4 Emergency Response - Santa Cruz County Office of Education

Emergency Response
Types of Emergencies: general Searches
Searches Expanded Guidelines
Best Practice Procedures for
Conducting Student Searches
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
Designate an individual to be responsible for seized contraband
Always require an adult witness to be present during the entire search
Search in ways that cause the least amount
of embarrassment to the student
Escort the student directly from class to the place
where the search is to be conducted
No “Strip Searches”
Important Details
Delegation of search
to police:
In cases of potential danger
(e.g., an allegation that a
student is in possession
of a firearm), a school
official may request that
a Police officer be present
at a search conducted by a
school official. In cases of
potential danger, a school
official may also elect to
delegate a search to a
Police officer. Document
the circumstances that
justify the search at
inception. Also document
that a school official is
delegating the search to
a Police officer based on
serious danger concerns.
Factors to Consider in Determining
Whether a Search is “Reasonable”
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
❏❏
Your level of suspicion
The reliability and probative value of information
that is to justify the search
The nature of the infraction
The prevalence and seriousness of the problem
The age, history and school record of the student
The exigency requiring the search to be conducted without delay
Your prior experiences with the student
Em e r g e n c y Re s p o n s e & Crisis Ma n a g e m e n t 4.44 2007 – 2008