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Version 1.1 by Ryan Larkin on 2016/09/28 22:30
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1 **Washington County Sheriff's Office**
2
3 **CORRECTIONS DIVISION**
4
5 Policy Manual
6
7
8 Volume: CY 07
9
10 Contingency Management
11
12 Chapter: 07
13
14 Inmate Transportation Contingency
15
16
17 Replaces and/or Supersedes:
18
19 CY 07 03/29/2013
20
21 Published:
22
23 03/29/2012
24
25 Date Reviewed:
26
27 10/26/2015
28
29
30 Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher
31
32 Chief Deputy Jake Schultz
33
34
35 **__TABLE OF CONTENTS__**
36
37 CY 07_101 Definitions
38
39 CY 07_102 References
40
41 CY 07_103 General
42
43 CY 07_104 Emergency Medical Transportation
44
45 CY 07_105 Emergency Non-Medical Transportation
46
47 CY 07_106 Nondrivable
48
49 CY 07_107 Attack
50
51 CY 07_108 Escape
52
53 CY 07_109 Hostage
54
55 CY 07_110 Inmate Sickness
56
57 CY 07_111 Inmate Death
58
59 CY 07_112 Inmate Disturbance
60
61 CY 07_113 Natural Disasters and Severe Weather
62
63 CY 07_114 Documentation
64
65
66 **CY 07_101 __DEFINITIONS__**
67
68 1. WCSO: Washington County Sheriff's Office
69 1. PCF: Purgatory Correctional Facility
70 1. SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics
71
72
73 **CY 07_102 __REFERENCES__**
74
75 1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards:
76 11. 2000-21
77 11. 2000-25
78 11. 2000-35
79
80
81 **CY 07_103 __GENERAL__**
82
83 1. Policy:
84 11. Planned emergency transportation events should be identified as one of two types: medical or non-medical.
85 11. There should be written policies and procedures covering the various emergency situations which might be encountered during inmate transportation. The policies and procedures relating to emergencies should include, but not be limited to:
86 111. Attack;
87 111. Escape;
88 111. Hostage-taking;
89 111. Inmate sickness;
90 111. Inmate Death;
91 111. Vehicle fire;
92 111. Inmate Disturbance;
93 111. Traffic Accident;
94 111. Mechanical problems;
95 111. Natural disasters; and
96 111. Severe weather.
97 11. Contingencies for passenger lists including women or minors should be planned for.
98 11. Corrections facilities (i.e., jails, prisons, holding facilities) in close proximity to the transportation route should be identified prior to departure.
99 1. Rationale:
100 11. Properly identifying a transportation event will help ensure that the proper procedures are followed.
101 11. Prior planning may increase the effectiveness of officers' actions in emergency situations.
102
103
104 **CY 07_104 __EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION__**
105
106 1. Policy:
107 11. In the event that an emergency medical transportation is required for an inmate, transportation shall be via ambulance.
108 11. At least one officer shall ride with the inmate in the back of the ambulance. At least one additional officer should join the officer and inmate at the hospital or other emergency care facility.
109 11. Even if the inmate is showing signs of immobility or an appearance that an escape attempt would be unlikely or impossible, the inmate should be placed in restraints. Ideally, full restraints (i.e., leg irons and waist chain cuffs) should be used. However, restraint placement should not interfere with the medical care services being provided. If it is necessary for the waist chain cuffs to be removed, the leg irons should remain in place and at least one wrist should be handcuffed to a bed rail, if possible.
110 11. An inmate should be supervised by no less than two officers while at the hospital or other emergency care facility.
111 1. Rationale:
112 11. Necessary emergency medical care should not be compromised. However, all appropriate security precautions should be taken.
113
114
115 **CY 07_105 __EMERGENCY NON-MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION__**
116
117 1. Policy:
118 11. Emergency non-medical transportation may be conducted in any WCSO vehicle equipped with lights and sirens.
119 11. Only an officer current with emergency driving training (as detailed in policy: AC 02 Emergency Driving and Vehicular Pursuit) should be the driver for an emergency non-medical transportation.
120 11. At least one non-driver, armed officer should be present in a transportation vehicle carrying an inmate.
121 11. An inmate should be supervised by no less than two officers until the inmate's custody has been transferred to another agency or until the inmate has been returned to PCF.
122 1. Rationale:
123 11. Having a minimum of two deputies supervising an inmate reduces risks against false claims by the inmate and increases the security capabilities.
124
125
126 **CY 07_106 __NON-DRIVABLE__**
127
128 1. Policy:
129 11. Regardless of reason, if a vehicle transporting inmates becomes non-drivable (e.g., mechanical problems, traffic accident, fire, etc.), the transportation officers should:
130 111. Request assistance and a replacement vehicle via radio or by calling 911;
131 111. Exit the vehicle and take defensive positions in anticipation of a potential attack;
132 111. If the vehicle is unsafe for the inmates to remain within it, evacuate the inmates to a defensible position; and
133 111. After obtaining a replacement vehicle, continue with the inmate transportation.
134 1. Rationale:
135 11. Remaining in a non-drivable vehicle limits the officers' visual field and physical movements.
136
137
138 **CY 07_107 __ATTACK__**
139
140 1. Policy:
141 11. If a vehicle transporting inmates comes under attack and the vehicle is drivable, the transportation officers:
142 111. Should request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
143 111. Should use all reasonable measures to evade and drive to the nearest law enforcement agency or secure location;
144 111. Should not attempt to apprehend the attackers; and
145 111. Should not engage the attackers, if doing so compromises evasive actions.
