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Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 5 - Line Procedures / Chapter 3 - Prisoners

5-03/185.10 - Escape After Booking and Erroneous Release


5-03/185.05 - Escape Prior to Booking
5-03/185.15 - Broadcast of Escape

This report shall contain the following:

  • Classification;
  • Case assignment;
  • Name and assignment of deputy who can identify the escapee;
  • Name and assignment of Department member who last observed the prisoner;
  • Name and assignment of Department member who discovered the prisoner missing;
  • Name and assignment of Department member who ordered and conducted the search of the area in which the prisoner was last observed;
  • Custody status at time of escape;
  • Name, employee number, and assignment of Department employee who entered the escapee’s personal information into Justice Data Interface Controller (JDIC) and Automated Jail Information System (AJIS) indicating their new status (escaped, erroneously released, etc.); and
  • Category of escape (to be included on the classification line of the report).  Each incident of escape shall be reported under one of the following categories, that which most clearly matches the escape incident.  

Escape - High Security

Any escape from hard-lock confinement, a transportation vehicle, station jail, court lockup or from a deputy or civilian employee of this Department having lawful custody.

Escape - Medium Security

Any escape from a secured compound not constituting a hard-lock area, including escapes from the Pitchess Detention Center-South Facility.

Escape - Minimum Security

Any escape of a minimum security inmate, including an inmate worker on work detail outside of a secured compound, and station inmate workers.

Escape - Work Furlough/Temporary Release

Any incident wherein an inmate fails to report back to custody from work within the specified time allowance, or an inmate fails to return from temporary release.

Escape - Attempt

Any interrupted effort to escape, resulting in the capture of the inmate prior to completion of such escape.

Escape - Other

Any escape from a confinement area, vehicle or courtroom under supervision of an officer or from the lawful custody of an officer, other than a deputy.

Erroneous Release

Any incident wherein an inmate is mistakenly released from custody without malice on his/her part.

If circumstances indicate that the inmate concerned played a substantial role in gaining release or initiated the release process through his/her own action, the incident shall be classified in the appropriate escape category listed above.

Any incident where an inmate leaves the lawful confines of a custodial facility, station compound or work location, regardless of the intent to voluntarily return or the completion of a voluntary return, shall be construed as an escape and shall be classified in the appropriate category.

The escape or attempted escape of an inmate from a custody unit, Court Services Transportation Bureau, or any criminal court shall be reported immediately to the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) watch deputy, by the facility or unit from which the escape occurred.  The escape or attempted escape of a prisoner assigned by the custody division to any facility, other than a custody unit, in an inmate worker status, shall also require immediate notification to the IRC watch deputy by the facility or unit from which the escape occurred.  These notifications shall be in addition to any other notifications found in escape situation procedures.

The facility from which the escape occurred shall immediately notify Major Crimes Bureau, Metro Detail lieutenant at (562) 946-7010 by telephone, advising of complete prisoner identification and incident information, including any force or injury.  Notification shall be noted in a report.  When an inmate is returned, Major Crimes Bureau, Metro Detail, lieutenant shall be notified immediately and that notification shall be included in the report concerning the capture.  The report shall be sent to Major Crimes Bureau, Metro Detail, via JDIC as soon as possible.

Additional Responsibilities - Notifications

Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau personnel shall immediately notify the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office command post of all inmate escapes, erroneous releases, and captures.  In addition, the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau shall notify the watch commander of the arresting agency/station and request the investigating officer contact Major Crimes Bureau personnel without delay.

NOTE:  For purposes of this section, a prisoner is considered “booked” (fingerprinted, booking number issued, and/or photographed) only after the receiving facility’s booking procedures have been completed and the prisoner has been accepted.  An arrestee shall be deemed “not booked” if he/she escapes while in transit to the booking facility and/or prior to acceptance at a facility.