26-025 Potentially Contaminated Vehicle Protocols

Members are reminded of the possibility of exposure to potentially infectious diseases when transporting arrestees in police vehicles. This department notice is also to serve as a reminder to members that form SFPD 348 has been discontinued and to recycle outdated forms.

Specific cleanup and decontamination procedures for police vehicles depend on how much and what kind of materials are present. As a simple precaution, members should visually inspect the vehicle after each arrestee is transported.

Members should request a vehicle cleaning any time there are visible bodily fluids in the vehicle, or when a transported arrestee has observable seeping wounds, a skin infection or is known to have a highly contagious disease.

In cases where potentially infectious agents are present, members shall advise the Vehicle Maintenance Officer (VMO) of the contamination, and the VMO shall remove the vehicle from service.

The VMO shall begin the decontamination protocol by contacting Fleet Operations who will determine whether the vehicle should be towed to an off-site cleaner. After 4pm the VMO shall have the vehicle towed to their respective station/unit and quarantined until the following business day when Fleet Operations will schedule a decontamination service.

Members shall not drive vehicles that have been designated as contaminated or quarantined.

Members assigned to the Airport Bureau shall down the affected vehicle and contact the Facility Officer to have the car decontaminated.

/s/
DERRICK J. LEW
Chief of Police