APO Policy Recommendation: Search and Seizure

This memorandum provides feedback on the Austin Police Department’s (APD) General Orders regarding search and seizure practices. Austin Police Oversight recommends that APD establish a clear and consistent definition of what constitutes a “strip search” within the department’s search and seizure policy to ensure uniform application of search procedures across the department. Clarifying whether a strip search involves removing clothing, rearranging or manipulating clothing, or reaching inside clothing aligns with national best practices