B.15.01.R9 Staff Locker and Other Places* Search (National Requirement)

* exclusively used by any person other than a prisoner.

Searching staff lockers and other places (exclusively used by any person other than a prisoner)

1. Where an officer (including a manager) has received written approval from the Prison Manager (completed and signed B.15.01.F2) a search for unauthorised items in any place that is set aside in a prison for the exclusive use of any person other than a prisoner (e.g. a staff member’s locker), a search of that place may take place.
2. A search of a place set aside for the exclusive use of any person other than a prisoner can only take place with the prior approval of the Prison Manager and must be conducted by an officer in the presence of another officer.
3. The officer (including a manager) must complete form B.15.01.F1 providing the reasons for undertaking a search for an unauthorised item in that staff locker or place and then either recommend or not recommend that a search of the staff locker or place proceed. The completed form is then submitted to the Prison Manager.
4. If the Prison Manager approves the search taking place, he / she must firstly complete Section A of the form B.15.01.F2.
5. If the person who has the exclusive use of the place (e.g. the staff member who has the exclusive use of the locker) can be identified and contacted by the Prison Manager, this person must be:
   • Advised of the proposed search and of their right to be present during that search
   • Advised that they may have a support person present during the search (e.g. a union representative) and that they may nominate the support person to attend the search on their behalf.
   • Advised that they are allowed to be present during the search if he or she wishes, unless the Prison Manager thinks that deferring the search until the person can attend will involve an unacceptable delay (e.g. the staff member with the exclusive use of the place is on annual leave and will not be able to return to the prison to be present during the search without causing an unacceptable delay).
   • Advised that due to space constraints in areas where these searches will normally take place in (e.g. staff locker rooms) only the person who has exclusive use of the place and one other support person can be present during that search.
6. Once the Prison Manager has contacted the person who has exclusive use of the place and advised them of these matters, and decided whether or not deferring the search until the person can attend will involve an unacceptable delay, he / she should then complete Section B of form B.15.01.F2.
7. If the search without the presence of the person is approved by the Prison Manager, the Searching Officer and a Witnessing Officer can proceed with the search.
8. Authority for the search includes the authority to search any item in the locker or place. Reasonable force can be used to gain access to the locker or place (e.g. bolt cutters to cut a padlock).
9. Where an unauthorised item is found during the search, the item is managed in accordance with B.12.03 and the Prison Manager undertakes the appropriate steps to investigate the presence of the unauthorised item.
10. The Searching Officer and Witnessing Officer must complete Section C of form B.15.01.F2 at the conclusion of the search.

Manual register to be kept

1. The Prison Manager must keep a register of all completed notifications and searches of staff lockers and other places.
2. This register should be made up of all completed “Notification of Reasonable Grounds for Search of Staff Locker and Other Places” and “Approval for Staff Locker and Other Places Search” forms (B.15.01.F1 and B.15.01.F2).