NCJ Number
153218
Date Published
1995
Length
106 pages
Annotation
This guide provides concise and up-to-date statements of the rules of law applicable to situations commonly encountered by police officers in the field.
Abstract
Rules are stated from the point of view of an officer on duty. The Field Guide has been designed for easy reference, and the seven sections have been arranged according to the most common street situations. The first section on "Routine Patrol: Encounters With Private Persons" addresses patrol generally, consensual contact, dog sniffs, investigative detention, protective frisk, and stop of vehicles. In the second section, guidance is provided on arrest procedures, including the authority to arrest based on probable cause, the arrest warrant, arrest in a public place, arrest on private premises, use of force, and search incident to arrest. The section on search and seizure focuses on probable cause, property subject to seizure, search of premises, the search warrant, securing the premises, search with consent, plain view, emergency, administrative search or inspection, and search of persons. Also covered in the search- and-seizure section are searches of vehicles, containers, abandoned property, and trash; the chemical field test; controlled delivery; computer search; and electronic surveillance. Other sections pertain to suspect identification, interrogation, undercover investigation, and asset forfeiture. Topics within each section are in an easy-to-follow order, usually one to a page, with cross-references to related topics. The Field Guide is based on decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, which have national application. Rules may vary in some States. The guide is revised annually to include current developments in the law.