3-01/050.40 - Safety of Stranded Motorists



When practical and appropriate, all personnel, when operating a plainly marked official vehicle, shall stop and render that assistance considered reasonable to the occupants of a vehicle in distress.  This policy is applicable whether the cause of the distress is mechanical or the result of some other difficulty.

Deputies shall demonstrate due regard for the safety of vehicle occupants stranded as a result of their companion’s arrest or as occupants of any vehicle towed at the direction of Department personnel.  This may include offering the stranded person(s) transportation to a place of reasonable safety such as a local address or Sheriff’s Station.  The stranded person(s) may refuse to accept assistance.  If unable to resolve transportation concerns, Department members shall summon a field supervisor.

Any contact with a stranded person listed above shall be documented as a log entry in the Mobile Digital Communications System (MDT/MDC) by the employee initiating the contact or, if applicable, original report.  Employees who do not maintain an electronic log or initiate a report shall document the details of the contact in their field notebook.