07-055/00 Custody Identification (ID) Cards and Guest Passes

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

PURPOSE OF ORDER:     The purpose of this unit order is to establish procedures for the proper identification of personnel entering the North County Correctional Facility (NCCF) and the issuance of guest passes.

SCOPE OF ORDER:          This order applies to all personnel entering North County Correctional Facility (NCCF).

ORDER:

All Department and non-Department personnel, unless otherwise exempted by the unit commander, watch commander, or watch sergeant, shall enter and leave the secured areas of the facility through the main entrance at the front desk sally port area.

CUSTODY IDENTIFICATION CARD

The Custody Division Identification Card is custody-wide photo identification card, issued to all Department personnel assigned to Custody Services Division.  The following Division personnel shall wear this ID card on their outermost article of clothing, on the front of the chest, center chest level or above, and in plain view with the picture side of the card visible:

• Department personnel not issued a uniform
• Department personnel not wearing their County issued uniform

Non-sworn uniformed personnel shall show their custody ID card to front desk personnel when entering or exiting the facility through the front desk sally port. Once inside security, they must retain possession of their ID card on their person at all times.

Personnel assigned to the front desk entry control booth shall visibly inspect everyone entering the facility for a custody ID card worn in plain sight.  Personnel shall inspect each card to ensure the card is valid and that the picture displayed on the custody ID card matches that of the bearer.

All Department personnel who do not have a custody ID card, or non-Department personnel authorized to enter secured areas within NCCF, shall surrender their government-issued identification, or County identification, and be issued a Custody Services Division security pass.

Once front desk personnel have confirmed access is authorized and receive proper identification from those requesting to enter NCCF, they will issue one of the following temporary security cards (guest passes):

• RED SECURITY PASS
  This guest pass allows escorted access to the secured areas of the facility. Personnel issued this type of pass shall not be allowed to exit the front desk sally port and enter security until their designated escort arrives at the sally port.
   
• GREEN SECURITY PASS
  This guest pass allows unescorted access to the secured areas of the facility.

The Title 15 compliance sergeant shall have the collateral duty of security pass coordinator for NCCF and shall oversee the accounting of NCCF security passes.

Front desk personnel are responsible for issuing security passes, maintaining the Custody and Correctional Facilities Entry and Exit log, and ensuring all passes are accounted for at the beginning of each shift by completing the Security Pass log (these logs are linked on the front desk intranet page, which is linked on the NCCF intranet site).  These logs shall be completed and submitted to the watch sergeant for review on each respective shift.

NOTE: Personnel who observ an unescorted visitor with a RED pass (or no pass at all) shall inquire as to his/her business and ensure the visitor is escorted or is issued an appropriate pass.

ISSUANCE OF PASSES

Front desk personnel shall verify the identification of Department personnel who require a pass and exchange their valid identification with a security pass.

For other personnel (e.g., peace officers from other agencies, vendors, visitors, volunteers, etc.), front desk personnel shall verify the visitor’s level of access by consulting the access control lists posted in the access folder linked on the front desk intranet page, which is linked on the NCCF intranet site.  These access control lists are updated regularly by the following personnel:

• Religious and Volunteer Services (teachers, volunteers, chaplains, etc.)
• Correctional Health Services (personnel related to medical services)

Peace officers from other agencies normally arrange for access authorization in advance, which will be noted in the access control lists, or notification will be made directly to front desk personnel when the peace officer arrives at the front desk.  A photo copy of the outside law enforcement agency identification shall be created by front desk personnel and submitted to the watch sergeant with the shift’s entry and exit log.

Attorneys must have a current bar card which shall be shown to front desk personnel prior to being allowed inside secured areas of the facility during “face-to-face” visits or granted the authorization to meet their client inmate in one of the inmate visiting areas.

Any question or concern regarding the issuance of a pass to any individual shall be brought to the attention of the watch sergeant.

Once their identification and access has been verified, personnel requiring a pass shall exchange their identification for the appropriate pass and attach it to their outermost article of clothing as described above.  Front desk personnel shall document the issuance of the pass in the entry and exit log.

Front desk personnel shall ensure all passes are collected and identifications cards returned to visitors prior to exiting the facility.

NOTE: Access to Building 900 by non-assigned personnel requires watch

commander approval.

LOST OR STOLEN IDENTIFICATION/SECURITY PASSES

If a security pass is lost or stolen, the operations lieutenant and the security pass coordinator, in addition to the watch commander or watch sergeant, shall be notified immediately.  An email notification shall be sent to the operations lieutenant and security pass coordinator if either of them are not on duty when the security pass has been discovered lost or stolen.

The pass holder (if lost or stolen while issued) or front desk personnel (if lost or stolen from the front desk area) shall submit a memorandum to the operations lieutenant and the security pass coordinator explaining the circumstances surrounding the loss or theft of the security pass.  The watch commander or watch sergeant shall take whatever action they deem necessary to locate the security pass.  The security pass coordinator shall be notified regarding the lost or stolen security pass and what action was taken.

The memorandum explaining the loss or theft of the pass shall be forwarded to the security pass coordinator who shall retain it.  The lost or stolen security pass number shall not be reissued for one year.  The security pass coordinator shall send a JDIC message regarding the lost or stolen security pass.