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Pitchess Detention Center - South Facility / Chapter V - Line Procedures / Section 6 - Inmate Visiting

5-06-050 Elmer T. Jaffe Visiting Center Procedures


5-06-040 Law Enforcement, Attorney, and Professional Visiting Procedures
5-06-060 Public Information Plan

REFERENCE: CDM 5-10/010.00 and 5-10/020.00; UO 5-06-010

 

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this order is to establish procedures regulating the processing, searching, and transportation of persons requesting to visit inmates housed in various facilities located on the Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) property.

 

SCOPE OF ORDER: 

This order applies to all personnel assigned to, and working at the Elmer T. Jaffe Visiting Center (main visiting center).

 

ORDER:

Currently there are four (4) jail facilities being operated on the PDC property. Visitors from the general public wishing to visit inmates housed at these facilities shall be searched, processed, and transported from the main visiting center located adjacent to the PDC main gate entrance. The overall operation and staffing of the main visiting center is under the command and control of PDC South Facility, however, no part of this policy shall take precedent over the respective visiting policies of any other PDC facility (i.e., South, East, North, North County Correctional Facility [NCCF]). For South Facility visiting policies, refer to South Facility unit order 5-06-010, “Inmate Visiting Procedures.”

STAFFING

Personnel assigned to work at the main visiting center are provided by all facilities located on PDC property (i.e., NCCF, East, North and South facilities).

In addition to personnel assigned to work inside the visiting center, South Facility shall assign two (2) deputies to a patrol unit (G-7) to provide security in the main visiting center parking lot.

 OPERATION TIME AND DAYS

Inmate visiting for all PDC custody facilities shall normally be conducted every Saturday and Sunday, as well as on the following holidays:

  • New Year's Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas

On the above listed holidays, inmates may receive one (1) additional thirty (30) minute visit.

Visiting hours shall be from 0800-1400 hours, and visits shall be scheduled on the Android Scheduling App (for phones and tablets) or on-line at: https://visit.lasd.org/app. Any visitors requesting to visit an inmate housed in any facility on the PDC property shall be processed at the main visiting center. Visiting processing at the main visiting center shall stop promptly at 1340 hours to allow for proper boarding and travel time to each facility. Any visitor reporting to the main visiting center after 1340 hours shall be denied access to the property and the requested visit. All visitors shall arrive sixty (60) minutes prior to their scheduled visit to allow for visiting check-in procedures. Visitors shall bring their confirmation number/receipt and proper identification.

If a visitor arrives late, they shall immediately inform visiting personnel. Visiting personnel shall try to accommodate as best as possible to re-schedule the visit for a different time on the same day or another date/time. Approval is required by the visiting sergeant for any variation of the visiting hours depending on special circumstances or situations occurring at the various facilities. Late visits may be subject to cancellation.

Visitors shall be advised to coordinate visits with family and friends in order to avoid multiple visitors attempting to visit the same inmate. In the event multiple visitors are requesting to see the same inmate, and the parties cannot come to an amicable agreement as to whom will visit, the visiting sergeant shall make a determination as to who shall be allowed to visit. The sergeant shall ascertain each situation on its own merit; however, in most cases, an attempt to determine which visitor arrived first shall be made, and the visit shall be granted to that person(s).

 VISITING RULES AND REGULATIONS

The goal of the main visiting center is to provide a comfortable and family-friendly atmosphere to the visiting public, while minimizing security risks. In this effort, the following rules and regulations shall be adhered to: 

 Only three two (2) visitors (one [1] adult and one [1] child), per inmate, shall be allowed. Infants in a carrier do not count as visitors. All other children shall be counted as a visitor.

  • All adults shall have a valid, government-issued, picture identification.
  • All visitors shall be driven by contracted buses to the facility housing the inmate they are requesting to visit (i.e., South, North, East, or NCCF).
  • Cutting in line at any point of the check-in and visiting process may result in the requested visit being denied.
  • Any unsatisfied visitor wishing to speak with a supervisor shall be immediately directed to the main visiting center sergeant. Any deviation from the entry guidelines shall be approved by the main visiting center sergeant.

CONTRABAND

Items considered contraband or a threat to the safety and security of the facility shall not be permitted beyond the metal detector room. Any attempt to bring contraband onto PDC property may result in that individual’s visit being terminated. Any attempt to bring illegal items onto PDC property, regardless of the location, may result in the arrest of the individual(s) bringing in the illegal items. Signs are posted at the PDC entrance, and various other locations in the main visiting area, which state an individual is subject to search at any time, and for any reason, while on PDC property.

