Policy Text
Court Security Division Page 1 of 10 2/03 (REV 6/11)
Duties: Escort Officer
The purpose of this Order is to establish policy and procedures for escorting inmates
(including in-custody defendant s and witnesses) from holding ar eas to courtrooms at
Sacramento County Super ior Court facilities.
I. Authority
A. The Sheriff shall provide to t he superior court within the C ounty of
Sacramento all of the following : Court security services, inclu ding prisoner
transportation services, prisoner escort services, bailiff serv ices,
courthouse and other court securit y services, and the execution of court
orders and bench warrants requiring the immediate presence in c ourt of a
defendant or witness.
1. Government Code Se ction 26638.4(b)
II. Policy
A. An inmate's appearance in c ourt is usually the weakest link in the custody
chain and thus provides one of t he best opportunities for escap e.
B. The Sheriff is charged with t he responsibility for ensuring the security of all
persons committed to his custody. Providing inmate security to protect the
public and court personnel requires close communication and coo peration
between Judicial Officials and Sheriff’s personnel.
III. Basic Duties
A. The Escort Officer’s primary dut y is to maintain security of inmates to,
from, and in the courtroom.
1. Be familiar with the physical layout of the facility assigne d.
a. Consider all methods of escape, as seen by the inmate, in
order to counter any potential threat.
B. Once under control of the Esco rt Officer, an inmate shall no t be left alone
for any reason.
Court Security Division Page 2 of 10 2/03 (REV 6/11) 1. One Deputy shall escort each inmate to court, standby with t he
subject during the court appearanc e, and return him/her to the
holding area.
2. Two Deputies shall escort eac h inmate to court for “verdict” or
“judgment and sent encing (J&S).”
a. Verdict and J&S proceedings i nvolving multiple inmates
and/or requests to deviate from the above procedures shall
be approved and coordinated by a Sergeant.
C. In unusual circumstances, such as fire, natural disaster, or courtroom
disturbances, the Escort Officer should ensure the security of the inmate
by safely removing the subject from the courtroom and deliverin g him/her
to a secure area.
D. Escort Officers shall remain a lert and professional, and sho uld not eat,
drink, read, or use electronic dev ices while on assignment with an inmate.
E. When not performing escort dut ies, the Escort Officer may be used to
relieve other officers needing a break or staff other positions needing to be
filled.
IV. Escort Procedures
A. General Procedures
1. Escort Officers will be assigned escort duties by Court Cont rol or
Holding, depending on the facility assigned.
2. Escort Officers should obtain t he inmate’s name, destination of
escort, type of proceeding, and an y security-related informatio n
relayed from the Bailiff.
3. Once given an assignment, the Escort Officer shall immediate ly
attend to the escort duty.
4. Escort Officers shall not possess firearms, knives, or impac t
weapons while escorting inmates.
a. Officers are authorized to carry Department issued O.C.
spray and/or a Department-issued Taser.
5. Absent unusual circumstances , Escort Officers shall handcuff
inmate's hands behind their back. Under no circumstances will an
inmate be escorted completely un-restrained.
Court Security Division Page 3 of 10 2/03 (REV 6/11) a. EXCEPTION: See Section V.D.3. a., B.T. Collins Juvenile
Courthouse
6. Escort Officers should follow , not lead, the inmate being es corted,
keeping him/her within reach. 7. Escort Officers shall not carry anything for the inmate. Th e officer’s
hands should be free at all times.
a. If a Pro Per inmate has exc essive legal materials, and
he/she insists that said materi als are necessary for his/her
defense, a second Escort Officer , if available, may transport
said items.
8. The security elevator shall be used to transport inmates fro m the
Holding Area to the upper floors of any facility, whenever poss ible.
a. Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse
(1) Because the security elevator only goes to the 4
th
floor, inmates must be escorted to the 5th and 6th floor
utilizing the center stairwell.
( a ) W h i l e e s c o r t i n g t h e h a n d c u f f e d i n m a t e i n t h e s t a i r w e l l , the Escort Officer should hold the
i n m a t e ' s a r m t o e n s u r e h e / s h e d o e s n o t s t u m b l e o r f a l l . In addition, the Escort Officer
s hould walk next to the solid wall holding on to
t h e s t a i r r a i l f o r s upport.
(2) If the inmate is not abl e to climb stairs