June 26, 2003
Searches of Vehicles and Persons Entering Corps Projects
This memorandum was recently issued to address questions regarding entry searches at Corps of Engineers Civil Works sites. The content of the memorandum reinforces the role and authority of the Park Ranger as set forth in the Visitor Assistance Policy and other related federal laws and regulations. It describes the differences between searches and consentual inspections, and notes that the latter would be more likely an activity that the Corps would implement. At the same time, Paragraph 5 summarizes and concludes that while the USACE can conduct entry searches or inspections, "If USACE desires to impose an entry search....an individual with law enforcement authority must be used," and that "USACE has determined, as a matter of policy, that entry inspections or searches should not be conducted at civil works sites."

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