Items not permitted and considered contraband consist of, but may not be limited to, the following:

  • Weapons such as firearms, knives, brass knuckles, tear gas/O.C. dispensers, and any object which may possibly be used as a weapon
  • Alcoholic beverages or products of any kind
  • Tobacco products of any kind
  • Lighters, matches, or devices designed to ignite substances
  • All electronic items, including, but not limited to cellular phones, cameras, recording devices, pagers, portable video games, and digital music players
  • Glass objects or containers, including mirrors
  • Sharp metal objects such as nail clippers, tweezers, nail files, or any other object which may be used as a weapon or pose a security risk (e.g., fashioned into an escape device or lock pick)
  • Any form of identification card issued to the inmate
  • Photographs of the inmate
  • Photographs containing images of gang affiliation, nudity, or sexually suggestive poses

DRESS CODE

Failure to dress in appropriate attire may be cause for denial of a requested visit. It shall be the responsibility of the visiting sergeant to determine the appropriateness of the visitor’s attire. Any visitor denied a visit due to their attire shall be given the opportunity to return for the visit, upon dressing appropriately.

The following guidelines for appropriate dress shall be followed:

  • Shoes and shirts shall be worn at all times
  • Visitors may not wear pants in a sagging manner (below the hips), or in any manner that exposes the boxers/underwear. Pants shall not extend below the heel of the shoe
  • Visitors may not wear clothing with slogans, pictures, or symbols which depict obscenities, vulgarity, racism, mutilation of humans or animals, sexual acts, or gang affiliation (i.e., graffiti or tagging)
  • Visitors may not wear clothing that in any way reflects gang affiliation. Examples include:
    • A predominance of one particular color clothing and accessories meant to identify that person with a particular gang
    • Oversized clothing, tank top undershirts, or athletic jerseys
    • Baseball caps with gang initials, insignias, characters, or other indicators
    • Rags or handkerchiefs tied around the head
  • Visitors may not dress in immodest or sexually provocative clothing, which includes clothing that exposes undergarments or inappropriately exposes the body. Examples include:
    • Skirts or shorts worn above mid-thigh, strapless, midriff-exposing, or very low cut tops and blouses
    • Bra-less tops meant to emphasize the chest
    • Sheer, see-through clothing or lingerie
    • Beach or swimming attire
    • Clothing generally considered to be sleeping attire

MINORS

Legal guardians shall be in possession of court documents confirming their guardianship status at the time of the visit.

Absent a legal guardian or parent, minors under eighteen (18) years of age who are not the inmate’s legal spouse, or children, must have a notarized letter from their parent/legal guardian indicating whom they are allowed to visit and be in the company of an adult in order to visit an inmate.

All notarized letters allowing a minor to visit an inmate must contain the following information:

  • The name and booking number of the inmate the minor is requesting to visit
  • The relationship of the minor to the inmate
  • The date of the visit
  • The name of the adult accompanying the minor
  • The name and contact information of the parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to visit (Failure to provide a verifiable contact number may be cause to refuse the visiting request)

Upon prior request from an inmate, his minor children, over the age of twelve (12) years and under sixteen (16) years, may be permitted to visit unaccompanied by an adult with the prior approval of the facility’s unit commander (CDM section 5-10/010.00).

Minors between the ages of fifteen (15) and seventeen (17) years old must possess a valid school or government issued form of identification, including, but not limited to:

  • School identification card for current school year, or no more than the last completed school year
  • Passport or immigrant visa
  • State issued driver’s license or identification card

Acceptable identification for minors must have a photograph of the minor and indicate the minor’s name.

All U.S. born children under the age of fifteen (15) years must have with them, prior to the visit, a copy of their U.S. birth certificate or court order showing parents’ names or legal guardians’ names. Hospital issued birth certificates shall not be accepted.

All non-U.S. born children shall have with them a foreign passport with supporting documents (e.g., I-94 arrival/departure and U.S. immigrant visa, permanent resident card, or resident alien card).

Visitors under eighteen (18) years of age, and married to an inmate, are considered emancipated and do not have to be accompanied by an adult. However, proof of the marriage and proper identification is needed.

VISITING CHECK IN PROCEDURES

All visitors requesting access to PDC for the purpose of visiting an inmate shall be security screened.

Visitors will enter the main visiting center security screening room and be processed in the following manner:

  • Visitors shall empty their pockets and place all personal items into a holding box to be x-rayed. The box and all property shall be screened through the x-ray machine and examined by personnel before being returned to the owner.
  • Visitors shall walk, one at a time, through metal detectors, to be screened. If the visitor cannot proceed through the detector without activating the sensors, a hand wand shall be used to identify the object causing the activation.
  • Visitors will only be allowed to proceed when personnel are satisfied that no weapons or contraband are present in the visitor’s property or on their person. If there is doubt as to whether contraband or weapons may be possessed by the visitor, a personal search, in compliance with Department procedures, shall be conducted.
  • Visitors shall fill out a Visiting Request Pass, listing the name and booking number of the inmate they wish to visit. The pass will also include the names of all the visitors (including infants) wishing to enter the property and visit.
  • Visitors shall then present themselves to the main visiting processing booth, present their valid identification, and their completed request pass.
  • The processing booth personnel shall verify the inmate to be visited is housed at one of the PDC facilities and is eligible for a visit. If the inmate is clear to have a visit, a pass shall be issued.
  • The pass shall be stamped in the upper left corner. The stamp shall include the date, number of people in the visitor’s party, and the bus number assigned to the visitors. No visitors shall be allowed to be transported to any of the facilities without having this stamp on their pass. If a visitor arrives without the proper stamp, they shall be immediately transported back to the main visiting center sergeant’s office. The sergeant shall determine how the person was able to gain access to the facility without the proper authorization.
  • Visitors shall be directed to a waiting line where they shall board the contract buses transporting them to the various facilities. Visitors shall enter the bus loading lines at the rear of the line only. Sending family members ahead to hold a place in line is NOT permitted and shall be considered “cutting” the line. Any visitors found to have “cut” into line may have their visit revoked and be asked to leave the property.

