7-339 - Securing Open Buildings

Policy

Officers shall attempt to notify the owner or other contact person when they encounter unsecured homes or buildings. If such notification cannot be made, officers shall attempt to secure the building in a reasonable manner on their own. If they are unable to secure the building, the contract service provider may be called to secure the building in the following situations:

1. When the building is unsecured as a result of a lawful police action that includes activities such as serving a search warrant or making a forcible entry to "check the welfare," etc.
2. When a business is unsecured as a result of a burglary or damage to property.
3. In other serious or emergency situations when authorization is obtained from the supervisor prior to notifying the contract service provider.

When officers encounter an unsecured building that must be boarded up, but which does not meet the above listed criteria, they shall notify the Inspections Department. The notification will be made to Inspections via inter-office mail by sending a memo to Inspections Department, Public Health Center, Room 300.

The contract service provider shall be contacted through Channel 7 after a supervisor’s approval. The contract service provider has been contracted to respond within 30 minutes. An officer shall remain at the scene until they arrive. In all cases where the contract service provider is called, a CAPRS report shall be made; included in the report shall be the time the call to the contract service provider was made and also the time they arrived at the scene. Officers shall also note the reason the contract service provider was called and the name of the supervisor authorizing the board up if his/her authorization was necessary. The name of the occupant of the property, and the name, address and phone number of the owner shall also be included if known.

The CAPRS report shall be titled "BOARD" if the board up is the primary incident. If the board-up is incidental to another offense or incident, the other offense shall be listed first, followed by "BOARD" as a secondary incident code.

The white and yellow copy of the Minneapolis Police Authorization to Board and Secure Building form (MP-8843) shall be given to the vendor. The vendor will send the white copy, attached with photographs, to the Inspections Department. The pink copy of the form, copies of all CAPRS reports involving the contract service provider, and copies of any supporting documentation given to officers by the contract service provider, shall be immediately forwarded to the Transcription Unit, Room 29.

To cancel a board-up call, the officer shall contact MECC. MECC personnel will contact the vendor to cancel the call. The board-up form for the cancelled call shall be completed by MECC, and the white and yellow copies shall be sent to the Inspections Department. The pink copy shall be forwarded to the Transcription Unit.

Form MP-8843 is available from MPD Stores.

• MECC: Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center is the city's 911 center that answers emergency and non-emergency calls and coordinates the appropriate response by public safety services.
• Search Warrant: A document issued by the Court authorizing the police to enter and search a person, premises, location or vehicle for purposes of evidence recovery.