Skip to Content

Wiki source code of AE 02 Restraints

Version 1.1 by Ryan Larkin on 2016/09/02 20:41
Show last authors
1 **Washington County Sheriff's Office**
2
3 **ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION**
4
5 Policy Manual
6
7
8 Volume: AE
9
10 Use of Force
11
12 Chapter: 02
13
14 Restraints
15
16
17 Replaces and/or Supersedes:
18
19 PJ 45
20
21 Published:
22
23 09/06/2011
24
25 Review Date:
26
27 09/06/2012
28
29
30 Sheriff Cory Pulsipher
31
32 Undersheriff Bart Bailey
33
34
35 __**TABLE OF CONTENTS**__
36
37 AE 02_101 Distribution
38
39 AE 02_102 Definitions
40
41 AE 02_103 References
42
43 AE 02_104 General
44
45 AE 02_105 Outside Secure Perimeter
46
47 AE 02_106 Pregnant Prisoner
48
49 AE 02_107 Restraint Chair
50
51 AE 02_108 Crisis Intervention
52
53 AE 02_109 Documentation
54
55
56 **AE 02_101 __DISTRIBUTION__**
57
58 1. Standard.
59
60
61 **AE 02_102 __DEFINITIONS__**
62
63 1. WCSO: Washington County Sheriff's Office
64 1. PCF: Purgatory Correctional Facility
65 1. Restraint: Any device or mechanism that physically controls or limits ordinary movement or range of motion.
66 1. Restraint Chair: A chair-like, full-body restraining device.
67 1. Shackles: A set of restraints consisting of hand restraints attached to a chain or belt wrapped around a prisoner's waist and locked behind the prisoner's back and leg restraints.
68 1. Hard and Soft Restraints: “Hard” and “soft” restraints refer to the type of material that comes in contact with the prisoner. For example, handcuffs would be considered hard restraints; a leather belt shackle would be considered a soft restraint.
69
70
71 **AE 02_103 __REFERENCES__**
72
73 1. Utah Counties Insurance Pool:
74 11. ML-V.A.1.
75 1. Utah Sheriff's Association Jail Standards:
76 11. F05.01.01: Written Use of Force Policies and Procedures Required
77 11. F05.01.02: Use of Force Policy Content
78 11. F05.02.01: Purpose of Use of Force
79 11. F05.03.01: Function of Restraints
80 11. F05.03.02: Restraint Devices
81 11. F05.03.03: Restraint Chairs
82 11. F05.03.04: Crisis Intervention
83 11. F05.03.05: Supervision of Prisoners in Restraints
84 11. F05.04.01: Medical Examination and Treatment Following Use of Force/Restraint
85 11. F05.04.02: Documentation Requirements
86
87
88 **AE 02_104 __GENERAL__**
89
90 1. Policy:
91 11. Restraints may be used as a:
92 111. Precautionary measure (e.g., handcuffing a cooperative prisoner during transportation); or
93 111. Control option in conjunction with a use of force event (e.g., controlling a physically violent prisoner).
94 11. Soft restraints instead of hard restraints should be used when available and feasible.
95 11. Determination of the type and application of restraints used shall be according to officer discretion and consistent with the involved officers' training.
96 11. Use of force options performed shall be consistent with the involved officers' training and policy: AE 01 Use of Force.
97 11. Prisoners in restraints should be supervised at all times. Prisoners should not be left unattended while in restraints unless observation can be done remotely (i.e., video surveillance).
98 11. Medical staff shall:
99 111. Provide guidance concerning any health concerns;
100 111. Observe for indications of distress (e.g., positional asphyxia);
101 111. Make, at a minimum, checks on the prisoner’s well-being every fifteen minutes when significant restraint devices are used (e.g., back board, restraint chair);
102 111. Make recommendations for discontinuing the use of a restraint chair, when necessary; and
103 111. Conduct an evaluation on each prisoner against whom force was used.
