What is the first step an officer should take when assessing a situation involving a juvenile?

The first step an officer should take when assessing a situation involving a juvenile is to evaluate the immediate safety of the juvenile. This is crucial because the officer's primary responsibility is to ensure the well-being of individuals in the situation, especially minors who may be vulnerable or at risk. Assessing safety involves determining if there are any immediate threats to the juvenile's physical or emotional safety, which should be the officer's top priority.

Once the officer has ensured that the immediate environment is safe, they can then proceed to other necessary actions, such as contacting parents, notifying legal representatives, or taking statements from bystanders. However, without first securing the juvenile's safety, any further steps may not be effective or could potentially exacerbate the situation. Therefore, evaluating safety is the foundational step in appropriately handling the incident involving a juvenile.