The Inmate Death - Reporting and Review Process policy applies to all inmate deaths that occur in Custody Division jail facilities, or deaths of inmates who are under the purview of the Custody Division, in Court Services Division lock-ups, Correctional Services Transportation vehicles, and the station jails.
In the event of an inmate/prisoner death, the watch commander of the unit, at the time of the inmate death, shall be responsible for making all telephonic notifications of the death and all pertinent information, within 30 minutes of the inmate being pronounced dead, to the following units/personnel:
- Concerned division chief, when death occurs at the hands of another inmate or a staff member(s);
- Area commander;
- Unit commander;
- Homicide Bureau;
- Custody Compliance and Sustainability Bureau or Sheriff’s Information Bureau, if after business hours;
- Internal Affairs Bureau on‑call lieutenant (via Sheriff’s Information Bureau Media Section after hours), in cases of death following contact with a Department member, and other circumstances as detailed in the Department Manual of Policy and Procedures, section 3-10/100.00, “Use of Force Reporting and Review Procedures;”
- Inmate Reception Center ‑ Custody Division Log;
- Sheriff’s Information Bureau Media Section ‑ Department Operations Log;
- Sheriff’s Medical Services 24-hour Nursing Desk, Medical Services Building; and
- Risk Management Bureau ‑ Civil Litigation Unit.
Next‑of‑Kin Notification
Follow procedures found in sections 5-09/090.30 Notification of Next-of-Kin and 5-09/090.35 Death Notifications of Foreign Nationals.