PURPOSE OF ORDER
The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for the safe processing of inmates during an outbreak of a highly communicable disease.
SCOPE OF ORDER
This order shall apply to all personnel assigned to and/or working in any capacity at the Inmate Reception Center (IRC).
ORDER
In the event that a public health emergency is declared for a communicable disease outbreak, it is imperative the IRC personnel take extra precautions to prevent the spread of the communicable disease among personnel and inmates. The following procedures shall be followed during a public health emergency for a communicable disease outbreak.
General Procedures
All personnel shall adhere to the guidelines set by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH), Correctional Health Services (CHS), and Custody Division. These guidelines may vary based on the nature of the disease but may include the use of face coverings and practicing social distancing. Personnel shall avoid grouping except when absolutely necessary for their job duties (e.g. use of force). Proper hygiene practices, including hand washing, shall be adhered to.
N95 masks shall be utilized when personnel are within six (6) feet of an inmate suspected of having a highly contagious disease, person under investigation (PUI), or confirmed to be positive for a communicable disease.
Based on the current outbreak of the disease the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified a decontamination methodology that allows for the reuse of N95 respirators. N95 masks that have been contaminated with blood, respiratory or nasal secretions, or other bodily fluids shall be immediately disposed of in a bio-hazard disposal container.
All policies and procedures regarding communicable diseases, including Custody Operations Directives and Information Bulletins shall be followed at all times. IRC Training shall ensure all policies and procedures are disseminated through the Schedule Management System (SMS) and track all read receipts.
High traffic areas and work stations shall be regularly sanitized with an appropriate cleaning product. Personnel shall adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions when using cleaning products.
If at any time IRC processing personnel notice an inmate displaying signs of illness or infection, including coughing, fever, and other obvious flu-like symptoms, CHS personnel shall be notified immediately. The inmate shall be placed into a single person temporary holding cell pending evaluation by CHS personnel.
Entry Control
All inmates entering the facility shall be pre-screened using the Preliminary Field Medical Screening Form. Inmates determined to be at risk for carrying a communicable disease (e.g. COVID-19) SHALL NOT be permitted to enter the facility. Entry control personnel shall contact booking front personnel immediately.
In the event Court Services Transportation (CST) busses get backed up in the compound due to medical screening at booking front, entry control personnel shall implement a queue number system to process CST busses in the order they arrived.
The maximum capacity of the uncuff cell is THIRTY inmates. In the event that booking front personnel cannot process inmates promptly (e.g. use of force incident), DO NOT allow additional inmates to enter the uncuff cell.
Booking Front
General Processing
Inmates shall be removed from the uncuff cell as soon as possible. Whenever possible, the body scanners shall be utilized to minimize physical contact. Inmates shall be required to wear facial coverings and maintain social distancing, when practical.
IRC Logistics shall be responsible for obtaining inmate face masks and ensuring booking front has a sufficient supply of masks. The masks shall be made available to inmates.
Temporary holding cells should be limited to no more than ten inmates at one time.
Processing Inmates with a Communicable Disease
Inmates who arrive at IRC that may have been exposed to a communicable disease (e.g. COVID-19) or are confirmed to have a communicable disease shall be processed as follows:
NOTE: The Central Housing Unit (CHU) and CHS will make the final determination as to where to house the inmate.
The inmate’s civilian clothing shall be secured into a biohazard bag. Property personnel shall be responsible for the final disposal of the clothing and marking the clothing as “destroyed” in the property management system per the standard soiled clothing process.
The floor sergeant shall immediately notify the Custody Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) of the inmate’s name, booking number, and final housing location.
Communicable Disease Testing
CHS personnel may initiate communicable disease testing during public health emergencies. Testing shall be implemented as follows:
NOTE: Inmates can refuse testing. DO NOT attempt to use force to complete a test.
Out of County Warrant Transfers
Inmates received on out of county warrants shall have an Arrestee Medical Screening Form AND a Preliminary Field Medical Screening Form completed by CST personnel. In addition, every inmate shall have a sealed medical transfer summary from the originating agency. These inmates shall be evaluated by CHS personnel to determine whether they should be processed as normal or processed under the communicable disease process noted above.
Out of county warrant criteria may be adjusted to control the jail population. A Justice Data Interface Controller (JDIC) message will reflect the current acceptance criteria.
Classification Rear
Recording Contagious Disease Testing
If CHS personnel are testing inmates for communicable diseases at booking front, and classification rear personnel shall ensure every inmate has been offered a test. CHS personnel will notate a checkmark for inmates tested or an “X” for inmates who refused testing. Inmates without a checkmark or “X” shall be directed to booking front triage.
