MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

General Order

CHAPTER:		TITLE:
032-K		Field Interview Reports
EFFECTIVE DATE:	NO. PAGES:	REVIEWED/REVISED:
June 6, 2014	2	July 26, 2019
REFERENCE:		RESCINDS:
CALEA 1.2.3
Sheriff of Monroe County

I.PURPOSE: The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines for the completion of field interview reports.

II.DISCUSSION: This directive shall apply to all personnel.

III.POLICY AND PROCEDURE

A.The field interview is a means of collecting, preserving and disseminating information about suspicious activity of individuals and/or vehicles.

B.Deputies making temporary stops of individuals or vehicles, for the purpose of conducting an investigative interview, may detain a person if the deputy has reasonable suspicion that the person is committing, has committed or is about to commit a crime. The right to detain applies to both pedestrians and vehicles and may be exercised upon reasonable suspicion of any crime.

C.Reasonable suspicion is more than a hunch and must be based on articulable circumstances, but is less that the probable cause necessary to effect an arrest. Reasonable suspicion, coupled with the deputy's experience, may justify a belief that the person to be stopped has committed, is committing or is about to commit a crime. Elements which may establish reasonable suspicion include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.The person fits the description of a suspect wanted for committing a crime

2.The vehicle fits the description of a vehicle used to commit a crime

3.The person flees at the sight of a deputy

4.The person or vehicle is seen leaving the area of a crime

5.The person is behaving or maneuvering a vehicle in a manner indicating criminal activity

6.The time of day or night

7.The type of neighborhood or physical surroundings

8.The deputy's prior knowledge of the person or his/her criminal record

9.The location where the person or vehicle was observed

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D.A person or vehicle stopped may be detained for a reasonable period of time. Deputies should detain a person only for the length of time necessary to obtain identification or an accounting of the person's presence or conduct. The person should be released as soon as the interview is completed, unless probable cause to arrest develops. He/she may only be detained at or near the scene of the stop and not moved to another location without his/her consent. The United States Constitution guarantees an individual the right to refuse to answer questions.

E.A Field Interview Report shall be initiated when:

1.Persons or vehicles are observed acting in a suspicious manner or are involved in suspicious circumstances

2.Persons or vehicles are observed in suspicious circumstances in high-crime areas

3.Contact is made with known criminals

F.Initiation of Field Interview Reports shall be based on the experience and initiative of the individual deputy making the observation.

G.Caution shall be exercised by initiating deputies as to the constitutional rights of individuals being interviewed.

1.Justification must be established as to why this particular individual is being interviewed

2.Delay of the individual or vehicle must be kept to a minimum unless probable cause exists to effect an arrest

H.Field Interview Reports are electronically submitted into the records management system (SmartCOP) and are immediately accessible to all authorized personnel.

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