W.01.01.04 Concealed item(s)

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  1. Corrections staff, including contractors must not, regardless of whether the item is visible or only partially concealed, attempt to remove any item, even if the prisoner asks for assistance to do it.
  2. The prisoner can remove any concealed item(s) themselves and hand the item(s) to staff. To assist a prisoner, retrieve and surrender an item, provide the prisoner with:
    1. gloves
    2. toilet paper
    3. wipes, and
    4. wash facilities.
  3. In order to prevent the reinsertion of an item whilst toileting, handcuffs may be used if necessary and permitted by section 83 and 85 of the Corrections Act 2004.
  4. Once removed, staff must immediately request health staff to assess the wellbeing of the prisoner.
  5. If the prisoner hands over item(s), on receiving the item(s), staff are to:
    1. manage the item(s) in accordance with POM S.01.Res.17 Seized items management and
    2. advise the health centre manager or health staff if the health centre manager is unavailable.
  6. Whether custodial staff receive item(s) or not, the prisoner must remain in a dry cell and be managed as per the plan, until the health centre manager advises the prison director that there are no longer grounds for segregation section 60(1)(a) and the prison director revokes the direction.
    Watch Point

    If staff have reason to believe the prisoner has produced the item that they had concealed, and there is no other way of managing the risk to the prisoner’s safety, force may be used to manage the immediate risk to the prisoner’s safety presented by re-concealing the item.

    The focus is on managing the prisoners’ wellbeing, retrieving an item for the purpose of misconduct proceedings is not the aim of the process.

    If items are surrendered or handed over they must be managed as per POM S.01.Res.17 Seized items management.