203.11 DETERMINING DEATH. It shall be the responsibility of a certified EMS provider to determine if death has occurred. Officers shall render first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation until a certified EMS provider arrives. Officers may withhold first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the absence of a palpable carotid pulse, respiration, and one or more of the following:

• Decapitation;

• Decomposition;

• Incineration;

• Rigor mortis; and/or

• Post-mortem lividity.

203.12 DEATH INVESTIGATIONS ON FREEWAYS. The San Andreas Highway Patrol shall have primary responsibility for the investigation of all deaths resulting from traffic collisions on all freeways. The local department shall have primary responsibility for any other deaths on freeways.

203.13 AMBULANCE REQUESTED AT SCENE OF APPARENT DEATH. An ambulance shall be requested at the scene of an apparent death unless a physician is in attendance. 

203.14 SEARCHING DEAD BODIES. The officer in charge at the scene of a dead body shall prevent any person, other than a deputy coroner, from searching the body.

203.15 NOTIFICATION TO NEXT OF KIN OF DECEASED PERSON. Whenever practicable, notification to the next of kin of the deceased person shall be made in person by the investigating officers.

203.16 UNIDENTIFIED DEAD BODIES. When the identity of a dead body is unknown, the reporting officer shall obtain the "John Doe" or "Jane Doe" number from the Coroner's deputy at the scene.

203.21 CIVILIAN ELIGIBILITY. To qualify for a ride along, civilians must have no previous felonies on their record; misdemeanors and other offences will be checked on a case by case basis.

203.22 OFFICER ELIGIBILITY. Officers must hold the rank of atleast Police Officer II, and request permission from an active supervisor to take a civilian on a ride along. If no supervisor is present in game, the civilian ridealong must be posponed, until one is available.

• 203.221 ELIGIBLE UNITS. In order to keep the civilian as safe as possible, and minimise the possibility of harm coming to the civilian, civilians shall not accompany officers on duty as AIR, EAGLE, MARINE, SHARK, SWAT, and Crime Suppression units. Furthermore, if an officer accompanying a civilian ridealong is going to switch to one of these units, it is the officer's responsibility to ensure that another eligible unit takes over with the civilian, or that the civilian is instructed to stay behind at a secured facility, or that the ridealong is ended.

203.23 WAIVER FORM. Before conducting the ride along, a supervisor shall be present while the civilian signs a waiver form - the waiver form informs the civilian of the risks involved, and negates any liability from the department, including, but not limited to: death by gunfire, explosion, immolation, vehicle crash, shrapnel wounds, crushing by heavy objects, trampling by unruly crowd, trampling by frightened cattle, chemical fumes poisoning, suffocation, strangulation, loss of blood, drug overdose, hypothermia, hyperthermia, dissolution in acid, acute radiation poisoning; injuries, both psychological and physical, including, but not limited to: loss of sight, loss of smell, loss of hearing, loss of teeth, separation of head from torso, extremities from torso, digits from extremities, skin from the rest of the body, hair loss, decrease in fertility, night terrors, bed wetting. 

The civilian shall also be instructed that they cannot take a firearm along with them.

203.24 FIELD RIDE ALONG. Officers conducting a ride along shall attempt to keep their ride along as safe as possible. To do this, officers should request that ride alongs stay in the patrol vehicle, and they shouldn't engage with any suspects. In addition, the civilian should be instructed to not "wander" without their assigned officer accompanying them.

Officers should only take routine calls for service that are light and pose as little threat to the ride along as possible.

Exception: Officers are still expected to respond to backup requests and help calls when applicable. Officers responding to these high risk situations, with a civilian ride along, must try to take as many measures as possible to keep the civilian safe.

203.31 INITIAL RESPONSE. As most bomb threats are fake, the Department cannot afford to instantly declare every bomb threat a major incident, and so when an unconfirmed bomb threat is received, it shall be treated as a Priority II call. 

203.32 INITIAL ASSESSMENT. When responding to a bomb threat, officers shall conduct an initial assessment of the threat. Depending on the conclusion of the officer's initial assessment, officers may recommend an initial search if they believe it is advisable, however the decision ultimately lies with the person in charge of the location. At this point, officers shall NOT recommend an evacuation of the location. If the person in charge of the location elects to conduct an initial search, officers shall follow the person as they search and act as an advisor only.

203.33 SUSPICIOUS ITEM FOUND. In the event the officer's initial assessment or authorised search identifies a suspicious item, officers shall NOT TOUCH IT, and immediately notify the Watch Commander, the Bomb Squad, and the Fire Department.

Note: If there is no Watch Commander, officers shall notify any Field Supervisor.

203.331 Handing Scene to Bomb Squad. When Bomb Squad arrives on scene, they shall be briefed by the previous IC before assuming the role of IC themselves.

203.34 EVACUATION. When a possible device is located, the responsibility now lies with the senior officer to conduct an appropriate evacuation.

203.4 PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. Upon receiving information about a missing person, an officer shall conduct a preliminary investigation. The preliminary investigation includes checking the following:

• Any addresses belonging to the missing person

• Missing Persons;

• Mental Evaluation;

• Local Hospital(s);

• Coroner;

• Area Custody; and,

• Department of Child and Family Services.

The preliminary investigation may also include a search of the premises, interviewing family members and friends, school follow-ups, etc.

203.51 DETERMINING NEED FOR MEU. Officers shall attempt to determine whether Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) is required upon the detention of persons with mental illness before effecting an arrest. On a radio call, the following criteria must be met in order to constitute a PC6-09/51-50/Baker Act hold, which would be grounds for requesting MEU:

• Deviance - any specific paraphilia, or other deviation from societal norms;

• Dysfunction - any major interference with life;

• Distress - any excessive symptoms of anxiety or depression; and/or,

• Danger - any prevalent danger to one's self or danger to others, (suicidal tendencies.)

