CY 07 Inmate Transportation Contingency

Version 2.1 by Ryan Larkin on 2017/03/22 16:58

Washington County Sheriff's Office

CORRECTIONS DIVISION

Policy Manual

Volume: CY 07

Contingency Management

Chapter: 07

Inmate Transportation Contingency

Replaces and/or Supersedes:

CY 07 03/29/2013

Published:

03/29/2012

Date Reviewed:

03/22/2017

Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher

Chief Deputy Jake Schultz

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CY 07_101 Definitions

CY 07_102 References

CY 07_103 General

CY 07_104 Emergency Medical Transportation

CY 07_105 Emergency Non-Medical Transportation

CY 07_106 Nondrivable

CY 07_107 Attack

CY 07_108 Escape

CY 07_109 Hostage

CY 07_110 Inmate Sickness

CY 07_111 Inmate Death

CY 07_112 Inmate Disturbance

CY 07_113 Natural Disasters and Severe Weather

CY 07_114 Documentation

CY 07_101 DEFINITIONS

WCSO: Washington County Sheriff's Office
PCF: Purgatory Correctional Facility
SWAT: Special Weapons and Tactics

CY 07_102 REFERENCES

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Standards:
1. 2000-21
2. 2000-25
3. 2000-35

CY 07_103 GENERAL

Policy:
1. Planned emergency transportation events should be identified as one of two types: medical or non-medical.
2. 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:
  1. Attack;
  2. Escape;
  3. Hostage-taking;
  4. Inmate sickness;
  5. Inmate Death;
  6. Vehicle fire;
  7. Inmate Disturbance;
  8. Traffic Accident;
  9. Mechanical problems;
  10. Natural disasters; and
  11. Severe weather.
3. Contingencies for passenger lists including women or minors should be planned for.
4. Corrections facilities (i.e., jails, prisons, holding facilities) in close proximity to the transportation route should be identified prior to departure.
Rationale:
1. Properly identifying a transportation event will help ensure that the proper procedures are followed.
2. Prior planning may increase the effectiveness of officers' actions in emergency situations.

CY 07_104 EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION

Policy:
1. In the event that an emergency medical transportation is required for an inmate, transportation shall be via ambulance.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. An inmate should be supervised by no less than two officers while at the hospital or other emergency care facility.
Rationale:
1. Necessary emergency medical care should not be compromised. However, all appropriate security precautions should be taken.

CY 07_105 EMERGENCY NON-MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION

Policy:
1. Emergency non-medical transportation may be conducted in any WCSO vehicle equipped with lights and sirens.
2. Only an officer current with emergency driving training should be the driver for an emergency non-medical transportation.
3. At least one non-driver, armed officer should be present in a transportation vehicle carrying an inmate.
4. 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.
Rationale:
1. Having a minimum of two deputies supervising an inmate reduces risks against false claims by the inmate and increases the security capabilities.

CY 07_106 NON-DRIVABLE

Policy:
1. Regardless of reason, if a vehicle transporting inmates becomes non-drivable (e.g., mechanical problems, traffic accident, fire, etc.), the transportation officers should:
  1. Request assistance and a replacement vehicle via radio or by calling 911;
  2. Exit the vehicle and take defensive positions in anticipation of a potential attack;
  3. If the vehicle is unsafe for the inmates to remain within it, evacuate the inmates to a defensible position; and
  4. After obtaining a replacement vehicle, continue with the inmate transportation.
Rationale:
1. Remaining in a non-drivable vehicle limits the officers' visual field and physical movements.