Walk-in visits are welcome, but are available on a first come, first served basis and are subject to availability. Due to the high volume of visits, there is no guarantee of same day visits. Visitors shall be encouraged to register in the Inmate Video Visitation System (IVVS) prior to their visit in order to avoid delays and ensure availability.

BUS LOADING AND UNLOADING

Transportation services for all visitors are provided by a chartered bus service. The chartered buses shall be the only means by which visitors will be transported to their respective facilities and back.

Personnel assigned to the bus loading area are responsible for monitoring the bus lines and directing the buses to specific facilities. They shall base their decision on how many visitors are waiting for each facility, as well as how long it has been since visitors were last sent. It is not necessary to wait until a bus can be filled in order to send visitors. Bus loading personnel should also be cognizant that the longer a facility waits to receive a bus, the more backlogged they become with visitors who have completed their visit.

Personnel shall continually roam and monitor the bus lines to ensure visitors stay in order, wait in line, and do not attempt to “cut” in line.

Buses will unload visitors near the “one way” revolving exit gate leading to the visiting center parking lot. Visitors are required to exit this gate. Personnel shall monitor visitors unloading from the returning buses and ensure they exit the facility.

MOBILITY-IMPAIRED VISITOR ACCOMMODATIONS

Mobility-impaired visitors shall be accommodated at all times. When checking into the main visiting center, all mobility-impaired visitors will shall be allowed to circumvent the general public line and enter the facility by way of the center metal detector corridor. Personnel assigned to the metal detector screening room shall ask all mobility-impaired visitors if they require any assistance with the rest of the check-in process. If an individual requires assistance, the visiting sergeant shall be notified and shall ensure the individual is assisted with the process.

Once checked into the facility, mobility-impaired visitors will shall present themselves to the visiting processing booth in the same manner as the general public.

Upon receiving their stamped pass, mobility-impaired visitors will shall be directed to check in with the bus loading deputies. The bus loading deputies shall allow the mobility-impaired visitors to position themselves at the front of the line where they can easily be contacted.

Service dogs under Titles II and III of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) are allowed to accompany visitors with disabilities. A service animal is a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Generally, Title II and Title III entities must permit service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed entry. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function are to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA (https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm).

The main visiting sergeant shall determine the validity of any service animal and shall ensure the individual is assisted with the visiting process.

The main visiting sergeant or designee shall assist visitors who need help exiting the main visiting center by opening/closing the gate as needed for visitors with objects that will not fit through the turnstile exit (e.g., wheelchairs, strollers, service animals, etc.).

CLOSING PROCEDURES

At 1340 hours, personnel assigned to the main visiting center shall stop processing appointments and ensure all visitors board their assigned buses as soon as possible. After all visitors have left the visiting center, the main visiting center shall be locked, secured, and searched. A search report shall be entered into the Custody Automated Reporting System (CARTS) and submitted to the visiting sergeant and watch commander. The PDC South Facility Citizen’s Commission on Jail Violence (CCJV) sergeant shall report to the main visiting center to ensure all visitors have access to exit the center after it is closed.

The G-7 personnel shall monitor and provide security at the main visiting center exit and open/close the gate as needed for visitors with objects that will not fit through the turnstile exit. The G-7 unit shall remain at this post until relieved face-to-face by the PDC roving patrol (Adam) unit (i.e., PM shift Adam 7).

Between 1430 and 1500 hours, Adam 7 personnel shall continue monitoring the exit and opening/closing the gate until all visitors have finished their visits and exited PDC property. Once all buses have dropped off visitors, and all visitors have exited the main visiting center, Adam 7 personnel shall contact each facility’s main control by telephone to verify no visitors are left behind.

The CCJV sergeant and Adam 7 personnel shall verify all visitors have exited PDC property and each facility has verified no other visitors remain before the main visiting center exit gate is locked and secured. The CCJV sergeant shall notify the PDC South Facility watch commander that the main visiting center is closed and secure. The watch commander shall document in the “Watch Commander Shift Summary” log that the main visiting center is closed, all visitors have left the property, and the main visiting center is secured. 

Revision Date 02/18/20

Revision Date 10/23/19

04/15/09 SOUF