Effective Date: 02-03-98
Revision Date: 03-04-19
Review Date: 03-04-21
PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the documentation of requests by medical staff, and notifications made to supervisors, for the transportation and security of inmates for medical treatment in county or private hospitals.
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This order applies to all personnel assigned to, and working at Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) South Facility.
ORDER:
INITIAL DUTIES AND REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS
A nurse who requests for an inmate to be transferred from PDC South Facility to another location, for medical reasons, shall do so by completing a "Medical Report" form (PHR-200). The nurse shall sign the form and present it to the clinic deputy who shall forward it to the watch deputy or desk officer. The deputy shall sign the form, provide a copy to the requesting nurse, and arrange for the transfer of the inmate per the request. The deputy who accepts the form from the nurse is responsible for the transfer of the inmate.
[REDACTED TEXT]
The watch commander shall be notified prior to an inmate being transferred from the facility to a hospital. The following information shall be documented in the PDC South Facility Desk Log:[REDACTED TEXT]
The watch commander shall be provided with a copy of the inmate’s [REDACTED TEXT]
WATCH COMMANDER’S RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the watch commander’s responsibility to review the inmate’s information packet and decide if [REDACTED TEXT] The watch commander, or their designee, shall notify the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the hospital facility where the inmate will be treated. The agency shall be notified a jail inmate will be there under the direct supervision of deputy personnel. This notification shall be made at the beginning of each shift as long as the inmate remains at the hospital facility. [REDACTED TEXT]
At least once per shift, duties permitting, the watch commander will designate a sergeant to respond to the hospital and check on the status and security of the inmate and deputies. This response shall be documented in the watch commander’s log.
HOSPITAL SECURITY DEPUTY DUTIES
If the designated deputies are the initial deputies responsible for transporting/responding to the hospital, those deputies shall first respond to the watch commander and receive an information packet to include:[REDACTED TEXT]
This information packet shall be taken to the medical facility and remain in the direct possession of all deputy personnel providing security for the inmate. All deputy personnel assigned as the hospital security deputy shall be fully equipped with the following equipment prior to leaving the facility:[REDACTED TEXT]
It is recommended that the deputies transporting the inmate to the hospital advise their facility control and Sheriff’s Communication Center (SCC) via radio of their departure, starting mileage and to which hospital they are going.
Any transportation of inmates by deputy personnel shall be accomplished with two (2) fully armed deputy personnel. Transportation shall be by means of a marked, black and white, Department vehicle equipped with a security cage. Transporting personnel shall not under any circumstances stop for personal errands while transporting an inmate.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the deputies shall contact the watch commander or their designee and report the following:[REDACTED TEXT]
All deputies assigned to make relief for hospital security shall report to their facility and confirm the hospital and room number of the inmate. All relief shall only be made in person. The relief deputies shall verify the required documents are present. The inmate’s restraints and surroundings should also be searched. The deputies shall then make contact with the watch commander once relief is complete. Deputies shall contact the watch commander (or their designee) at least once during their shift and provide a status update (preferably near the middle), and at any time there is a significant change in the inmate’s condition. These notifications shall be documented in the watch commander’s log.
Deputy personnel shall maintain direct supervision of the inmate in their custody at all times and shall not be distracted by televisions or reading material. While at the hospital, deputies providing security shall ensure the inmate is secured to the bed with handcuffs and/or the issued leg chains. Should it become necessary for the inmate to move from the bed due to medical treatment, exercise, or to use the restroom, the deputy must evaluate the inmate’s medical condition and consider the appropriate restraint method to secure the inmate.
Only the following methods of restraint shall be used:
In circumstances where one of the inmate’s appendages is injured the deputy should consider moving the inmate in a wheel chair or gurney while the inmate is handcuffed or shackled to the device.
Deputy personnel shall not allow the inmate to make or receive phone calls or visits from friends or family at the hospital. If friends or family attempt to visit the inmate, the deputy shall advise them the inmate may not receive visits. If the visitors refuse to leave, the deputy shall notify hospital security immediately and ensure the visitors are escorted or removed from the hospital. It is recommended the deputy request the inmate be relocated to prevent family and friends from returning and advise hospital security and staff the inmate’s location is to remain confidential. The inmate shall not be allowed to communicate with other patients sharing the same hospital room.
If an attorney or clergy attempts to visit the inmate, the deputies shall delay the visit and notify their facility supervisor immediately. Their supervisor shall inform the attorney or clergy the visit shall be allowed only with the understanding that the deputies will remain in close proximity and confidentiality may not be possible. Deputy personnel providing security for inmates with contagious illnesses shall follow directions given by medical staff in order to limit exposure.
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND ESCAPES
In the event of any emergency or other unusual circumstance, it shall be the responsibility of assigned deputies to notify their facility supervisor as soon as possible. Personnel encountering emergency situations occurring within a hospital, which would require the inmate to be relocated or evacuated (e.g. fire, earthquake, etc.), shall follow the direction of hospital staff.
Inmates that attempt to escape from custody are committing a felony, and deputies shall take immediate action to capture the inmate. All Departmental policies and procedures governing foot pursuits and the use of force, including the use of deadly force, shall apply. Deputies shall ensure an emergency broadcast is initiated and their facility is notified by SCC. The facility watch commander shall contact the nearest Sheriff’s station to have a supervisor respond immediately to the hospital and also ensure a facility supervisor responds to the location.
If the inmate is able to successfully escape from the custody of the assigned deputies, the deputies shall immediately make contact with the first arriving agency police officer, supervisor, or Sheriff’s Department responding personnel and provide them with the information packet.
The overall responsibility for apprehending the escaped inmate shall be with the local law enforcement agency. Department personnel and/or the sergeant at the scene of another jurisdiction shall co-locate a command post with the jurisdiction incident commander and assist the field units as directed by the incident commander. All Departmental escape responding and reporting procedures shall apply.
Revision Date 03/04/19
02/03/98 SOUF