Toolkit with Report Form - Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic ...

Do:
Responding to Search Warrant
for Shelter Resident or Items
✔ Ask to review the warrant and verify that it has the shelter’s correct
address
✔ Explain that you do not have authority to provide consent (if staff person
receiving the warrant is not the executive director) and ask the officer for
time to contact the executive director
✔ Ask the officer for time to explain the search to the residents to ensure
confidentiality and minimize disruptions
✔ Notify the resident who is the subject of the warrant and suggest that
she contact an attorney
✔ See Section 4 of the toolkit for specifics on responding to a warrant
✔ Contact PCADV’s Legal Department for more detailed assistance
Section Three
Don’t:
Don’t physically obstruct the officer
Don’t advise the resident to flee or to destroy any item that is the subject
of the warrant
Do:
Don’t:
FOLLOW-UP
✔ Keep in touch with family and children of victim; many will need your
support and assistance long after the crisis has abated – milestones,
such as anniversaries, can trigger flashbacks and be very stressful
✔ Continue to document (time/date/action) program’s crisis
response effort
✔ Continue to reach out to PCADV or other crisis response teams
as necessary
✔ Provide feedback to PCADV on your program’s experience with critical
incident debriefing
Don’t pressure family members if they resist your outreach efforts
When Crisis Strikes | Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence | 2012 page 9