105 - TRUSTEE PROGRAM

TRUSTEE PROGRAM EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/10/2024 STANDARD NO. 105 OBJECTIVE: To establish policies and procedures for transporting and supervising inmates from the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) in the care and custody of employees from the Homestead Police Department (HPD) as part of the FDOC’s “Trustee” program. POLICY: It is the policy of the HPD to establishing policies and procedures for departmental employees regarding FDOC trustees. SCOPE: All employees of this department shall be governed by these procedures. DEFINITIONS: I. Certified employee: A police officer or correctional officer certified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. A civilian employee of the City of Homestead who has successfully completed the “Non-Departmental Supervisors” training offered by FDOC. II. Trustee: A person currently incarcerated by the State of Florida who is participating in the “trustee” program. PROCEDURES: I. Transporting Trustees: A. Trustees may only be transported by certified employees in a vehicle owned and provided by the City of Homestead. The city vehicle shall be equipped with a first aid kit. B. The trustee or trustees shall be picked-up and dropped-off by a certified employee at the place and time designated by the FDOC. C. The certified employee dropping off the trustees shall use their best efforts to ensure that the trustee is not introducing any weapons, illegal materials, or contraband into the FDOC facility. II. Employee Responsibility: A. Employees Supervising Trustees 1. Only certified employees may oversee and supervise trustees. 2. The supervising employee is charged with the care and custody of the trustees. Trustee Program – SOP #105 3. The supervising employee shall ensure that the tasks assigned to the trustees are completed to a competent and satisfactory standard. 4. The supervising employee must be present with the trustees at all times so as to maintain the trustees within their sight and sound. 5. The supervising employee shall remain alert as to the activities of the trustees and shall not allow themselves to be distracted to the point that they are no longer paying attention to the work and activities of the trustees. 6. The supervising employee shall not allow the trustees to interact with family members, friends, or members of the public. 7. The supervising employee shall remain vigilant to any attempts by the trustee to obtain weapons, illegal materials, contraband, or any efforts to escape. 8. If an inmate escapes from the employees care and custody, the employee shall immediately notify the Homestead Police Department’s dispatch center and provide the information needed for an immediate bolo (ie: trustee description, direction of travel, vehicle information, etc.). B. Employee Interaction with Trustees: 1. All employees shall treat the trustee with dignity and in a professional manner free of harassment, intimidation, cruelty, etc. 2. No employee shall have an intimate relationship or sexual contact with any trustee. III. Trustee Work Tasks: Trustees are assigned tasks throughout the city that are in compliance with the FDOC standards, such as, but not limited to, landscaping, litter clean-up, janitorial duties at city parks and facilities, pressure cleaning, etc. IV. Escape of Trustees: In an escape situation, dispatch shall immediately establish a perimeter, if applicable, and issue a county wide BOLO. Dispatch shall also notify the FDOC of the escape as soon as possible and practical. The on-duty supervisor shall oversee the establishment of a perimeter, if applicable, and the quick release of the county wide BOLO. The on-duty supervisor shall also have dispatch “call-out” any necessary assets needed to recapture the escapee. This would include assets from other agencies such as aviation. The on-duty supervisor shall notify command staff as soon as possible and practical. V. Trustee Schedule: The trustee program is scheduled Monday thru Friday from 6:30AM to 2:30PM. The trustees are released from the FDOC facility following a satisfactory morning count by the FDOC staff. The morning count typically takes place between 6:45AM and 7:00AM. The trustees’ lunch break is from 12:30PM to 1:00PM. The trustees depart Trustee Program – SOP #105 the City of Homestead to return back to the FDOC facility at 1:30PM. VI. Authorization of Trustee Program: The current trustee crew provided under the trustee program has been established and authorized between the City of Homestead and the FDOC through a signed agreement. Any additional trustee crews are subject to availability from FDOC and would require approval of the City of Homestead’s City Council prior to entering into a new agreement between the City of Homestead and FDOC.