07-125/00 Tool / Utensil Security & Audits

PURPOSE OF ORDER:     The purpose of this unit order is to establish procedures for the issuance, collection, and accountability of tools and high-priority supplies.

SCOPE OF ORDER:          This order applies to all personnel assigned to and/or working at the North County Correctional Facility (NCCF).

ORDER:

The following is a detailed security procedure for use in specific work areas where tools and supplies are accessible to inmates.

DAMAGED/BROKEN TOOLS

Broken tools shall be turned into the issuing personnel, who shall replace it as soon as possible. The broken item(s) shall be placed in a designated contraband container. All tools which have been identified as broken/unusable shall be logged on a shift-by-shift basis on the inventory tool log.

Inventory sheets shall be kept in the vocational shops sergeant’s office, the kitchen office, the special projects office, and the inmate services office for future inspections.

TOOL CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES

All tools issued to an inmate worker shall be logged on the “Tool Issuance Form” log by personnel assigned to their respective areas.

The “Tool Issuance Form” shall contain the following information:

• • Name and booking number of the inmate,
  • Which tool was issued,
  • Date and time the tool was checked out,
  • Name and employee number of the person issuing the tool,
  • Date and time the tool was returned by the inmate,
  • Name and employee number of the person receiving the tool.

The issuance of all tools shall be accounted for at the beginning of each shift by outgoing personnel.  It shall be the responsibility of the incoming personnel to confirm what tools are checked out.  This can be done by conducting an inventory of the utensils which are currently present with those on the check-out sheet.

MISSING TOOL PROCEDURE

This procedure shall be followed in the event of any lost tool, any culinary item and/or other object that may be fashioned into a dangerous weapon.

When it is determined a tool/knife is missing, the area in question shall be immediately locked down in order to search for the missing item. (Refer to NCCF Unit Order # 08-000/00, “Local Lockdown Procedures” and Custody Division Manual (CDM) section 4-01/030.00 “Lockdown”) The Tool Issuance Form shall be inspected to determine which inmate had been issued the missing tool.  Personnel shall immediately notify their sergeant, who shall notify the shift watch commander.

The watch commander shall determine if the facility shall be placed on lockdown in order to activate the Emergency Response Team (ERT) for a possible search of the affected area. It shall be the responsibility of the supervising line deputy and sergeant to assist the team leader sergeant of the ERT during the search of the area in question.

TOOL CONTROL AUDIT

Tool accountability is of paramount importance, and a system of periodic checks is needed to ensure accurate tool counts are being maintained. The following checks shall be performed in the vocational shops, kitchen, special projects, and inmate services areas under the prescribed timelines. Inventory sheets shall be kept in these locations and be available for inspection. 

MONTHLY AUDIT

An inventory audit of all tools shall be conducted monthly.  The inventory sheet shall be reviewed, dated, and signed by the deputy or custody assistant assigned to complete the inventory.   The monthly audit shall be reviewed and signed by the supervising line deputy who is assigned to the work location.

QUARTERLY AUDITS

On a quarterly basis, the assigned sergeant will review, date, and sign the monthly inventory sheets. Any discrepancies shall be immediately addressed with the supervising line deputy.

ANNUAL AUDITS

On an annual basis the unit commander shall review the monthly and quarterly tool log audits. The unit commander shall sign and date the inventory sheet. The yearly inventory shall then be scanned and retained for a period of two years in operations.

KITCHEN

It shall be the responsibility of the kitchen officer to physically account for each of the kitchen utensils at the beginning of each shift. Only sworn or culinary personnel shall issue kitchen utensils, which shall be checked for cleanliness and general condition upon their issuance and receipt. When not in use, utensils shall be kept in locked storage cabinets.

A sign-out sheet shall be maintained to facilitate the issuance and collection of all kitchen utensils. All entries on this sheet must be legible and kept up to date at all times. Any discrepancies in the sign-out sheet, which could cause a security or contraband threat, shall be immediately reported to the kitchen supervisor or, in his absence, the watch sergeant. A search and investigation shall be initiated by deputy personnel and the watch sergeant shall be kept informed as to the status of the situation.

