5-16/001.00 Inmate Meals

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for the feeding of inmates being processed within the Inmate Reception Center (IRC).

SCOPE OF ORDER:

This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working in any capacity at IRC.

ORDER: 

All inmates processing through IRC shall be fed regularly.  The following are guidelines and procedures for feeding all inmates, as well as, the ordering, distribution and storage of inmate food.

All personnel shall adhere to the following procedures regarding inmate meals:

• Once per shift, inmates being processed through IRC shall be served one sack lunch and one drink upon arrival at the following locations:

• Booking Front – upon completion of the medical triage process
• Clinic
• Custody Line
• Release area

• During PM shift, each inmate shall receive at least one hot meal as they enter the booking front sally port and/or as they enter the clinic.

Ordering of Inmate Food

The ordering of inmate food and drinks is the responsibility of the clinic lead or their designee for the first floor and the custody line lead or their designee for the second floor.  At the beginning of each shift the assigned personnel shall call the Twin Towers Correctional Facility (TTCF) kitchen at [REDACTED TEXT] to order the required amount of inmate sack lunches, and drinks, ensuring the amount is slightly over the inmate count on the shift.    

Quantities are ordered by pallet or crate

• 1 pallet of sack lunches = 42 crates of 25 bags; 1 pallet = 1050 sacks
• 1 pallet of drinks = 42 crates of 70 cartons; 1 pallet = 2940 drinks
• 1 crate of diabetic lunches = 25 bags

Ordering and Handling of Hot Meals

Hot meals can be ordered at the beginning of each shift to cover the inmate count.  Hot meals can also be ordered through the TTCF kitchen at [REDACTED TEXT]

Quantities are ordered by single serve count or by “cambro” (hot food container), depending on the inmate count for the shift.  

Cambro containers will hold the following quantity

• 1 cambro = 90 hot burritos

Hot meals delivered in the cambros are good for up to six (6) hours from the time of delivery.  Any leftover meals stored in the cambros exceeding the six (6) hour mark shall be discarded.  Unused meals left behind by the inmates are not to be served and shall be discarded immediately.  Inmate workers assigned to each location shall cleanup thirty (30) minutes after serving the meals to ensure that all uneaten food items are discarded.

Diabetic Lunches

Diabetic lunches shall also be requested with the regular food order to accommodate inmates on a diabetic diet.  It is the responsibility of custody personnel to ensure that diabetic lunches are delivered.  Should TTCF not deliver the diabetic lunches, custody personnel shall make every attempt to make arrangements with the TTCF kitchen to have them made, delivered or picked-up.  Entry into the electronic Uniform Daily Activity Log (e-UDAL) shall be made to note the missed diabetic meals and the new accommodation.

Pick-up and Delivery

Food and drinks will be delivered to the IRC compound by the TTCF food delivery truck at approximately 1100 hours.  The first floor sergeant will designate a staff member to respond to the compound to verify that the accurate amount of food and drinks were delivered and sign the manifest.  Retrieval of the food crates shall be conducted with the help of inmate workers.  Personnel retrieving the food shall be responsible for delivering food items to booking front, the clinic and custody line according to inmate count, and the expected new booking count.

If additional food is needed, personnel may call the TTCF kitchen for sack lunches or hot meals.  If the delivery of additional food items is not available by TTCF delivery personnel, IRC personnel shall make arrangements to pick up the food.  When ordering additional hot meals, one (1) hour will be needed for the preparation of the food.

Storing of Food and Drinks

Storing of inmate food and drinks is the responsibility of the first floor sergeant or their designee.  To ensure the proper storage of food and drinks the following guidelines shall be followed:

• Crates of food and drinks must never come in contact with the floor.  There must be a minimum of six (6) inches between the crate and the floor. 
• An empty crate can be used as a barrier to keep the crate containing the food or drinks from being placed on the floor.

• Food items (sack lunches) can be stored at room temperature and must be consumed within twenty-four (24) hours.
• Hot food (burritos) must be kept within the cambro container they arrived in from the TTCF kitchen. 
• Hot food (burritos) should be served at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit to limit the growth of bacteria that can cause food related illness.  Hot food must be consumed within six (6) hours of the delivery time.
• Juice and milk cartons must be served at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit to limit the growth of bacteria that can cause food related illness. 
• Fruit punch cartons do not need to be refrigerated and must be used by expiration date. 
• All cold drinks shall be consumed within five (5) days from delivery.

Sack Lunch Rotation

Sack lunches are delivered with color bands that represent the day of the week they were prepared.  The purpose for the color bands is to ensure food is discarded after the twenty-four (24) hour mark and not recycled the next day.  Inmate workers assigned to the various processing locations within IRC shall be instructed and supervised to ensure proper food rotation and handling.  Custody personnel shall ensure that proper protocols are adhered to in regards to the delivery, distribution and storage of food.

NOTE:           Adherence to the color band rotation is mandatory and shall be monitored by the first floor sergeant.  Any deviation from the color or storage rotation shall be noted and corrected immediately.