PURPOSE OF ORDER:
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for searching and processing inmates prior to housing to prevent and reduce contraband from entering Men’s Central Jail (MCJ) housing areas.
SCOPE OF ORDER:
This order shall apply to employees assigned to, and/or working at MCJ.
ORDER:
Personnel assigned to the Inmate Processing Area (IPA) shall search inmate property, clothing, and conduct a visual body cavity search upon receiving new inmates for intake, court returnees from old side Inmate Reception Center (IRC), outside inmate work crews, MCJ inmate kitchen workers, high observation housing/moderate observation housing (HOH/MOH) declasses from Twin Tower Correctional Facility (TTCF), person under investigation (PUI) transfers from TTCF, and MOH inmates from the IRC clinic, etc.
General population inmates shall be searched in the IPA. Special classification inmates such as [REDACTED TEXT] and [REDACTED TEXT] shall be searched at their appropriate housing areas due to security concerns.
New Intake Inmates
IPA deputies shall advise the control booths of each floor that they will be receiving new inmates for housing.
The IPA deputies shall escort the inmates from IRC across the bridge to MCJ. The IPA deputies shall advise the floors personnel of the arrival via their handheld radio. The floor rovers shall go to IPA as soon as possible to assist with the searching and escorting of the inmates.
Found Evidence
During the searching/processing of inmates, if narcotics, weapons, or any other item is found on an inmate requiring the booking of evidence and the authoring of a report, the handling responsibility shall fall upon the floor the inmate is assigned to be housed.
In the event contraband is found on inmates escorted from other facilities (TTCF, IRC, etc.), the responsibility falls on the personnel escorting the inmate(s). The IPA deputies shall accept the inmate for housing; however, the escorting deputy shall book the evidence and write the report at their facility. IPA personnel shall obtain the uniform reporting number (URN) and reference number of all incidents. Escorting personnel from other facilities shall not leave until IPA personnel confirm the escorted inmates have been searched and are clear of contraband.
Personnel who find narcotics, weapons, etc., on such incidents shall be the “informant” on the criminal report and shall write a supplemental report if requested to do so.
Suicidal Inmates
During the searching and processing of inmates in IPA, if the inmate claims to be suicidal, they shall be immediately returned to the escorting personnel for the initiation of a Behavioral Observation Mental Health Referral (BOMHR) (SH-J-407) report in accordance with Custody Division Manual (CDM) section 5-01/050.00, “Handling of Suicidal Inmates.”
Visual Body Cavity Search Refusals
If the inmate refuses a visual body cavity search, the inmate shall be handcuffed and removed from the IPA.
If not present, a sergeant shall be requested to respond. The inmate should be taken to Cell [REDACTED TEXT] or any other isolated area and remain in constant supervision to prevent the inmate from disposing of any contraband they might have on their person.
If the responding sergeant is unable to convince the inmate to submit to a visual body cavity search, the inmate shall be escorted to IRC booking front and be scanned on the #1 scanner (high power scanner). If the scan is clear, the inmate shall be escorted back to MCJ for discipline housing. If the scan gives reason to believe the inmate has contraband in the inmates’ body, “contraband watch” procedures shall be followed.
11/10/22 MCJ