CY 07_107 ATTACK

Policy:
1. If a vehicle transporting inmates comes under attack and the vehicle is drivable, the transportation officers:
  1. Should request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
  2. Should use all reasonable measures to evade and drive to the nearest law enforcement agency or secure location;
  3. Should not attempt to apprehend the attackers; and
  4. Should not engage the attackers, if doing so compromises evasive actions.
2. If a vehicle transporting inmates comes under attack and the vehicle is non-drivable, the transportation officers should:
  1. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
  2. Exit the vehicle and take defensive positions and use all reasonable measures to defend the lives of the inmates and officers; and
  3. Not attempt to apprehend the attackers (maintain defensive positions).
  4. 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.
Rationale:
1. Obtaining safe and secure shelter for the inmates and officers should be the primary consideration.
2. Responding officers may engage and apprehend the attackers.
3. Remaining in a non-drivable vehicle limits the officers' visual field and physical movements.

CY 07_108 ESCAPE

Policy:
1. If an inmate has escaped from a transportation vehicle, other inmates are still in the vehicle, and there is more than one transportation officer:
  1. Assistance should be requested via radio or by calling 911;
  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; and
  3. At least one officer (driver) should:
    1. Stay with the remaining inmates;
    2. 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
    3. Isolate the remaining inmates in the transportation vehicle from each other for investigation.
2. 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:
  1. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
  2. Stay with the remaining inmates;
  3. Proceed to a safe and secure location with the remaining inmates; and
  4. Isolate the remaining inmates for investigation.
3. If an inmate has escaped from a transportation vehicle and no other inmates are in the vehicle, the officer(s) should:
  1. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911; and
  2. Pursue and apprehend the inmate, doing so in compliance with current use-of-force laws and WCSO policies.
Rationale:
1. The pursuit of an escaped inmate could increase the risk of escape for other inmates being transported.

CY 07_109 HOSTAGE

Policy:
1. If an inmate takes another inmate hostage during transportation, the transportation officers should:
  1. Request assistance and a SWAT Team response via radio or by calling 911;
  2. Continue driving until the SWAT Team arrives; and
  3. Allow the SWAT Team to take command of the incident (reference policy: CY 05 Hostage Situation).
Rationale:
1. A hostage situation could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.

CY 07_110 INMATE SICKNESS

Policy:
1. 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).
2. 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.
Rationale:
1. A sick inmate could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.
2. Medical staff have more applicable training and knowledge to make medical related decision.

CY 07_111 INMATE DEATH

Policy:
1. If an inmate dies in a vehicle during transportation:
  1. The transportation officers should immediately contact the local dispatch to request assistance.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
Rationale:
1. The safety and security of other inmates being transported must be managed.

CY 07_112 INMATE DISTURBANCE

Policy:
1. If an inmate disturbance develops within a vehicle and the disturbance does not endanger anyone's safety, the transportation officers should:
  1. Continue the inmate transportation; and
  2. Attempt to verbally mitigate the inmate disturbance.
2. 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:
  1. Request assistance via radio or by calling 911;
  2. If it can be done safely, drive toward the nearest corrections facility;
  3. If there are non-disruptive inmates among the disruptive inmates:
    1. Transfer custody of the disruptive inmate(s) to the responding officers or to the corrections facility (courtesy hold); then
    2. Continue the inmate transportation; or
  4. If all the inmates in the transportation are disruptive:
    1. Transfer custody of the inmates to the nearest corrections facility (courtesy hold) until the disturbance can be resolved; then
    2. Continue the inmate transportation (a secondary vehicle with armed officers may be requested).
Rationale:
1. An inmate disturbance could be a ploy for an ambush or escape attempt.

CY 07_113 NATURAL DISASTERS AND SEVERE WEATHER

Policy:
1. If a natural disaster or severe weather interferes with an inmate transportation, the transportation officers should:
  1. Take the inmates to the nearest corrections facility; and
  2. Discontinue the inmate transportation until the travel conditions are safe enough to continue the transportation.
Rationale:
1. Natural disasters or severe weather could create additional travel risks. Thus, travel should not be resumed until conditions can be evaluated.

CY 07_114 DOCUMENTATION

Policy:
1. All emergency transportation events shall be documented as a jail incident in the jail computer system.
Rationale:
1. A written record memorializes events.
2. Accurate details of events may be required at a later time.