203.52 CONTACTING MEU. Assuming the criteria is met, Officers shall fill out a Field Interview (FI) card on the individual, then go to #leo-meu-pager and refer to relevant formatting to contact MEU. Upon the arrival of MEU, the primary officer shall brief MEU personnel on the situation, referencing their FI card. 

203.61 DEAD ANIMALS. When dead animals are found in the street, Public Works shall be notified.

203.62 ANIMAL BITES. When a fowl or an animal (except reptiles) bites a person, a notification shall be made to the Rabies Control Division of the County Health Department. The notification shall include the following details:

• Name, address, telephone number and age of the victim;

• Name, address, telephone number of the owner of the animal;

• Description of the animal (breed, colour, and sex);

• Circumstances of the attack;

• Nature of treatment, when, and by whom given;

• Location of the wound on the body; and,

• Date the bite occurred.

203.63 SICK OR INJURED ANIMALS. When a sick or injured animal is found on the street, the nearest Animal Services shall be notified.

203.64 LOST ANIMALS. A person requesting that a report be taken of a lost animal shall be referred to the nearest animal services.

203.65 FOUND ANIMALS. An officer receiving information regarding a found animal shall notify the nearest animal services. The notification shall include the name and address of the person who has possession of the animal when applicable.

203.66 DESTROYING ANIMALS. Under certain circumstances officers are authorised to use a firearm to destroy an animal when animal services are unable to attend.

Critically Injured Animals. Officers may use a firearm to destroy a critically injured animal when a delay in destroying the animal would be inhumane.

Note: The owner's consent shall be obtained prior to destroying a critically injured animal, when practical.

Vicious or Rabid Animal. Officers may use a firearm to destroy a vicious, potentially dangerous, or rabid animal when a delay would expose persons to danger.

Note: Animals suspected of being rabid should not be shot in the head except in an emergency.

Predatory Animals. Provisions for destroying predatory animals attacking people, domestic animals or livestock, are outlined in the San Andreas Fish and Game Code.

Venomous/Poisonous Animals. Officers may use a firearm to destroy venomous or poisonous animals, which pose an immediate danger.

Note: The use of a firearm should be considered only if other methods are impractical (e.g. use of a shovel, or other tool).

Reporting Requirements, Animal Shootings. When one of these incidents occurs involving on-duty officers, Force Investigation Division (FID) shall be notified.

203.67 CARE OF ANIMALS, OWNER ARRESTED. When a person having an animal in their possession is arrested, the arresting officer shall, if unable to make any other arrangements for its care:

• Deliver the animal to the nearest station and obtain an Impound Record from the front desk.

203.71 PRE-HOSPITAL TRANSPORT. Pre-hospital transports, commonly known as "self-transporting", consist of an officer using a Department-owned vehicle to transport an injured party, including other government employees, both sworn and unsworn, or non-government employees, to the nearest hospital. 

203.72 REQUIREMENTS. Pre-hospital transports can only be performed when granted permission by a supervisor. This is due to the following: 

• Officers performing pre-hospital transports can inflict further injuries to an already injured party, especially in cases of severe penetrating trauma; and,

• Certain exigent circumstances must be present, such as limited access to an ambulance and dangerous surroundings, which make it viable for officers to perform a pre-hospital transport.

Exception: Officers assigned to the K-9 Unit may perform a pre-hospital transport for their canine when injured per Unit standards.

203.73 EXECUTION. When performing a pre-hospital transport with permission from a supervisor, officers shall ensure the following:

• The injured party is in the back seat(s) of the Department-owned vehicle and being actively tended to by a government employee with first aid training; and,

• Extra precautions are taken to ensure the safe arrival of the injured party to the nearest hospital, including route considerations.

203.81 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Officers may encounter calls for service of violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Due to the nature of these crimes, specific procedures are to be followed when handling these calls for service.

203.82 PROCEDURE. Upon encountering a suspected domestic violence situation, the following procedures shall be followed in this order: 

• At least two officers should be present to continue handling the situation.

• Ensure that the scene is safe and secure. Any offenders should be disarmed and restrained if needed, victims should receive immediate medical attention.

• Separate those involved and begin field interviews. Ascertain which party is the offender and arrest them for the relevant charge under Title 1. Crimes Against The Person in the San Andreas Penal Code. The victim becomes a witness for the State and unlike civil court, cannot decide whether or not to prosecute or “press charges.“ 

Note: Offenders may be males or females. Officers should use common sense to ascertain which party is the offender and should not fall into allowing biases or prior experience to dictate the outcome of the situation. Regardless, studies have shown that the best protection for a survivor of domestic abuse is generally through court intervention.

• Begin securing all evidence related to the scene, this can include any weapons used, damage to property in the commission of the crime, injuries sustained to individuals, etc.

• Ensure that the victim and any juveniles involved in the situation are removed from the residence. They should be directed to stay at a neighbor's house, friend's house, family's house, or another form of lodging such as a hotel/motel. 

Note: If there is a conflict regarding the custody of the juvenile, for example, if the offender is the only one granted custody by the courts, then the Department of Child and Family Services should be immediately contacted to pick up the juvenile. 

• Direct the victim to obtain an emergency protective order as soon as possible at the nearest municipal agency capable of issuing it. Provide the victim with the incident number and contact information for the investigating officer.

• Follow procedures within 104.14 SCENE PROCESSING prior to clearing.