All inmate workers assigned to the kitchen shall be searched for contraband before leaving their respective work areas and shall not be left unsupervised while working with valuable or potentially dangerous supplies and utensils.

 VOCATIONAL SHOPS

All tools and high-priority supplies that are used in the vocational shops shall be stored in locked tool rooms. Each tool room contains a tool inventory pegboard. Each tool is engraved with a number to positively identify it from tools that look the same. A corresponding numbered space on the pegboard should be vacant when the tool is checked out. The vacant spaces on the pegboard will assist in quickly and easily identifying which tools have been checked in and out.

Tools and supplies shall be issued to inmate workers by the assigned custody officers only. When a tool is issued to an inmate worker, an identity tag, corresponding to the inmate's booking number, shall be placed on the pegboard in the space vacated by the tool. When the tool is returned, the inmate’s identity tag shall be removed.

It shall be the responsibility of the issuing custody officer to account for all tools and supplies at the end of each working day.  Assigned custody officers shall maintain a complete inventory of all tools assigned to their respective tool rooms. The original inventory sheet will be maintained in each respective tool room, and a copy will be maintained in the vocational shop supervisor's office. Any discrepancy in the inventory sheet, which may cause a security or contraband threat, shall be immediately reported to the vocational shop supervisor or, in their absence, the watch sergeant. A search and investigation shall be initiated by deputy personnel, and the watch sergeant shall be kept informed as to the status of the situation.

All inmate workers entering or leaving the vocational shops shall be searched. Under no circumstances shall tools or supplies be allowed to leave the vocational shops.

MAINTENANCE CREWS

It shall be the responsibility of each maintenance officer to physically account for all tools assigned to them, as well as those assigned to inmate workers under their supervision.

All maintenance shop tools shall be engraved with "NCCF MAINT" and assigned to specific tool boxes. An inventory sheet of each box's contents shall be kept in the box, and a copy shall be retained in the maintenance office. Maintenance officers shall ensure that their assigned tool boxes are kept locked and in direct view while in the presence of inmate workers.

Each maintenance officer shall physically check all tools assigned to them before leaving each job they complete within each district area. When working in inmate areas, this check shall be completed with a member of the custodial personnel (deputy or custody assistant) assigned to that area. Any tool that is broken shall be returned to the maintenance office and replaced with a new tool. The broken tool shall be placed in the contraband container. If a tool is discovered to be missing, the maintenance officer and custody personnel shall both immediately locate and notify the nearest sergeant, who will initiate a search and notify the watch sergeant.

SPECIAL PROJECTS/LANDSCAPING

It shall be the responsibility of the special projects personnel to physically account for each of the tools at the beginning of each shift. Only special projects personnel will issue tools, which shall be checked for general condition upon their issue and receipt. When not in use, tools shall be kept in locked storage areas.

A sign-out sheet shall be maintained to facilitate the issuance and collection of all tools. All entries on this sheet must be legible and kept up to date at all times. Any discrepancies in the sign-out sheet, which may cause a security or contraband threat, shall be immediately reported to the special projects supervisor or, in their absence, the watch sergeant. A search and investigation shall be initiated by deputy personnel, and the watch sergeant shall be kept informed as to the status of the situation.

All inmate workers assigned to special projects shall be searched for contraband before leaving their respective work areas and shall not be left unsupervised while working with valuable or potentially dangerous supplies or tools.

FACILITIES SERVICES BUREAU (FSB) AND OUTSIDE VENDORS/ MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL

The special projects sergeant shall ensure outside vendors/contracted maintenance workers and FSB personnel are aware of the requirement to maintain an inventory of tools brought into the secured areas of NCCF. These personnel shall inventory their tools in the presence of custody personnel when entering the facility and prior to leaving any work area where inmates frequent or may have access.

NCCF front desk personnel shall note this tool inventory check on the key log. If no key is assigned, this notation shall still be completed to document the tool inventory check.

SECURED FENCING FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The constructed footprint of NCCF provides for several areas built into the design to securely store vehicles, equipment, and supplies. Should these areas prove insufficient to provide enough secure storage, then fencing shall be obtained and securely installed to meet these needs.