The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Intoxication Observation Sheet (SH-R-422) form shall be initiated by the arresting deputy/officer or booking officer. This form shall be completed for every person who is arrested by Sheriff's Department personnel or booked into a Sheriff's Department station/facility by an outside law enforcement agency. The form shall be filled out in its entirety. Each box shall be individually checked off.
When handling an extremely intoxicated person, the Sundance (see next page) procedures shall be adhered to, and the jailer shall complete the Intoxication Observation Sheet (SH-R-445).
The front of the Intoxication Observation Sheet shall be completed for all persons arrested for being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and are booked and/or housed at a station jail (this includes all arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or being under the influence of a controlled substance).
If an individual was arrested for being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, but is determined by the jailer or supervisor not to be so intoxicated as to need additional monitoring, that person shall be housed in a regular cell, not a sobering cell.
In the event an inmate displays any symptom with an asterisk, the inmate shall be placed in a sobering cell, half-hour safety checks shall be conducted, and the watch commander shall document their approval of the inmate's acceptance on the form.
In those instances in which an inmate needs to remain in a sobering/detox cell and requires additional monitoring after the initial six (6) hour observation period, the jailer shall conduct a second evaluation of the inmate's condition, and document this evaluation in the "Jailer's Observation" section on the back of the form.
If the jailer's second evaluation indicates symptoms with an asterisk, the watch commander shall inspect the inmate to determine the appropriateness of continued monitoring, and document this inspection in the "Watch Commander's Inspection" section on the back of the form.
Upon completion of the observational period(s) as indicated on the form, and when feasible, inmates who are booked for alcoholic intoxication or under the influence of a controlled substance, shall be placed in regular housing cells with other inmates that have the same security points as mandated by the Station Jail Inmate Classification Questionnaire (SH-R-456) form.
Upon its completion, the jailer shall forward the Intoxication Observation Sheet to the watch sergeant. The watch sergeant shall review the form for completeness and forward it to the secretariat to be included in the station Uniform Report Number (URN) file. Retention of this form in the station URN file is mandatory.
However, if the inmate is transferred, a copy (front and back) of the Intoxication Observation Sheet shall accompany the inmate whenever he/she is transferred.
-See station-specific rules-
The Sundance v. Municipal Court (1986) 42 Cal.3d 1101 decision addresses the booking and treatment of an intoxicated inmate in the Los Angeles County Jail system. The Sundance decision originally addressed inmates arrested for public drunkenness, 647(f) PC. It has been expanded to cover all inmates, no matter what the charge or intoxicant.
All inmates who are intoxicated to the point where they are unable to care for themselves shall be housed in a sobering cell. In some cases, a pre-existing medical condition, or complications from the inmate's intoxicated state, or any combination thereof, will require that the inmate be medically evaluated by a licensed professional in order to establish the appropriateness of detention at a station jail, Inmate Reception Center (IRC), or Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF), where medical staff is readily available.
The Los Angeles County Unified Arrestee Medical Screening Form (SH-R-422) shall be completed within ninety (90) minutes of the inmate's arrival at the station and shall be documented on the jailer's section of the Intoxication Observation Sheet.
When an intoxicated inmate is suspected to have significant medical problems, the jailer is to telephone either IRC/CRDF for booking approval.
All intoxicated inmates must be provided with a nutritious sugar-containing snack within the first four (4) hours of their initial detention at a station or court lock-up. This shall consist of a pre-packaged meal and a drink provided to the station jails by Food Services Unit.
The drink may be a carton of fruit juice or an alternative approved by the Custody Services Division Nutritionist. No treatment, other than a sugary drink, shall be given to "Extremely Intoxicated" inmates. If further treatment is necessary, the arrestee shall be seen by paramedics or transported to the nearest contract hospital.
In order to prevent choking, this beverage shall not be provided to the inmate until it is apparent that his/her state of intoxication has not hampered the swallowing reflex.
Regardless of the regularly scheduled meal times, all intoxicated inmates shall be offered at least one meal while in custody. In those instances where a 647(f) PC inmate is eligible for 849(b)(2) PC release (any arrest made without a warrant and for intoxication only, where no further proceedings are desirable) prior to a regularly scheduled meal time, they shall be given the option of remaining in custody until the next scheduled meal time or be given an inmate lunch upon release.
It shall be the responsibility of the jailer to ensure sufficient fresh lunches are available for distribution to all 849(b)(2) PC releases.
The jailer shall perform a welfare check of all intoxicated inmates no less than every half hour, and shall log these checks on the bottom of the Intoxication Observation Sheet. This form shall be incorporated into the arrest file package of all extremely intoxicated inmates.
A copy of this sheet will be forwarded with all intoxicated inmates who are transferred to another facility for treatment.