CY 06 Escape or Escape Attempt

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Washington County Sheriff's Office

CORRECTIONS DIVISION

Policy Manual

Volume: CY

Contingency Management

Chapter: 06

Escape or Escape Attempt

Replaces and/or Supersedes:

CY 02 08/20/2009

Published:

03/05/2012

Review Date:

04/13/2021

Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher

Chief Deputy Jake Schultz

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CY 06_101  Definitions

CY 06_102  References

CY 06_103  General

CY 06_104  Prevention

CY 06_105  Facility Escape Procedure

CY 06_106  Community Release Escape Procedure

CY 06_107  Transport Escape Procedure

CY 06_108  Immediate Custody Escape Procedure

CY 06_109  Notification

CY 06_110  Documentation

CY 06_101  DEFINITIONS

  1. WCSO:  Washington County Sheriff's Office
  2. PCF:  Purgatory Correctional Facility
  3. Escape:  An incident should be classified as an escape if an inmate:
    1. Is missing and there is no information justifying the absence;
    2. Leaves the secure confines of PCF without authorization;
    3. Leaves, or fails to return from, a release program or event without providing proper notice and justification;
    4. Leaves a transport vehicle without authorization;
    5. Flees the immediate custody of an officer while being escorted by the officer anywhere outside the confines of PCF.

CY 06_102  REFERENCES

  1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards:
    1. 2000-25
  2. Utah Sheriff's Association Jail Standards:
    1. F02.03.02:  Reconciling Counts
    2. F06.01.01:  Content: Emergency Response

CY 06_103  GENERAL

  1. Policy:
    1. PCF shall establish procedures to prepare for and deal with inmate escapes.
  2. Rationale:
    1. No jail or security system can absolutely guarantee that an escape cannot occur. Thus, it is a matter of operational necessity to have a plan to respond to escapes and escape attempts from the PCF.

CY 06_104  PREVENTION

  1. Policy:
    1. PCF shall aim to prevent inmate escape attempts and escapes through employee training, proper security procedures, supervision, and internal reviews of compliance.
  2. Rationale:
    1. Comprehensive policies, procedures, and training can significantly reduce the potential for inmate escapes.

CY 06_105  FACILITY ESCAPE PROCEDURE

  1. Policy:
    1. If an inmate is believed to have escaped from the secure facility, PCF staff should:
      1. Place the entire facility on lockdown status;
      2. Conduct a formal inmate head count with photo identification;
      3. Review the jail computer system activity log for the inmate's last known location/time;
      4. Obtain information from witnesses (staff and inmates);
      5. Conduct a facility search;
      6. Make necessary notifications.

CY 06_106  RELEASE PROGRAM ESCAPE PROCEDURE

  1. Policy:
    1. If an inmate has escaped from a release program or event, PCF staff should:
      1. Conduct a formal inmate head count with photo identification;
      2. Review the jail computer system activity log for the inmate's last known location/time;
      3. Obtain information from witnesses (staff and inmates);
      4. Make necessary notifications.

CY 06_107  TRANSPORT ESCAPE PROCEDURE

  1. Policy:
    1. If an inmate has escaped from a transport vehicle, other inmates are still in the vehicle, and there is more than one transporting officer:
      1. At least one officer (driver) should:
        1. Stay with the remaining inmates;
        2. Make necessary notifications (contact dispatch first);
        3. If apprehension of the escaped inmate is not immediate, proceed to a safe and secure location with the remaining inmates without the pursuing officer(s) (e.g., PCF or a temporary holding facility);
        4. Isolate the remaining inmates of the transport vehicle from each other for investigation.
      2. At least one officer should pursue and apprehend the inmate; doing so in compliance with current use-of-force laws and WCSO policies. If apprehension is not immediate, the pursuing officer(s) should receive transportation back to PCF from a responding officer.
      3. If an inmate has escaped from a transport vehicle, other inmates are still in the vehicle, and there is only one transporting officer (driver), the officer should:
        1. Stay with the remaining inmates;
        2. Make necessary notifications (contact dispatch first);
        3. Proceed to a safe and secure location with the remaining inmates (e.g., PCF or a temporary holding facility);
        4. Isolate the remaining inmates for investigation.
      4. If an inmate has escaped from a transport vehicle and no other inmates are in the vehicle, the officer(s) should:
        1. Make necessary notifications (contact dispatch first);
        2. Pursue and apprehend the inmate; doing so in compliance with current use-of-force laws and WCSO policies.

CY 06_108  IMMEDIATE CUSTODY ESCAPE PROCEDURE

  1. Policy:
    1. If an inmate has escaped from the immediate custody of an officer and the officer is responsible for another inmate(s) at the time, the officer(s) should:
      1. Stay with the remaining inmate(s);
      2. Make necessary notifications (contact dispatch first);
    2. If an inmate has escaped from the immediate custody of an officer and the officer is not responsible for any other inmates at the time, the officer(s) should:
      1. Make necessary notifications (contact dispatch first);
      2. Pursue and apprehend the inmate; doing so in compliance with current use-of-force laws and WCSO policies.

CY 06_109  NOTIFICATION

  1. Policy:
    1. Upon the determination of an escaped inmate, PCF staff should immediately notify the on-duty supervisor.
    2. Via chain-of-command, the Corrections Chief Deputy, Undersheriff, and Sheriff should be notified.
    3. Under the direction of the on-duty supervisor, notifications should be made to:
      1. Dispatch;
      2. Contracting agency (if applicable);
      3. Inmate's prior victims (if information is available);
      4. News media (if specifically approved by the Sheriff);
      5. Other agencies according to circumstances and location of the escape.
    4. Notification should include a description of the escaped inmate, including:
      1. Most recent photo;
      2. Full name;
      3. PCF name number;
      4. Physical traits (e.g., body type, scars, tattoos, etc.);
      5. Clothing;
      6. Local address;
      7. Known local associates;
      8. Know and potential threat and risk factors;
      9. Offense history summary (e.g., sex offender, convicted murderer, etc.).
  2. Rationale:
    1. Proper notifications may increase response effectiveness and mitigate consequential problems.

CY 06_1010  DOCUMENTATION

  1. Policy:
    1. All events involving an escape or escape attempt shall be documented as a jail incident in the jail computer system.