Adopted:          01/18/1988

Revised:           08/18/2008                                                                              445 - Rule

School District of Prairie Farm

Student Interviews

POLICE/STUDENT INTERVIEW/INTERROGATION GUIDELINES

A. Definitions

            1. Interview - a purposeful discussion with the intent to gain information.

            2. Interrogation - the process of accusing a student of being involved in a           criminal act.

            3. Notification - a reasonable effort to contact the parent or guardian.

B. Parent/Guardian Notification Procedures

1. When a minor student is to be interrogated by law enforcement officers in the schools, the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be notified according to the following guidelines:

            a. Although prior notification of the parent or guardian is strongly encouraged whenever possible and practical, students may legally be interrogated without  such prior parent(s)/guardian(s) notification.

             b. If school personnel are aware that an interrogation is taking place, the school  shall make every effort to contact parent(s)/guardian(s) the day of the       occurrence.

2. In the instance when a student is not taken into custody, but is removed from school by law enforcement officers, it is the responsibility of the building administrator to give immediate notification to the parent(s)/guardian(s).

3. Parent(s)/guardian(s) notification may not be required prior to police interviews of students in cases of suspected child abuse and neglect.

C. Policy Interview Procedures

The following guidelines are to be used by building administrators when law enforcement officials interview students in school during regular school hours:

            1. Whenever practical, the time and place of interviews shall be scheduled by the appropriate building administrator after prior notice from the law  enforcement officer. Administrators shall consider the need for the student             interviews during regular school hours, and shall minimize interviews that            disrupt the instructional day.

            2. Every effort should be made by the Administration and the law enforcement   officers to minimize school disruption by:

                        a. conducting plain clothes interviews whenever possible.

                        b. interviewing in private.

                        c. having school personnel notify students individually when an interview  is to be conducted.

                        d. interviewing during non-instructional time.

   3. After consultation with law enforcement officers as to the reason for the interview, the student, building administrator or law enforcement officer, may    determine that an administrator or appropriate school designee and             parent(s)/guardian(s) be present during the interview.

LEGAL REF.: Section 48.19(d) Wisconsin Statute

CROSS REF.: 445 Student Interviews