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ESCAPE B-120 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE EFFECTIVE DATE: 12-18-89 REVISED: 08-06-90, 12-25-94, 05-01-99, 08-01-11 AUTHORITY: Sheriff M. Mims APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie REFERENCE: Title 15, Section 1029 (a)(7)(B); Penal Code Sections 831.5, 836.3, 836.67 8417 8547 8557 4532; 45337 45347 45357 45377 4550 Fresno County Sheriffs Office Policies and Procedures Section No. 300. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish and maintain facility security in the event of an escape, attempted escape, or intrusion in order to ensure the safety of the community, as well as staff and inmate safety. POLICY: It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division to maintain secure facilities and to safely confine the inmate population within the limits of those facilities. Staff members shall take the necessary actions to prevent any escapes, attempted escapes and/or intrusions in conjunction with established Jail Division policies and procedures and the Sheriff's Office policy regarding the Use of Force. It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that when alerted to a possible escape, escape attempt or intrusion, staff shall immediately determine whether a breach of security has occurred. This policy provides a response plan universal for all instances of security breaches (i.e., escapes, attempted escapes and intrusions). For purposes of simplicity, clarity and ease of reading, this policy has been written in deference to escapes. Page 1 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE PROCEDURES: I. ESCAPE DETECTION METHODS A. The best way to avoid an escape attempt is to follow established policy in maintaining the security of the facility. However, should security be circumvented, there are three (3) basic ways that staff members may be made aware of a breach in facility security- 1. Alarm activation. 2. A staff member suspects or observes a breach of security. 3. Information from another source (either outside the facility or from within). Establishing and maintaining open communication with the inmates will serve to increase the reporting of potential problems within the facility. B. An emergency count may be necessary at anytime to determine if there has been an escape or to identify an escapee(s). II. INITIAL RESPONSE TO A POSSIBLE ESCAPE The officer discovering a possible escape shall be responsible to: A. Immediately advise the appropriate facility Central Control and provide the following information- 1. Location of the escape. Whether or not a breach of security exists (e.g., damaged door, broken window, etc.). 2. The need for additional officers. 3. The number of offenders (escapees or intruders). 4. Time of escape or elapsed time since escape. 5. Direction and means of travel. 6. Violence or weapons involved in the escape. Whether or not any staff is (or may be) in danger. 7. Outside accomplices. Page 2 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE B. Lockdown all inmates in the affected area. Secure all adjacent doors and exits to prevent escape by other inmates. C. Ensure that all evidence in the affected area is preserved. D. Direct all non-sworn personnel away from the area. E. If possible, officers will capture, restrain, separate and isolate any inmates involved. III. CENTRAL CONTROL'S RESPONSIBILITY A. When advised of the breach of security, log all information given by the discovering officer and continue to make a sequential log of all pertinent activities throughout the duration of the incident. B. Notify the Central Control Sergeant and applicable Facility Sergeant. C. Contact Dispatch and request assistance, as circumstances dictate. D. If the Watch Commander orders the facility locked down, Central Control shall initiate a complete facility lockdown as follows- 1. Notify all security stations to cease all inmate movement and instruct all visitors to leave the visiting areas and return to the Lobby. 2. Notify the Lobby Officers, who shall evacuate all visitors, attorneys, bondsmen and other non-departmental personnel from the facility and secure the Lobby doors. 3. Notify the Booking I Officer that the facility is being locked down and apprise them of the situation. 4. Any additional personnel arriving at the facility to assist shall only enter the facility via the employee entrance door and/or the enroute sallyport door. A positive identification will be made through the Central Control monitors by the Central Control Officers. 5. A Central Control Officer will be responsible for documenting all information received at their location. This documentation will be utilized when reports are written following the incident. E. Instruct all security officers to complete an emergency identification Page 3 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE count to establish whether an escape has occurred, or in the event of an obvious escape, to determine the exact identity of the inmate(s)involved. During an emergency count, all inmates shall be returned to their assigned cells/beds. F. When lockdown has been canceled, return the facility to normal operations. IV. SERGEANT'S RESPONSIBILITIES A. Supervise the pursuit of the escapee, as circumstances dictate. B. Notify the Watch Commander. C. Procure the escapee's photograph along with a written description of the inmate. Copies of the photograph shall be provided to all agencies assisting with the escape response. D. Assign an officer to secure the escapee's cell as a crime scene. 1. Ensure all property in the escapee's cell remains untouched until it can be searched for evidence relating to the escape. 2. If necessary, relocate the escapee's cellmate(s). E. Direct officers to conduct an interior perimeter check of all housing areas originating with the area from where the escape occurred, if known. This search will be conducted room-by-room and shall include a thorough search of the roof and maintenance area. 1. Ensure that any area discovered to be a breach of security is searched for evidence. An officer shall be posted at the area until repairs can be completed to correct the breach. 2. Request maintenance to make any necessary repairs to return the area to a usable condition. F. Direct officers to conduct an outer perimeter search. G. Ensure the escapee's OffenderTrak records are modified to reflect their escape custody status. (Refer to OffenderTrak procedures.) V. WATCH COMMANDER'S RESPONSIBILITY AND NOTIFICATIONS Page 4 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE The Watch Commander shall ensure that the following notifications are made: A. If the escape has been confirmed, contact Patrol's on-duty Watch Commander for a crime report, perimeter support, traffic control and/or abduction assistance. A K-9 Officer may be requested for search and/or apprehension of the escapee. B. Notify and inform the Jail Operations Bureau Commander. C. If the inmate is a violent offender, or if the escape was effected by force or violence, or there is a clear risk to the public, the media shall be notified to alert the surrounding communities (and the missing inmate's home community, if not local). D. If there is an indication of any threat to any official, victim, or witness, immediate notification must be made to those persons. 