;
Take very careful notes of all interviews/discussions.
VARIOUS TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEW OF A COMPLAINANT
The interview of a complainant is normally the first information received about a crime or
incident and you must:
Try to obtain as much information as possible;
Be aware that the complainant may or may not be the victim;
Be aware that sympathy and understanding must be part of your approach;
Be aware that you should not rush the interview.
INTERVIEW OF A WITNESS
In interviewing witnesses you must:
Try to find out the relationship between the witness and the crime
Be aware that a witness may be a victim, a passerby who saw nothing, someone who saw
everything or even the suspect;
Avoid giving the witness information about the crime;
Be alert to any indication of deception.
SUSPECT OR DEFENDANT INTERVIEWS
When you interview the suspect or the defendant you must:
Deal with the person in a calm and objective manner;
Do not use knowingly false statement, promises or deceptions concerning particular
benefits, exhaustion, threats or improper methods or approaches that influence freedom
of choice;
Do not use willpower of the person being questioned in order to obtaina confession or a
statement;
Remember that the suspect has the right to avoid self-incrimination.
INTERVIEWING CHILDREN
You must know that:
Children do not think, act or respond like adults;
Children are much more likely to be truthful and frank;
Privacy is equally as important for the child as it is for the adult;
You should avoid interviewing children in public;
A child who is a suspect should never be interviewed alone;
If a child is uncooperative or very frightened, you must make no attempt to interview
him/her without the presence of a parent or person in authority.
VEHICLE AND BUILDING SEARCHES
PURPOSE OF SEARCH
Building and vehicle searches are conducted:
To arrest an offender;
To discover items of evidential value;
To assist members of an investigative team;
To search for explosive devices or bombs in structures;
To develop information concerning criminal activity that is under investigation.
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING BUILDING SEARCHES
PRECAUTIONS
The Police Officer shall:
Establish a perimeter to prevent the suspect’s escape and ensure that all exits from the
building are covered by police personnel;
Do not attempt to make an arrest of an armed suspect alone or with only one other
officer;
Call for back up;
Have a plan, each member should know his or her own role;
Make sure that the point of entry into the building is safe.
BEFORE ENTERING
Before entering you shall:
Attempt to contact the suspect;
Identify yourself as a Police Officer;
Order the suspect to come out;
Tell him/her to walk towards you with the hands up over the head;
Wait for a reaction to your verbal command;
Make every attempt to remove innocent civilians from the building before search begins;
Do not allow civilians to assist you;
Search for and find the one suspect, but assume always that there is another.
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUTING VEHICLE SEARCHES
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Before conducting a vehicle search:
The vehicle must be located out of other vehicular traffic.
The area must be secured;
All suspects must be under control;
Call for back up to assist when necessary
Any crowd that has gathered must be under control;
An Officer should search at any given time
Additional police personnel must be available to assist and maintain control while one
officer searches.
