Remember, you must maintain respectful and friendly relations with the civil authorities and the civilian community in general. Be alert to your duty by preventing disharmony prejudicial to the armed forces. Jurisdiction The shore patrol has jurisdiction over all members of the armed forces. You have the authority to take corrective action against any member of the armed forces  who  breaks  regulations  or  the  law.  The corrective actions include apprehension, if necessary; but apprehensions should not be made if corrective measures will suffice. When standing shore patrol duties, you normally have no jurisdiction over civilians. When dealing with civilians in the continental United States, a member of the shore patrol may do only what any other citizen may do—call on the civil police for assistance. If a civilian is in the act of committing a felony, you can and should place the individual under citizen’s arrest. Every citizen has the right and the moral duty to stop crime and apprehend a criminal. Today many military personnel are allowed to wear civilian clothes ashore. Wearing civilian clothing does not free Sailors from the jurisdiction of the shore patrol. If persons in civilian attire are creating a disturbance, for instance, and you have reason to suspect they are service members, request they show their identification (ID) cards. If they refuse, seek the assistance of the civil authorities. Foreign  military  personnel  serving  under  a command of the U.S. Armed Forces also may be apprehended by the shore patrol. They may be apprehended under the same circumstances that justify the apprehension of U.S. Armed Forces personnel. Apprehension “Apprehension”   means taking a person into custody. The   Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) states that any person authorized to apprehend may do so upon reasonable belief that an offense was committed and the person apprehended committed the offense (article 7, Apprehension). So far personal appearance, conduct, and jurisdiction have been presented. Now the apprehension phase of your duties will be covered. The policy of the Navy Department regarding liberty parties is that they be interfered with as little as possible. To do your SP job properly does not mean you should adopt a tough attitude and apprehend as many people as possible. Personnel should not be taken into custody for minor infractions of regulations if a warning will suffice. The warning should not be in the form of a reprimand. It should be given so that only the offender hears what you have to say. When you request a person to show proper identification, do not be aggressive or overbearing in manner. A wrong attitude may only provoke trouble for you and your partner. Persons must be given every opportunity, within reason, to identify themselves. If you must send personnel to SP headquarters to determine their identification, always advise them that they are not being taken into custody; and that when they have properly identified themselves, they will be released. If a person refuses to be cooperative or becomes  abusive,  then  that  person  must  be apprehended and taken to headquarters. When this situation occurs, it must be handled as quickly as possible and very tactfully. Make sure you notify the personnel involved that they are being taken into custody.  According  to  article  31  of  the   UCMJ (Compulsory Self-Incrimination Prohibited), persons taken into custody are to be advised of the charge(s) against them and of their right to remain silent. Also, advise them that any statement made by them may be used as evidence against them in the event of trial by court-martial. When making an apprehension, use as little force as possible. You have a partner that can help you. The nightstick you are carrying is for self-defense and is to be used only when the offender cannot be subdued otherwise. If the nightstick is needed, never strike a person in the head as it can cause serious injury and even death. Strike the shoulder, arm, or leg; or use the nightstick for jabbing—a jab in the lower solar plexus (pit of the stomach) is most effective. When personnel are taken into custody, a written report must be submitted to the shore patrol officer stating all the circumstances  about  the  apprehension  and  the circumstances that required the use of the nightstick. APPREHENDING OFFICERS.—Only when situations offer no alternative should enlisted shore patrol personnel apprehend an officer. Such action is taken only to prevent disgrace to the service, to prevent the officer from committing an offense, or to prevent the escape of one who has committed a serious offense. If time permits, an officer of the patrol should be summoned to take necessary action; or the assistance of any available officer of the armed forces should be requested. 8-23