Search Warrant Policy

To provide detailed instructions for employees who are served on campus with search warrants.

Date	Version Number	Change Description	Referenced Section
9/16/03	1.0	New Document	Entire Document
10/9/15	1.1	Minor Revisions	4.0
1/11/17	1.2	Minor Revisions
12/10/18	1.3	Minor Revisions
8/6/26	1.4	Minor Revisions	4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0

 Review Process / Approval

Action:	Units	Date
Policy Review	Administration & Finance
Policy Approval	Executive Council	9/16/03

Main campus employees who are served with a search warrant.

Search warrant — An order issued by a court that directs a police officer or somebody else named in the document to search a specific location, person, or vehicle and seize designated evidence. This may include going into an office or building, opening a container (e.g. vault, safety deposit box), to search and seize anything that might serve as evidence of a crime or could be used to commit a crime (e.g. computers, file cabinets, electronic records, paper documents, etc.).

Employees receiving the warrant should:

• Call University Police and should notify their direct supervisor immediately
• Request a copy of the warrant 
• Request identification and write down the name and agency of the Law Enforcement Officer 
• If University Police and/or SUNY Office of General Counsel approve compliance, provide assistance for locating items and /or records in question
• Involved employees may observe the course of the search but not interfere
• Obtain the inventory of items taken during the search and forward to the Assistant Vice President for Administration immediately
• Employees do not have to submit to questioning

• Employees served with a search warrant should call University Police and should notify their direct supervisor immediately.
• Employees are not authorized to receive service of any warrant or subpoena or respond with information/records pursuant to any
  warrant or subpoena without approval.
• Upon arrival, University Police should examine the warrant for authenticity and ensure it is valid. The warrant must identify the place to be searched and may have set time limits.  (i.e. warrants often specify people and places to be searched and may limit todaytime searches only.)  All warrants have an expiration date. 
• University Police should inspect the warrant and make sure the warrant gives the Law Enforcement Officers the authority to search the premises of SUNY Plattsburgh (ensuring premises named aren't another organization).  
• University Police will contact the Assistant Vice President for Administration and relay the following information:
  • The facts of the warrant 
  • The law enforcement and regulatory agencies involved  
  • The areas to be searched under the provisions of the warrant  
  • The types of evidence to be seized under the warrant   
• Law Enforcement Officers may use photocopy machines instead of seizing records with clearance from the Assistant Vice President of Administration.  
• Law Enforcement Officers are required to leave an inventory of items taken during the search.  This inventory must be forwarded to the Assistant Vice President for Administration immediately.  
• Be conscientious of the fact that any conversations with an agent will eventually be documented and probably used at a later date.  Other than assisting Law Enforcement Officers in locating items specified in the warrant, SUNY Plattsburgh employees should not engage with and submit  to questioning on behalf of the University. 

None

Related Policies

• SUNY Plattsburgh Policy# 9014.2 – Records Retention & Management
  Policy
• SUNY Plattsburgh Policy #10025.1 – Data Retention & Secure Deletion
  Policy

Method	Date
Campus Handbook	N/A
Faculty / Staff Digest	N/A
Student Digest	N/A
Other	N/A

There are no specific trainings identified with this policy.