1. Contact the VINE administrators and notify them of the escape (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) 2. Notify the judge and other officials who may have a special interest in the inmate's location. E. Notify the chief of police of the city where the escape occurred. F. Contact the Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer to handle press releases. G. Ensure that the arresting agency and presiding judge are notified. H. If the inmate is a non-U.S. citizen, notify the appropriate consulate official. VI. INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO THE RESPONDING OFFICER Page 5 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE It is the Watch Commander's responsibility to ensure that the following records are assembled and provided to the responding/investigative officer: A. An information packet shall be assembled, consisting of one copy of each of the following: 1. OffenderTrak screens a. INMATE HALF-SHEET W/PHOTO,which includes the inmate's description, date of birth, and most recent address. b. Applicable DEMOGRAPHICS screens (e.g., previous addresses, descriptions, scars/marks/tattoos, etc. c. Charges d. Names and identification of persons who have visited the inmate e. Names, identification and photo of persons who have picked up the inmate's property 2. Any pertinent information from the inmate's classification file B. The phone records for the involved inmate(s) shall be retrieved and copied. C. A copy of all reports will be provided upon completion. VI I. CONCLUSION OF THE ESCAPE INCIDENT A. At the conclusion of an escape incident, all involved personnel shall complete the proper reports. The Watch Commander will notify the Jail Operations Bureau Commander when the reports have been completed. B. Once the escapee's property has been searched for evidence, the property shall be inventoried and placed in a brown paper bag with a property tag attached to the property and the property will then be placed in the Clothing Room. The property will remain in the Clothing Room until a further determination can be made as to its disposition. C. If the escapee is recaptured, the Watch Commander shall ensure that the following is performed: Page 6 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE 1. All agencies and bureaus previously notified of the escape shall be contacted and notified that the escapee is in custody. 2. The inmate's OffenderTrak screens are modified to reflect the inmate's return to custody. (Refer to OffenderTrak procedures.) 3. The inmate shall be interviewed. The information shall be used to ensure security breaches and any other factors are addressed to prevent a repeat occurrence. Vill. INCIDENT CRITIQUE A. Each escape shall be promptly investigated and the Watch Commander shall prepare a critique of the incident. The critique shall include a determination of each of the following, as appropriate- 1. The area the inmate escaped from and the length of time they had been in custody. 2. When the inmate was last seen and by whom. 3. Whether counts and security checks were conducted in accordance with policy. The time of the last scheduled count and time of the upcoming scheduled count. Procure and attach a report of all Safety Check entries completed during the period preceding the incident. 4. How the escape was determined and discovered. 5. If known, the reason the escapee left and how the reason was determined. 6. Indications of escapee's intent. 7. The method used to accomplish escape, obstacles escapee had to overcome and the method used to leave the area. 8. Whether the inmate was housed or transported using adequate security safeguards. Security devices which were in use when the Page 7 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE escape occurred, method used to overcome devices and whether the devices were functioning properly at the time. 9. Whether the inmate's classification and level of security placement were appropriate. 10. Whether there were prior indicators which should have alerted staff that the inmate might attempt an escape. 11. Whether the escape suggests inherent weakness exists in the facility's security system. How could the escape have been prevented (e.g., operational changes, maintenance, budget, equipment, personnel, classifications, etc.). B. Copies of the critique shall be distributed to all Watch Commanders for preventative recommendations and proposals. D. After all Watch Commanders have reviewed the critique, the critique shall be routed to the Jail Operations Bureau Commander, along with a list of proposals. IX. WRONGFUL RELEASES A. There are two (2) basic types of wrongful releases: 1. An attempt to falsify or deceive staff members regarding identification and/or paperwork to effect a wrongful release. 2. An error in the proper identification process and/or an oversight in the processing of the release paperwork. B. In both situations listed above, the officer discovering the wrongful release will immediately- 1. Notify the area Sergeant, who will in turn notify the Watch Commander. 2. Write an incident report. C. The Watch Commander shall perform the necessary notifications, as appropriate (refer to Section V for notification considerations). If it is Page 8 of 9 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: ESCAPE/INTRUSION NO: B-120 FILE: ESCAPE determined that criminal activity was involved, a deputy will be requested to write a Crime Report. D. A count will be completed in the event of an improper release to determine the proper identification of the person released and determine the status of the inmate pending release from custody. E. An incident critique is not required, but may be prepared at the discretion of the Watch Commander. Based upon the circumstances of the release, the investigation may be limited to the officer's Incident Report, a Criminal Report and/or a Supervisor Incident Report (J-122). X. WALKAWAY or NON-RETURN FROM A TEMPORARY RELEASE A. If an inmate leaves the control of staff while off grounds, or does not return to custody at the appointed time following temporary release, the discovering officer shall notify the area Sergeant and write an incident report. B. The Sergeant shall ensure the following is performed- 1. Notify the Watch Commander 2. If the inmate was released on a temporary pass, the receiving person/agency shall be contacted, as well as the court that granted the release. 3. The inmate's property shall be removed from their cell and inventoried. 4. The inmate's OffenderTrak screens shall be modified, as appropriate. C. The Watch Commander shall perform the necessary notifications as appropriate (refer to Section V for notification considerations). An incident critique is not required. Page 9 of 9