1. The procedure prescribed by this section shall only be used for an intoxicated person who has threatened, attempted, or inflicted physical self-harm or harm on another, and is likely to inflict physical self-harm or harm on another unless immediately detained, or who is incapacitated by a chemical substance, if that person cannot be taken into immediate custody under sections 125.75 and 125.81 because immediate access to the court is not possible.
2. A peace officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that the circumstances described in subsection 1 are applicable, may, without a warrant, take or cause that person to be taken to the nearest available facility referred to in section 125.81, subsection 2 or 3. Such an intoxicated or incapacitated person may also be delivered to a facility by someone other than a peace officer upon a showing of reasonable grounds. Upon delivery of the person to a facility under this section, the chief medical officer may order treatment of the person, but only to the extent necessary to preserve the person's life or to appropriately control the person's behavior if the behavior is likely to result in physical injury to the person or others if allowed to continue. The peace officer or other person who delivered the person to the facility shall describe the circumstances of the matter to the administrator. If the administrator in consultation with the chief medical officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the circumstances in subsection 1 are applicable, the administrator shall at once communicate with the nearest available magistrate as defined in section 801.4, subsection 10. The magistrate shall immediately proceed to the facility where the person is detained, except that if the administrator's communication with the magistrate occurs between the hours of midnight and seven a.m. and the magistrate deems it appropriate under the circumstances described by the administrator, the magistrate may delay going to the facility, and in that case, shall give the administrator verbal instructions either directing that the person be released forthwith, or authorizing the person's continued detention at the facility. In the latter case, the magistrate shall:
a. Arrive at the facility where the person is being detained as soon as possible and no later than twelve o'clock noon of the same day on which the administrator's communication occurred.
b. By the close of business on the next working day file with the clerk a written report stating the substance of the communication with the administrator on which the person's continued detention was ordered.
3. Upon arrival at the facility, the magistrate shall at once review the validity of the detention. Unless convinced upon initial inquiry that there are no grounds for further detention of the person, the magistrate shall ensure that the person has or is provided legal counsel at the earliest practical time in the manner prescribed by section 125.78, subsection 1, and shall arrange for the counsel to be present, if practical, before proceeding further under this subsection. The magistrate shall immediately notify counsel of the respondent's emergency detention. Counsel shall be afforded an opportunity to visit the respondent and to make appropriate preparations before or after the magistrate's order is issued. If the magistrate finds, upon review of the information presented by the administrator under subsection 2 and of other information or evidence the magistrate deems relevant, that there is probable cause to believe that the circumstances described in subsection 1 are applicable, the magistrate shall enter a written order detaining the person at the facility, or, if the facility where the person is at the time is not an appropriate facility, detaining and transporting the person to an appropriate facility. The magistrate's order shall state the circumstances under which the person was detained or otherwise delivered to a facility, and the grounds supporting the finding of probable cause to believe that person is a chronic substance abuser likely to physically injure the person or others if not detained. The order shall be filed with the clerk in the county where it is anticipated that an application will be filed under section 125.75, and a certified copy of the order shall be delivered to the administrator of the facility where the person is detained, at the earliest practical time.
4. The chief medical officer of the facility shall examine and may detain the person pursuant to the magistrate's order for a period not to exceed forty-eight hours from the time the order is dated, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, unless the order is dismissed by a magistrate. The facility may provide treatment which is necessary to preserve the person's life or to appropriately control the person's behavior if the behavior is likely to result in physical injury to the person or others if allowed to continue or is otherwise deemed medically necessary by the chief medical officer, but shall not otherwise provide treatment to the person without the person's consent. The person shall be discharged from the facility and released from detention no later than the expiration of the forty-eight-hour period, unless an application for involuntary commitment is filed with the clerk pursuant to section 125.75. The detention of a person by the procedure in this section, and not in excess of the period of time prescribed by this section, shall not render the peace officer, physician, or facility detaining the person liable in a criminal or civil action for false arrest or false imprisonment if the peace officer, physician, or facility had reasonable grounds to believe that the circumstances described in subsection 1 were applicable.
5. The cost of detention in a facility under the procedure prescribed in this section shall be paid in the same way as if the person had been committed to the facility pursuant to an application filed under section 125.75.
[C75, 77, § 125.17, 125.18; C79, 81, § 125.34(4), 125.35; 82 Acts, ch 1212, § 19]
90 Acts, ch 1085, § 19
Referred to in § 125.12, 125.34, 125.44, 125.92, 229.21, 602.6405
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