146 11. If a vehicle transporting inmates comes under attack and the vehicle is non-drivable, the transportation officers should:
147 111. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
148 111. Exit the vehicle and take defensive positions and use all reasonable measures to defend the lives of the inmates and officers; and
149 111. Not attempt to apprehend the attackers (maintain defensive positions).
150 111. After an incident is resolved and inmates have been secured at a correctional facility, the inmate transportation should not resume without a SWAT Team escort.
151 1. Rationale:
152 11. Obtaining safe and secure shelter for the inmates and officers should be the primary consideration.
153 11. Responding officers may engage and apprehend the attackers.
154 11. Remaining in a non-drivable vehicle limits the officers' visual field and physical movements.
155
156
157 **CY 07_108 __ESCAPE__**
158
159 1. Policy:
160 11. If an inmate has escaped from a transportation vehicle, other inmates are still in the vehicle, and there is more than one transportation officer:
161 111. Assistance should be requested via radio or by calling 911;
162 111. 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; and
163 111. At least one officer (driver) should:
164 1111. Stay with the remaining inmates;
165 1111. 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); and
166 1111. Isolate the remaining inmates in the transportation vehicle from each other for investigation.
167 11. If an inmate has escaped from a transportation vehicle, other inmates are still in the vehicle, and there is only one transportation officer (driver), the officer should:
168 111. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
169 111. Stay with the remaining inmates;
170 111. Proceed to a safe and secure location with the remaining inmates; and
171 111. Isolate the remaining inmates for investigation.
172 11. If an inmate has escaped from a transportation vehicle and no other inmates are in the vehicle, the officer(s) should:
173 111. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911; and
174 111. Pursue and apprehend the inmate, doing so in compliance with current use-of-force laws and WCSO policies.
175 1. Rationale:
176 11. The pursuit of an escaped inmate could increase the risk of escape for other inmates being transported.
177
178
179 **CY 07_109 __HOSTAGE__**
180
181 1. Policy:
182 11. If an inmate takes another inmate hostage during transportation, the transportation officers should:
183 111. Request assistance and a SWAT Team response via radio or by calling 911;
184 111. Continue driving until the SWAT Team arrives; and
185 111. Allow the SWAT Team to take command of the incident (reference policy: CY 05 Hostage Situation).
186 1. Rationale:
187 11. A hostage situation could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.
188
189
190 **CY 07_110 __INMATE SICKNESS__**
191
192 1. Policy:
193 11. If an inmate complains of sickness or appears to be sick during transportation, the transportation officers should contact the PCF Medical Branch for instructions (i.e., return to PCF, go to a hospital, or continue the transportation).
194 11. If there are additional inmates in the transportation vehicle and if instructed to go to a hospital, the transportation officers should request a minimum of two additional officers (don't have to be WCSO officers) to meet them at the hospital. The sick inmate should then be left with the additional officers at the hospital while the transportation officers continue the transportation, unless otherwise directed by the Transportation supervisor.
195 1. Rationale:
196 11. A sick inmate could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.
197 11. Medical staff have more applicable training and knowledge to make medical related decision.
198
199
200 **CY 07_111 __INMATE DEATH__**
201
202 1. Policy:
203 11. If an inmate dies in a vehicle during transportation:
204 111. The transportation officers should immediately contact the local dispatch to request assistance.
205 111. The transportation vehicle should be re-routed to the nearest hospital or corrections facility. If the vehicle is re-routed to a corrections facility, an ambulance should be called to respond to the corrections facility.
206 111. If additional inmates are in the transportation vehicle, after arriving at the re-routed destination, the responding officers should take custody of the deceased inmate and the transportation officers should resume the original transportation order (unless otherwise directed by the transportation officers' supervisor).
207 1. Rationale:
208 11. The safety and security of other inmates being transported must be managed.
209
210
211 **CY 07_112 __INMATE DISTURBANCE__**
212
213 1. Policy:
214 11. If an inmate disturbance develops within a vehicle and the disturbance does not endanger anyone's safety, the transportation officers should:
215 111. Continue the inmate transportation; and
216 111. Attempt to verbally mitigate the inmate disturbance.
217 11. If an inmate disturbance develops within a vehicle and the disturbance endangers or appears likely to endanger a person's safety, the transportation officers should:
218 111. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
219 111. If it can be done safely, drive toward the nearest corrections facility;
220 111. If there are non-disruptive inmates among the disruptive inmates:
221 1111. Transfer custody of the disruptive inmate(s) to the responding officers or to the corrections facility (courtesy hold); then
222 1111. Continue the inmate transportation; or
223 111. If all the inmates in the transportation are disruptive:
224 1111. Transfer custody of the inmates to the nearest corrections facility (courtesy hold) until the disturbance can be resolved; then
225 1111. Continue the inmate transportation (a secondary vehicle with armed officers may be requested).
226 1. Rationale:
227 11. An inmate disturbance could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.
228
229
230 **CY 07_113 __NATURAL DISASTERS AND SEVERE WEATHER__**
231
232 1. Policy:
233 11. If a natural disaster or severe weather interferes with an inmate transportation, the transportation officers should:
234 111. Take the inmates to the nearest corrections facility; and
235 111. Discontinue the inmate transportation until the travel conditions are safe enough to continue the transportation.
236 1. Rationale:
237 11. Natural disasters or severe weather could create additional travel risks. Thus, travel should not be resumed until conditions can be evaluated.
238
239
240 **CY 07_114 __DOCUMENTATION__**
241
242 1. Policy:
243 11. All emergency transportation events shall be documented as a jail incident in the jail computer system.
244 1. Rationale:
245 11. A written record memorializes events.
246 11. Accurate details of events may be required at a later time.