6-01-040 Watch Sergeant Duties

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

PURPOSE OF ORDER:

The purpose of this order is to establish the duties of the Pitchess Detention Center (PDC) South Facility watch sergeant.

SCOPE OF ORDER:

This order applies to all personnel assigned to, and working at PDC South Facility.

ORDER:

The PDC South Facility watch sergeant shall be responsible to the PDC South watch commander.

The responsibilities of personnel assigned as watch sergeant shall include, but not be limited to the following:

• Review shift in-service at beginning of shift

• Ensure the in-service meets the minimum staffing needs

• Notify the watch commander if overtime may be necessary due to a staffing shortage (e.g., Henry Mayo security, etc.)

• Get the facility inmate count, from the watch deputy, for the shift in-service and the watch sergeant information board (white board)

• Have the shift watch commander review the in-service for approval prior to making copies

• Check-in/out table

• Sit in the main hallway and check in/out the personnel as they pass by

• Have the incoming shift personnel sign the time card

• Check the uniform appearance and grooming as the personnel are checking in

• When the check-in is complete, update the shift in-service if changes were made

• Submit “final time copy” in-service to the watch commander for signature

• Put a copy of the shift in-service on the “30-day in-services” board in the watch sergeant’s office

• Control bachelor officer’s quarters (BOQ) key log

• Ensure all keys that were checked out by the oncoming shift’s employees were turned in to the BOQ key box (done at the beginning of the shift after employee check-in)

• When an employee checks out a BOQ room key, ensure it’s written on the log sheet, combined with your (sergeant’s) initials

• Monitor facility count time

• Body counts (0300, 0700, 1500, and 2300hrs)

• Wristband count (2200hrs)

• If there is a problem with the facility count clearing in a timely manner (15-25 minutes for a body count), call the watch deputy to determine which compound(s) are not clearing

• Assist the problem compound(s), as needed, to expedite the process

• If the problem compound(s) exhaust all avenues for clearing the count, immediately order the watch deputy to “lock down” the facility and begin the process for a wristband count

• If there appears to be an inmate escape, and not just an out-of-count problem, order the watch deputy to advise the other PDC facilities and have them “lock down” until a complete wristband count clears

• Brief personnel

• Conduct regular shift briefings (either admin building briefing room or Eddie Compound briefing room)

• Discuss facility topics or concerns

• Discuss departmental topics and issues

• Ensure expectations of shift personnel are clear

• Conduct shift trainings (as time permits)

• Supervise report writing

• Monitor inmate contacts and searching

• Conduct patrol scenarios, etc.

• Submit a South Facility briefing roster to scheduling/training detailing what was briefed/trained

• Check the Inmate Report Tracking System (IRTS)

• Review and approve all reports

• Check to see if any inmates are due to meet with the discipline review board (DRB) (between 24-36 hours from time of the violation, unless a “time waiver” was signed by the inmate)

• If you DRB an inmate, complete the DRB section on the IRTS entry detailing the number of days (if any) the inmate will spend in discipline, loss of good time/work time (if any) or any other recommendations you may have for the inmate

• Check watch sergeant in-tray

• Review and approve all shift vehicle inspection sheets

• Review and approve the prior shift’s Adam unit logs

• Review and approve all incident reports (SH-R-49), inmate injury reports, and search reports

• If any reports or logs need corrections, email the employee of the report problems and place the report in the “rejected reports” tray in the watch sergeants office

• Review the next shift’s in-service

• Update with any sick call-in’s

• Ensure the in-service meets the minimum staffing needs

• Advise the watch commander if overtime may be necessary due to a staffing shortage

• Get the facility inmate count, from the watch deputy, for the shift in-service and the watch sergeant information board (white board)

• Print the in-service and leave it on the Watch Sergeant’s desk for the on-coming watch sergeant to review

• Supervise inmate meals (0700, 1130 and 1630hrs)

• The 0700 hour and 1130 hour feedings are sack meals and a cold milk or juice served in each compound

• The 1630 hour dinner feeding is a hot meal served in the inmate dining room (IDR) (except when it is raining or there is a facility security issue, the inmates would be fed inside their barracks)

• The watch sergeant is to be inside the IDR for the 1630 hour meal

• Ensure all compound personnel assigned to work inside the IDR are inside and spread out

• Ensure all inmates are given fifteen (15) minutes to eat their meal          while at the table (a slow table is available if more time is needed)

• The line sergeant and the line senior are to be on the compound while the inmates are walking from their barrack to/from the IDR

• Complete Title-15 inmate interviews

• All supervisors are required to complete twelve (12) Title-15 inmate interviews each quarter

• The Title-15 supervising line deputy will put them in your mailbox at the beginning of each quarter

• Monitor inmate security levels

• Inmates with a security level of eight (8) or nine (9) are not housed at South Facility

• Security levels one (1) through four (4) cannot be housed with security levels five (5) through seven (7) with the exception of Henry compound (The Merit Program in Henry compound can house security levels 1 - 7 together)

• Monitor employee breaks

• Personnel are entitled to a forty (40) minute break during the shift, if time permits

• There are some days where it’s too busy for taking breaks

• Personnel taking a break shall sign in/out on the break list located in the lobby of the watch sergeant’s office

• Personnel taking a break shall document where they intend to take their break (e.g., officer’s dining room)

Note: On shifts where you are assigned as the watch and line sergeant, you are responsible for conducting both the watch and line sergeant duties.

*All personnel are expected to assist inmates seeking available programs offered throughout the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) jail system, including Education Based Incarceration (EBI). All inmates are issued a copy of jail rules and regulations and subject to discipline for violating those rules. It is extremely important the actions of all Department members are predicated on upholding respect and professionalism, even in situations where authoritative action or force is required.

08/16/18 SOUF