§587-22 - Protective custody by police officer without court order.
§587-22 Protective custody by police officer without court order. (a) A police officer shall assume protective custody of the child without a court order and without the consent of the child's family regardless of whether the child's family is absent, if in the discretion of the police officer, the child is in such circumstance or condition that the child's continuing in the custody or care of the child's family presents a situation of imminent harm to the child.
A police officer may assume protective custody of the child without a court order and without the consent of the child's family regardless of whether the child's family is absent, if in the discretion of the police officer:
(1) The child has no legal custodian who is willing and able to provide a safe family home for the child; or
(2) There is evidence that the parent or legal guardian of the child has subjected the child to harm or threatened harm and that the parent or legal guardian is likely to flee the jurisdiction of the court with the child.
(b) A police officer who assumes protective custody of a child immediately shall complete transfer of protective custody to the department by presenting physical custody of the child to the department, unless the child is or presently will be admitted to a hospital or similar institution, in which case the police officer immediately shall complete transfer of protective custody to the department by so informing the department and receiving an acknowledgment from the hospital or similar institution that it has been informed that the child is under the temporary foster custody of the department.
(c) Upon the completion of the transfer of protective custody of a child by a police officer to the department, the department shall automatically assume temporary foster custody of the child. [L 1983, c 171, pt of §1; am L 1986, c 316, §7; am L 1999, c 271, §6]