PROCEDURES:

PROCEDURES: 1. Facility Contraband Warnings A. In accordance with each MDOC facility’s physical layout, signs will be posted at facility entrances specifying those items deemed to be contraband by agency security and the subsequent penalty for violating said prohibitions. The signs will contain the following information: Attention all Visitors and Vendors B. At all times while on the grounds of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, you are subject to search of your person, vehicles, personal property, or any/all items you may have in your possession. Guns, knives, ammunition, alcohol, drugs, weapons, or any instrument or tool that may be used as a weapon or any other items declared by this institution to be contraband are strictly forbidden. Contraband will be confiscated and violators will be prosecuted. 2. Facility Ingress All visitors entering any MDOC facility will be subject to vehicle, person and personal effects searches by the Canine (K-9) Tactical Unit, Emergency Response Team and/or other security designations by the facility’s controlling authority or designee. These searches may include the coordinated efforts of K-9 dogs trained in the detection of drugs, weapons and other contraband. 3. Visitor Refusal of Search When a visitor refuses an initial search or screening by a scanning device, the visitor will: A. Not be allowed to enter the facility B. Have their visit terminated C. Have their visitor’s privileges suspended 4. Strip Searches and/or Body Cavity Searches of Visitors A. When any visitor is believed, upon reasonable suspicion, to be carrying contraband, they will be asked to consent to a strip search and/or body cavity search. Such searches must have the approval of the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees. B. Any visitor who refuses to consent to a strip search or body cavity search will be denied visitation access and will be escorted off MDOC property. The Senior Duty Officer will forward an incident report to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees C. Strip searches of visitors will always be conducted by a supervisory employee of the same sex as the visitor being searched. The Institutional Duty Warden will forward a strip search incident report to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees. D. Medical personnel at institutions will always conduct the same sex body cavity searches of all visitors. The results of a body cavity search and subsequent incident report will be forwarded to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees by the Senior Duty Officer. 5. Investigative Protocols for Visitor Contraband A. Upon confiscation of contraband as specified by statutes 47-5-193 through 47-5-198, contraband item(s) will be handled by the least number of persons possible in order to ensure evidential integrity. B. Any person(s) handling evidence will wear latex gloves. C. Contraband will be secured in an evidence bag in order to establish a chain of custody. D. Institutional staff will notify and debrief the on-call Corrections Investigation Division (CID) Investigator who will then recommend disposition of the contraband. E. Private prisons, County Regional facilities and Community Work Centers will notify local law enforcement authorities. F. Involved staff will detain and isolate suspect(s) without questioning them. G. When more than one suspect is involved, the suspects will be isolated in separate locations. H. Suspects will never be left unattended. I. Upon arrival of CID or the law enforcement authorities, suspects and evidence will be surrendered to the investigating officer. J. An interview with the confiscating staff member(s) will either follow immediately or be scheduled shortly thereafter. 6. Handicapped Visitors Under extraordinary circumstances, handicapped visitors will be escorted to and from offender housing units for visits and will be searched by Visitation staff and by staff assigned to those units. Extraordinary circumstances may include, but not be limited to: A. Visitor’s wheelchair is too large to fit on a lift B. Visitor is in need of breathing equipment C. Visitor cannot enter through the Visitation Center