Any inmate within Court Services Division may have grievances relating to any condition of confinement. All inmates are permitted to make a complaint or inquiry, whether or not it is written on the specified form. All sworn personnel shall make available inmate complaint forms upon request when a matter cannot be resolved informally. Personnel shall consider inmate inquiries as potentially legitimate, and when appropriate refer an inmate to the Branch Supervisor who can address the inquiry, or to the inmate complaint procedure. Personnel are prohibited from discouraging inmates from voicing complaints or concerns about their incarceration.
Each Bureau Operation’s Lieutenant shall assume the collateral duty of Inmate Complaint Coordinator (ICC). The ICC shall review each form and initiate the entry into the Operations Information Management (OIM) or appropriate data base. The ICC shall ensure all complaints or requests are investigated and resolved within ten days of being received or as soon as reasonably possible.
The ICC shall ensure that (OIM) is updated with the final disposition of the complaint or request. The ICC shall then forward all approved dispositions to the Unit Commander or his designee for approval and signature.
It shall be the Area Lieutenant’s responsibility to ensure that the inmate complaint forms are available and all sworn personnel are aware of their purpose.
The responsibility for investigating inmate complaints lies with the Branch Supervisor, unless he/she is a factor in the complaint. In such cases, the complaint will then be referred to the Area Lieutenant for assignment. Resolved complaints shall be reviewed and signed by the Area Lieutenant and forwarded to the ICC. The ICC shall forward it to the Unit Commander or his designee for review and approval.
In cases of allegations of employee misconduct, wherein the Area Lieutenant determines that further inquiry or a recommendation for an administrative investigation is warranted, he shall forward a memorandum with all related inmate complaint documents to the Unit Commander with his recommendation.
All original complaint forms collected shall be delivered to the ICC.
The ICC shall review each complaint and determine whether it is the receiving branches’ duty to investigate and resolve, if it belongs to another unit, or if it affects both the receiving branch and another unit.
The ICC shall ensure that all complaints receive a Division Reference Tracking Number and are entered in (OIM) or appropriate data base.
Inmates shall be advised of their complaint disposition within ten days of the complaint date unless they are no longer in custody. The inmate’s signature on the bottom of the completed Inmate Complaint Form will satisfy the requirement of written response. If the inmate is released prior to completion, it should be noted on the form.
Complaints received from inmates after they have been released shall be processed on an Inmate Complaint form (not a Watch Commander Service Comment Report form) pursuant to Manual of Policy and Procedures.
When an inmate complaint involves the conduct of a deputy sheriff, the results of any investigation regarding the deputy shall not be disclosed in any form, including written responses to inmate complaints (per section 832.7PC). The disclosure of any results of inquires pertaining to staff conduct (deputy or otherwise) shall be limited to the following information: