Building Search Law Enforcement I

Building Search A building search is a physical inspection of a structure usually conducted as a result of an alarm, unauthorized entry, or evidence of a break-in

Purpose of Building Searches To locate, find or search out someone who is in a structure and is not suppose to be there To do this carefully and prevent the person inside the structure from escaping, or causing injury or death to officers Apprehend the person and charge him or her with the offense committed

The Mindset of the Officer Think tactically, think survival Approach the building anticipating an armed confrontation Plan ahead

While En Route to the Location When dispatched to conduct either a patrol or respond to an alarm, there are things an officer should take consideration. These would include Past alarms or previous and current information of the facility to help you formulate a plan to conduct your search Have there been other break-ins around the same time of day? Where did the alarm originate (from broken glass, main lobby, etc.)? Is the building a warehouse or other facility large enough that there are unlimited places for someone to hide? Anticipate the address and the exact physical location of the structure

Upon Arrival Do not pull up directly in front of the location; try to pull up at a distance far enough away to view as much of the building as possible As you approach closer to the building, use your senses Consider available cover and concealment Be alert for possible hiding places

Upon Arrival (continued) Look for suspicious people or vehicles near the building and make notes of descriptions and directions of travel Give dispatch the license plate of any vehicles parked in the driveway, parking lot, or in front of the location Look for any suspicious items such as boxes out in front of the building, or unusual carts that could be used to carry out equipment

Upon Arrival (continued) Check the perimeter of the building to see if there are any signs of forced entry and let dispatch and other officers know if there is Have dispatch contact the owner of the location to have them arrive at the location so they can identify what may have been stolen or damaged

Upon Arrival (continued) Check the phone lines and power lines entering the building as some criminals will cut these lines thinking that they may be the only means of security for the building

Upon Arrival (continued) Communicate with other officers arriving to the call through The radio Verbal signals Hand signals Wait for back up Secure the point of entry and any exits As other officers arrive, have some of them establish a perimeter around the location

Preparing to Make Entry If you must enter the facility, do so cautiously, and remember that the suspect could still be inside and armed Before beginning the search, prepare to be as quiet as possible Pre-plan the search with other officers based on available information

Basic Rules While Searching Keep your gun close to your chest, not way out in front of your body Be aware of the locations of all officers involved Officers stay together and don’t separate

Basic Rules While Searching (continued) Search each room thoroughly, secure it, and resume As officers secure a room, they let other officers know by saying “Clear” Stay out of the fatal funnel The fatal funnel is the doorway of a room that makes a person an easy target if they stay in it too long

Basic Rules While Searching (continued) If there is enough manpower or it is safe to do so, one officer stays posted at the door of a room, out of the fatal funnel, watching the hallway, while the other officer or officers search the room Search high and low and challenge the suspect from cover If you are searching a room with another officer, you focus on your area while they focus on theirs

Basic Rules While Searching (continued) Keep your finger off of the trigger of the gun Use lights in the room if they are an advantage or turn them off if they are a disadvantage If you keep the lights off, use the spotting technique with your flashlight where you constantly turn your light on and off quickly so that the suspect can never guess your exact position Don’t point your weapon at another officer Search all areas thoroughly before bypassing an unsecure area

Basic Rules While Searching (continued) Stay aware of your position relative to that of your partner’s Avoid crossfire Be conscious of the noise you are making If one technique will not work predominately in your favor find something else that will

How to Handle Suspects The first thing an officer should do when he finds suspects hiding is to instruct them to keep their hands up and direct them out in the open from a position of cover The other officer then handcuffs the suspects and takes them to a secure area to conduct a search When there is another officer available or the arresting officer is ready, the search continues

The Order of Building Searching Begin slowly Open the entry doors and listen before you enter Announce yourself “Police Department, Come Out” Do a secondary search after the primary search is done, checking more thoroughly in closets, cabinets, under beds, etc.

Don’ts Don’t backlight yourself Don’t give away your position Don’t rub or scrape against walls Beware of silhouette (turn flashlight on to search and off when moving) Don’t enter an area that you cannot cover or at least is not covered by your partner Never search a building alone Don’t assume anything

Stairways If possible use stairways since elevators offer no visibility and no cover Take the position that gives you the advantage of a tactical angle Look for overhangs or a balcony Don’t bunch up

Field of View Field of view refers to everything you are able to see from your position An officer needs to consider his or her field of view and the potential suspect’s field of view You should never move into a suspect’s potential field of view that you or your partner cannot cover Any movement that does not permit you to face the danger area and maintain target acquisition while moving is likely to be a bad movement

Moving As you move, your field of view changes. Also additional areas of responsibility may come into view Hallways must be secured and cleared at some point Let the design of the building determine how you will search Be creative Communicate with your partner

Method of Entry Crisscross Pattern Buttonhook The officer enters a room by crossing from the outside of the doorway to the inside of the doorway on the opposite side Buttonhook The officer enters a room by hooking around the doorway, thus staying on the same side of the doorway as they were before they entered the room

Method of Entry (continued) Open door – both officers on the same side 1st officer – buttonhook 2nd officer – crisscross Open door – officers on opposites sides officers should crisscross

Method of Entry Closed door that opens out Closed door that opens in Officers should get on both sides knob side opens the door throws the door to the other officer officers should crisscross Closed door that opens in Officers on the hinge side 1st officer opens the door and "rides" the door till it stops checks behind the door 2nd officer crisscrosses

Clearing Techniques Quick peek Slicing the Pie Quickly look from cover (expose no more than one eye and part of your face) Do not do quick peek from the same level twice in a row Slicing the Pie Stand approximately 6 feet from the opening Face the opening with your weapon raised Slowly begin to move sideways with little steps Lean out to help your field of view Shuffle your steps slowly

Clearing Techniques (continued) Chunking Similar to slicing Larger steps Must be prepared to engage Is quicker than slicing the pie Limited Penetration Usually follows a quick peek Your weapon, one eye, and only a small portion of your side is exposed If room can be cleared without entering, do not enter it

Stairwells Straight stairs Officer 1 covers from the opposite side Officer 2 moves along the wall Stay off the wall Once at the top #2 can continue to clear Quick peek Limited penetration #1 then moves to join #2

Stairwells (continued) Reverse stairs – Up Officer #1 covers the 1st landing Officer #2 covers the far set of stairs Officers 3 and 4 move together #3 covers the 2nd set of stairs and up #4 covers the landing area

Stairwells (continued) Stairwells – Down One covers over the railing Observes the open area while the team moves A two-man Team moves outside the wall Stops at the landing A second two-man team continues down the steps