Classification rear personnel shall ensure every inmate’s name, booking number and whether they tested or not is documented in the designated testing log.
IRC Operations shall collect and document all testing data.
Clinic
The clinic lead personnel shall ensure inmates are reminded regularly to maintain social distancing and use face coverings. Inmates who do not have a face-covering shall be provided one.
Once per shift, at a minimum, all common areas shall be cleaned with an approved cleaning solution. All personnel involved in the cleaning shall don an N95 mask, gloves, and eye coverings.
After a High Observation Housing (HOH) inmate is moved from an HOH chair, the chair and handcuffs shall be thoroughly cleaned with an approved cleaning solution prior to placing a new inmate on the chair.
All waistchains shall be cleaned with an approved cleaning solution after each use.
[REDACTED TEXT]
CDC Announcement
The [REDACTED TEXT] control booth shall broadcast the prerecorded CDC announcement in English and Spanish to all inmate pods, at a minimum, once per shift and documented in the e-UDAL.
Cleaning and Sanitation
Inmates shall have access to hygiene supplies, soap and water at all times while housed in [REDACTED TEXT], unless directed otherwise by CHS personnel (e.g. HOH inmate). In addition, all inmates shall have a face covering and directed to wear it. Inmates who lost, damaged, or soiled their face covering shall be issued a new one.
Once per shift, at a minimum, all day room and common areas shall be cleaned with an approved cleaning solution. All personnel involved in the cleaning shall don an N95 mask, gloves, and eye coverings.
IRC Logistics shall ensure each pod in [REDACTED TEXT] is deep cleaned, at a minimum, once per week, following established cleaning guidelines.
Communicable Disease Housing
In general, [REDACTED TEXT] is used as medical overflow. Due to the temporary nature of the module, coupled with court mandates to expedite inmate movement out of IRC, [REDACTED TEXT] will generally not be used for PUI, quarantine, or positive test inmates.
If an inmate’s test result returns positive for communicable disease after they have been temporarily housed in [REDACTED TEXT], the procedures below shall be followed:
If other inmates were potentially exposed and require quarantine, CHS and CHU will determine an appropriate quarantine housing location for the inmates. The inmates shall be moved following the procedures noted above.
First Floor Main Control
At a minimum of once per shift, first floor main control shall broadcast the CDC safety message in English and Spanish.
The watch commander shall document the time the announcement is played.
Criteria for receiving inmates may be modified to reduce the number of inmates entering IRC. First floor main control shall ensure agencies attempting to book inmates at IRC meet the current booking guidelines as outlined in the JDIC message. Additionally, first floor main control shall ensure agencies are not allowed to book inmates at IRC that are charged with a zero ($0) bail offense. The agency shall be directed to release the inmate on their own recognizance (OR).
Custody Line
Open Ward and 5150 Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Release of Quarantined/Positive Inmates
Inmates under quarantine and/or who have tested positive for a communicable disease who need be released on open ward or on a 5150 WIC hold should be processed for release from the compound. Personnel completing the open ward release shall don gloves, an N95 mask, and eye protection prior to responding to the compound. The release can then be processed following the standard open ward/5150 WIC process from the compound.
Release
Release of Quarantined/Positive Inmates
Upon notification that an inmate from a PUI, quarantine, or positive test housing location is being escorted to the release area, the following procedures shall be followed:
NOTE: PMB will notify CEOC of the release.
Ensure [REDACTED TEXT] is thorough cleaned using an approved cleaning solution prior to using the cell again.
Overall Facility Cleaning
To reduce the risk of the transmission of communicable diseases, ALL work station personnel shall clean all common areas, cells, and work stations with an approved cleaning solution, at a minimum, once per shift. Personnel are highly encouraged to conduct more frequent cleanings, workload permitting.
Personnel shall don an N95 mask, eye protection, and gloves while cleaning. Inmate workers assisting with the cleaning shall be provided, and required to use, an N95 mask, eye protection, and gloves.
In addition to the required cleaning noted above, safeguard cleaning positions has been added to booking front and custody line. These positions shall conduct thorough cleaning of all parts of the facility using an approved cleaning solution. This cleaning shall be done in addition to the cleaning required for each work station.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Issuance
The IRC operations sergeant shall be responsible for the overall supply of PPE. The IRC operations sergeant will distribute PPE to the watch commander, who is responsible for the issuance of PPE to personnel as required. The issuance of PPE shall be documented in the watch commander’s log.