5-25 SHORE PATROL MISSION AND DUTIES During your career, you will normally have the opportunity  of  being  assigned  to  shore  patrol  (SP) duties. SP may be for a tour of duty or it may be for 24 hours or less. Your primary mission will be to preserve order among members of the armed forces who are on leave or in a  liberty  status.  You  should  always  be courteous and fair and keep a cool head at all times. You will be required to give assistance and information when necessary and to apprehend or otherwise control military personnel who violate the law or regulations. The shore patrol also apprehends deserters and members of the armed services who are unauthorized absentees. The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  has  delegated  the authority to create a shore patrol to the naval area representatives and to the senior officer present in any area outside the continental limits of the United States. Shore patrol duties in foreign countries will vary from nation to nation according to treaties, agreements, and as directed by the senior officer present. Duties within the United States Shore patrol units, located within the United States and  its  territorial  possessions,  are  limited   to   the following two functions: 1. They  perform  court  liaison  functions  with civilian law enforcement agencies and courts in the immediate area. Court liaison functions are limited to the provision of an official Navy point of contact for the courts, the provision of advice for individuals and local commands, and court appearances with individuals from deployed commands. 2. They  receive  courtesy   turnovers.   Courtesy turnovers   are   limited   to   those   individuals   whose behavior and attitude are acceptable and who desire to be returned to the custody of their parent command. Courtesy turnovers will be accepted from jails, police stations, and  so  forth,  but  not  directly  from  police officers on the scene. Duties Overseas The following are some of the duties of the shore patrol overseas: They render assistance to members of the armed forces. As a shore patrol member, you should be able to supply information on curfew, out-of-bounds areas and establishments,   uniform   regulations,   and    lodging accommodations. You also should have knowledge of transportation, recreational facilities, first-aid procedures,  and  the  locations  of  hospitals  or  other medical treatment centers. They maintain good order and discipline among military  personnel  and  apprehend  all  unauthorized absentees (and other offenders as necessary). As a shore patrol  member,  you  should  strive  to  anticipate  and prevent trouble. In situations that will obviously result in disorder, take preventive measures before apprehension becomes necessary. Quiet, friendly words of advice often are sufficient to prevent a situation from getting out of hand. Above all, control your temper. If you let taunts or curses overcome your self-control, you only increase tension in a situation you are trying to prevent. Should the apprehension of an unruly person become necessary, do so as quietly and expeditiously as possible. Do not permit yourself to become involved in an argument. You can help restore order and maintain discipline by demanding strict compliance with orders, rules, and regulations; but be tactful in exercising your authority. You also must be tactful and patient with military personnel who have had too much to drink. Some  people  in  such  a  condition  tend  to  become belligerent. If they persist in having a belligerent attitude after you have talked to them, you can cancel their liberty and send them back to their ship or station; or you  can  apprehend  them  and  take  them  to  patrol headquarters. When apprehending unauthorized absentees, you have  two  courses  of  action  (except  in  the  case  of deserters,   who   always   must   be   taken   to   patrol headquarters). If persons present a neat and orderly appearance and furnish reasonable evidence that they are returning to their station, you should permit them to proceed. Reasonable evidence is their possession of a ticket to the proper destination, presence in a bus or railroad depot awaiting transportation, or actual presence on the train or bus. Avoid detaining the absentees to the extent that they miss their transportation. If, on the other hand, you are reasonably certain they will not, or cannot, comply with orders to return to their command, take them to patrol headquarters where arrangements will be made for their return.