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RIOT B-110 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: RIOT/DISTURBANCE NO: B-110 FILE: RIOT EFFECTIVE DATE: 12-18-89 REVISED: 12-25-94, 05-06-96, 11-01-99, 07-01-10 AUTHORITY: Sheriff J. Zanoni APPROVED BY: Assistant Sheriff T. Gattie REFERENCE: California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Section 1029(a)(7)(B). PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to provide a means for the protection of life, property and facility security in the event of an inmate riot/disturbance situation. POLICY: It is the policy of the Fresno County Sheriffs Office Jail Division that all reasonable steps will be taken to prevent riotous or destructive inmate behavior. In order to minimize injuries to staff and/or inmates and damage to the facility, every effort will be made to de-escalate and resolve the situation with the minimal use of force necessary. PROCEDURES: I. TYPES OF RIOT/DISTURBANCES A. Riot/disturbance by a large number of inmates will usually involve at least one of the three (3) identifiable groups listed: 1. Ethnic groups 2. Inmate (prison) gangs 3. Administrative segregation inmate classifications B. Disturbances can be attributed to real or contrived grievances. C. The implied cause can sometimes be a diversion to cover other criminal activity by inmates, including assaults and/or escape attempts. Page 1 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: RIOT/DISTURBANCE NO: B-110 FILE: RIOT II. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS The following is a list of some possible contributing factors among the inmate population which may provide a warning to a possible riot/disturbance situation: A. Racial unrest is one of the most dangerous causes of riotous behavior. B. The quality and quantity of the food provided to the inmates. C. Certain staff members, by their actions or words, may become the focus of widespread inmate complaints. D. Lack of proper medical care. E. Continued complaints about recreation, visitation, and mail privileges. F. Misinformation relayed to prisoners by staff members. III. WARNING SIGNS OF INMATE UNREST Specific changes in behavior or signs of tension among the inmate population may provide a direct warning to a possible group disturbance. The indicators or signs may be evident for hours, days or months. Staff members must be able to identify, document and report these indicators to their supervisor. Some indicators of direct warning signs are as follows: A. Individual inmates are restless. Inmates may be sullen, edgy and flare up easily. B. Inmates avoid contact with staff. Inmates who are normally pleasant and talkative suddenly are avoiding contact with staff and staying to themselves. C. Abnormal number of requests for housing change. Possible trouble about to take place in a housing area may cause a large number of inmates to request a housing change. D. Abnormal number of incident reports. A large number of incident reports may indicate a change in the atmosphere of the housing area. Page 2 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: RIOT/DISTURBANCE NO: B-110 FILE: RIOT E. Absence of inmates from popular functions. Examples may include a popular dinner being served and only a few want to eat; a sunny day and only a handful of inmates go to the recreation yard; a popular movie or TV show is on and only a few watch. F. Excessive commissary sales. Excessive sales or hoarding of coffee, cookies, candy and/or other items of food may be a sign that the inmates are preparing themselves for a long stay in their cells. Excessive sales or hoarding could also indicate a food strike or sit-down strike is about to take place. G. Disturbances at other institutions. A work strike, for example at another institution or a civil disturbance in the community, may cause a sympathetic response from the general population. H. Forming of racial groups or cliques. When any identified group or clique starts grouping in the housing area, recreation yard, etc., it is a sign that trouble may be brewing between groups. I. Group assault upon an individual of another group or race. Retaliation is almost a certainty when any member of a group is assaulted. J. Continual complaints by more radical inmates. When the more radical inmates start complaining about food, housing, or privileges, it is a possible sign of trouble. IV. PREVENTATIVE ACTION A. Staff members shall create and maintain good communications with all inmates regarding plans, programs and procedures. 1. Staff members who are knowledgeable of policies and procedures create trust and confidence in inmates. 2. Well-informed staff members are better able to relay appropriate information to the inmates in a timely manner. B. Open communications between staff members and supervisors will increase the reporting of unrest among the inmates. Page 3 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: RIOT/DISTURBANCE NO: B-110 FILE: RIOT 1. Staff briefings should include a reasonable time allotment for all staff members to contribute information to the group and the supervisor. 2. Supervisors shall make themselves available to staff members regularly. Private conversations often contain very sensitive information that may bear directly upon inmate unrest. C. Morale among inmates is maintained in a variety of ways. The objective in maintaining morale is to develop a feeling that the inmate's basic needs are being adequately met in such matters as food, clothing, medical attention,etc. Equally important to the inmates is a sense of being treated fairly and justly; having the opportunity to appeal to authority in the writing of grievances;and a belief that their basic welfare is a matter of concern to management. D. The administration of fair and even-handed discipline is fundamental to maintaining an orderly facility. This cannot be accomplished if some staff members are inexcusably lax and others are needlessly harsh. Rules and regulations in the policies and procedures manual must be specifically spelled out for the administration of discipline. All staff and inmates must be informed of the policies top management will enforce. Otherwise, laxity and severity will exist side by side and prepare the scene for dissension and disturbances. E. Prompt and positive handling of inmate complaints and grievances is essential in maintaining good morale. A firm "no" can be as effective as granting a request in reducing an individual's tensions, particularly if the inmate feels the problem has been given genuine consideration by the appropriate officials and if given a reason for the denial. An individual can live with "yes" or"no" but a "maybe" or "perhaps" creates frustration. Equivocation and vague answers create false hopes and increase a person's anger when nothing is done. F. Food complaints are one of the primary causes of disturbances in an institution. The food service plan must provide and maintain a proper diet, be wholesomely prepared and attractively served in clean surroundings. It is important that cold food is served cold and hot food is served hot. G. Clothing issues can be another source of complaint. III-fitting or improperly laundered clothing, and poor issuance and/or exchange procedures could be very costly to the facility. It is important that inmates be provided with appropriate clothing. Page 4 of 5 FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE JAIL DIVISION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TITLE: RIOT/DISTURBANCE NO: B-110 FILE: RIOT H. Disturbances in a correctional setting can often be prevented by being able to interpret and act on changes in the institutional atmosphere and behavior patterns of inmates. For every form of behavior there is a reason. It is up to the staff member to find out why. It is better to act on, rather than react to, behavior which can be eruptive, as well as destructive. V. NOTIFICATION, CONTAINMENT AND CONTROL OF A RIOT SITUATION Emergency procedures and notifications shall be implemented as per Emergency Planning procedures (B-101/FILE: EMERGENCY). Page 5 of 5