PARS Public
Viewer Table of Contents View
Pitchess Detention Center - South Facility / Chapter III - Administrative Orders / Section 2 - Personnel/Training/Scheduling

3-02-080 Searches of Sworn Personnel, Custody Assistants, Professional Staff and Their Property on the Facility


3-02-070 Drug and Alcohol Testing for Commercial Drivers
3-02-090 Off Facility Errands

3-02-080 Searches of Sworn Personnel, Custody Assistants, Professional Staff and Their Property on the Facility

Effective Date: 05-01-15

Revision Date: 01-09-19

Review Date: 01-09-21

Reference: CDM 3-01/090.00, 3-01/090.05, 3-10\010.00; Custody Operations Directive 17-001

 

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the search and inspection of all personnel and their personal effects, as they enter secured areas of Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) South Facility.

 

SCOPE OF ORDER: 

This order applies to all personnel entering any area defined as “inside security,” at PDC South Facility.

 

ORDER:

With regard to the searches of personnel, watch commanders, sergeants and supervising line deputies are responsible for ensuring compliance with the guidelines established in the Custody Division Manual (CDM), Manual of Policy and Procedures (MPP) and within this order.

This order should preclude and prevent contraband from being brought into the facility willfully or inadvertently.

[REDACTED TEXT]

Personnel are authorized to possess the following property inside security, as outlined in CDM 3-01/090.00:

  • Department authorized uniforms and equipment [REDACTED TEXT]
  • Water bottle
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Soft-sided, clear panel, hand held lunch container, not to exceed 13” x 13” x 9”
  • Clear backpack measuring no larger than 21” x 12” x 10”
  • Departmental training items [REDACTED TEXT]
  • Reading material related to work or furtherance of a formal education and self-development
  • Prescription and over-the-counter medication in its original container (non-narcotic only)

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

  • Contraband items of any nature
  • Personal computers
  • Cellular phones (refer to CDM section 3-01/090.05 for further)
  • Video games
  • Magazines, books, crossword puzzles, or any other form of reading material not related to the job or deemed inappropriate
  • Personal music/audio players
  • Any format a movie can be contained in/on (e.g., DVD, Blu-ray disc, digital, or any other form)

PROCEDURES

The shift watch commander shall designate the shift sergeants and supervising line deputies to conduct random and periodic inspections and searches of sworn personnel and their personal effects, upon signing in for their assigned shift. The searches shall be conducted at a minimum of once a week, per shift. The search shall be documented in the Watch Commander’s Log.

All personal property bags brought into custody facilities shall be clear. The decision to bring personal items into the secured area of a custody facility is an individual’s decision. Items brought into a secured area should be kept to a minimum and should be limited to items needed during the work day.

Bags/containers brought into the secured area of a custody facility shall be constructed with clear panels. With regard to this policy, a backpack, briefcase, tote or lunch box are considered bags. Personal medications and hygiene products may be stored within a smaller opaque container within the main clear bag.

To ensure the ease of content inspection, identifying markings, stickers, patches, unit logos or graphics shall not obstruct the transparent view of the contents in the bag and shall not be offensive in nature.

A visual inspection of food items should be sufficient, but periodically, or if there is suspicion concerning any food item, it may be manually inspected, probed or opened to complete the search. The actual searching, probing or opening of an employee’s food item shall be conducted by personnel in possession of the item, in the presence of the supervisor requesting the search.

The watch commander shall be notified immediately when contraband is found. It will be the watch commander’s discretion on how to handle the employee found in violation of this order, based on the egregiousness of the contraband found. Pursuant to Department policy, mandatory notifications and actions shall be followed in situations in which they are required.

NOTE: The unit commander has the authority to add, delete, or approve any of the above listed items.

 

Revision Date 01/09/19

Revision Date 04/20/17

05/01/15 SOUF