[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR108.221]

[Page 353-354]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
                               (Continued)
 
PART 108--AIRCRAFT OPERATOR SECURITY--Table of Contents
 
                          Subpart C--Operations
 
Sec. 108.221  Carriage of prisoners under the control of armed law enforcement officers.

    (a) This section applies as follows:
    (1) This section applies to the transport of prisoners under the 
escort of an armed law enforcement officer.
    (2) This section does not apply to the carriage of passengers under 
voluntary protective escort.
    (3) This section does not apply to the escort of non-violent 
detainees of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. This section 
does not apply to persons who may be traveling with a prisoner and armed 
escort, such as the family of a deportee who is under armed escort.
    (b) For the purpose of this section:
    (1) High risk prisoner means a prisoner who is an exceptional escape 
risk, as determined by the law enforcement agency, and charged with, or 
convicted of, a violent crime.
    (2) Low risk prisoner means any prisoner who has not been designated 
as ``high risk.''
    (c) No aircraft operator may carry a prisoner in the custody of an 
armed law enforcement officer aboard an aircraft for which screening is 
required unless, in addition to the requirements in Sec. 108.219, the 
following requirements are met:
    (1) The agency responsible for control of the prisoner has 
determined whether the prisoner is considered a high risk or a low risk.
    (2) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no more than 
one high risk prisoner shall be carried on the aircraft.
    (d) No aircraft operator may carry a prisoner in the custody of an 
armed law enforcement officer aboard an aircraft for which screening is 
required unless the following staffing requirements are met:
    (1) A minimum of one armed law enforcement officer shall control a 
low risk prisoner on a flight that is scheduled for 4 hours or less. No 
more than two low risk prisoners may be carried under the control of any 
one armed law enforcement officer.
    (2) A minimum of two armed law enforcement officers shall control a 
low risk prisoner on a flight that is scheduled for more than 4 hours. 
No more than two low risk prisoners may be carried under the control of 
any two armed law enforcement officers.
    (3) For high-risk prisoners:
    (i) For one high-risk prisoner on a flight: A minimum of two armed 
law enforcement officers shall control a high risk prisoner. No other 
prisoners may be under the control of those two armed law enforcement 
officers.
    (ii) If the Administrator has authorized more than one high-risk 
prisoner to be on the flight under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a 
minimum of at

[[Page 354]]

least one armed law enforcement officer for each prisoner and one 
additional armed law enforcement officer shall control the prisoners. No 
other prisoners may be under the control of those armed law enforcement 
officers.
    (e) An armed law enforcement officer who is escorting a prisoner--
    (1) Shall notify the aircraft operator at least 24 hours before the 
scheduled departure, or, if that is not possible as far in advance as 
possible of the following--
    (i) The identity of the prisoner to be carried and the flight on 
which it is proposed to carry the prisoner; and
    (ii) Whether or not the prisoner is considered to be a high risk or 
a low risk.
    (2) Shall arrive at the check-in counter at least 1 hour before to 
the scheduled departure.
    (3) Shall assure the aircraft operator, before departure, that each 
prisoner under the control of the officer(s) has been searched and does 
not have on or about his or her person or property anything that can be 
used as a deadly or dangerous weapon.
    (4) Shall be seated between the prisoner and any aisle.
    (5) Shall accompany the prisoner at all times, and keep the prisoner 
under control while aboard the aircraft.
    (f) No aircraft operator may carry a prisoner in the custody of an 
armed law enforcement officer aboard an aircraft unless the following 
are met:
    (1) When practicable, the prisoner shall be boarded before any other 
boarding passengers and deplaned after all other deplaning passengers.
    (2) The prisoner shall be seated in a seat that is neither located 
in any passenger lounge area nor located next to or directly across from 
any exit and, when practicable, the aircraft operator should seat the 
prisoner in the rearmost seat of the passenger cabin.
    (g) Each armed law enforcement officer escorting a prisoner and each 
aircraft operator shall ensure that the prisoner is restrained from full 
use of his or her hands by an appropriate device that provides for 
minimum movement of the prisoner's hands, and shall ensure that leg 
irons are not used.
    (h) No aircraft operator may provide a prisoner under the control of 
a law enforcement officer--
    (1) With food or beverage or metal eating utensils unless authorized 
to do so by the armed law enforcement officer.
    (2) With any alcoholic beverage.