104 11. During extended periods of restraint, prisoners should be permitted to use toilet facilities.
105 11. If a prisoner is restrained for more than an hour, the prisoner should be permitted to stretch his/her muscles.
106 1. Rationale:
107 11. Use of restraints may reduce the potential of escape.
108 11. Use of restraints may increase the margin of safety.
109 11. Use of soft restraints may decrease the risk or magnitude of injury to the prisoner.
110 11. The possible scenarios and related factors that could exist with a use of force or restraint device application are too numerous to detail in entirety. Furthermore, officers receive extensive training in order to make sound decisions.
111 11. When used in conjunction with a use of force event, use of restraints may increase control of a disorderly prisoner, reduce the potential of property damage, and may decrease the risks of injury to the prisoner and staff.
112 11. Use of restraints should be as humane as possible.
113 11. Restriction of body movement for extended periods of time could create medical concerns.
114
115
116 **AE 02_105 __OUTSIDE SECURE PERIMETER__**
117
118 1. Policy:
119 11. Prisoners shall be placed in shackles when outside the secure perimeter of PCF, unless otherwise authorized.
120 11. Shackles shall be used on all prisoners during transportation events that occur after initial admission to PCF; except for prisoners participating in an approved Community Release program.
121 11. Shackles shall be used on all prisoners during court sessions; unless otherwise specified by the presiding judge.
122 11. At a minimum and when feasible, prisoners in custody at a hospital shall:
123 111. Wear leg restraints; and
124 111. Be securely attached to the hospital bed.
125 11. When it is not feasible for the prisoner to be restrained by the usual methods, as indicated above, the supervising officer shall attempt to restrain the prisoner and minimize the risk of escape by other means (e.g., use of non-metal restraints, relocation to a more secure room, etc.).
126 1. Rationale:
127 11. Shackles provide greater control against prisoner escape and/or misbehavior.
128 11. Types of restraints used in a hospital environment may be limited due to the specific location within the hospital, the condition of the prisoner, and/or the testing/care being conducted.
129
130
131 **AE 02_106 __PREGNANT PRISONER__**
132
133 1. Policy:
134 11. Pregnant prisoners shall be handcuffed in front of their body instead of behind.
135 1. Rationale:
136 11. If a prisoner falls forward, being handcuffed in front will allow the prisoner's hands to be used to break the prisoner's fall.
137
138
139 **AE 02_107 __RESTRAINT CHAIR__**
140
141 1. Policy:
142 11. If medical staff are not on-duty, the use of a restraint chair should be limited to significant (and documented) necessity and a temporary time frame.
143 1. Rationale:
144 11. Use of a restraint chair may increase medical concerns for the prisoner and should be monitored closely by medical staff.
145
146
147 **AE 02_108 __CRISIS INTERVENTION__**
148
149 1. Policy:
150 11. PCF Medical staff should offer crisis intervention assistance to PCF-incarcerated prisoners during and/or after the use of a restraints in conjunction with use of force events.
151 1. Rationale:
152 11. Prisoners whose actions require the use of restraint devices may be acting out as a result of mental illness, personality disorders, or other emotional problems which require mental health intervention.
153
154
155 **AE 02_109 __DOCUMENTATION__**
156
157 1. Policy:
158 11. Precautionary uses of restraints may be (but are not required to be) documented in the jail computer system. However, precautionary events with an atypical factor should be documented.
159 11. Use of force events involving the use of restraints shall be documented in the jail computer system. All jail use of force events shall be documented as a jail incident (refer to policy: CD 03 Jail Incident Report).
160 11. Use of force applications of restraints shall be video recorded whenever reasonably possible.
161 1. Rationale:
162 11. Precautionary uses of restraint devices are a standard practice for many routine tasks; thus, documentation of each use would create a significant and time consuming burden upon staff.
163 11. Proper documentation memorializes events and may aid in answering litigation.