Policy Text
Court Security Division P age 1 of 5 5/08 (REV 6/11)
Critical Incidents : Inmate Escape
The purpose of this Operations Or der is to direct the response by Court Security
personnel in the event an in-cus tody defendant escapes or is su spected of escaping
while being detained at the Gor don D. Schaber Courthouse facili ty, the Lorenzo E.
Patino Hall of Justice (Main Ja il), the William R. Ridgeway Fam ily Relations
Courthouse, the B.T. C ollins Juvenile Court house, or the Carol Miller Justice Center.
I. Policy
A coordinated, planned response to the escape of an in-custody defendant will yield the
best results in locating and apprehending the escapee. II. Authority
A. Prisoner escaping from a County jail facility:
1. Penal Code §4532
B. Assisting in the escape of a County jail prisoner:
1. Penal Code §4550
III. Initial Response
A. Officer discovering the escape:
1. When an officer suspects or di scovers that an in-custody def endant
has escaped or is attempting to escape from custody, the offic er
shall:
a. Immediately advise Court Cont rol of the situation in the
most expedient means of communication.
(1) Location of occurrence
(2) Number of escapees including names and
descriptions.
( 3 ) T i m e o f e s c ape or elapsed time since escape.
(4) Direction of travel or means of travel.
Court Security Division P age 2 of 5 5/08 (REV 6/11) (5) The need for additional officers.
(6) Any violence or weapons involved in the escape. (7) Need for medical assistance for injuries. (8) Any outside accomplices.
b. Protect the escape scene as a crime scene. c. Identify and detain any witnesses for the purpose of taking
statements.
B. Court Control Responsibilities
1. Court Control, learning of an escape or of an attempted esca pe of
an in-custody defendant shall:
a. Immediately notify the following persons: (1) All facility office rs via a radio broadcast.
( a ) S u p p l y n a m e o f s u s p e c t ( s ) and description of
e s c ape.
( b ) A s s i g n a g i v e n l o c a t i o n t o r e s pond to as
r equested by the initial reporting officer.
(2) The facility sergeant(s).
(3) Main Jail Central Control ( a ) J u v e n i l e H a l l P r obation Control (if applicable)
(4) Sheriff’s Communications Center (5) Sacramento Police De partment (if applicable).
(6) Division Commander, A ssistant Commander and/or
t h e s a t e llite Facility Commander.
(7) Court Administration liaison via telephone.
b. Note events and actions i n the Control log book.
C. The facility Sergeant, learning of an escape or attempted es cape of an in-
custody defendant, shall establis h a form of the Incident Comm and
System (ICS) and shall:
1. Be designated as the Inci dent Commander until relieved or
replaced.
Court Security Division P age 3 of 5 5/08 (REV 6/11) a. Determine a suitable loca tion for the command post.
b. Request SSD Media Unit respond. c. Assign a scribe to log all events and actions
d. Assign an officer or sergeant to the position of Operations.
(1) Coordinate the lock down o f the facility (if applicable)
(a) Allow no one to enter the facility (b) Assign officers to search (2) Coordinate a facility search (a) Assign inner perimeter posts
(b) Maintain perimeter (c) Wait for Canine (d) Avoid contaminating the escapee’s scent (e) Wait for helicopter e. Assign an officer or sergeant to the position of Logistics.
(1) Assist Court Control in notifications (a) Court Security Division Custody Sergeant (b) First Response Unit (c) Confirming SSD Communications Sergeant (S-
1 ) h a s m a d e t h e r e q u i r e d n o t i f i c a t i o n s p e r G eneral Order 7/04.
(2) Request outside resources (a) SSD Main Jail staff (b) SSD Patrol Services including Helicopter and
C a n i n e , i f applicable.
(c) Sacramento Police Department (d) Warrant/Fugitive Detail
(e) California Highway Patrol
(f) Crime Scene Investigation (if appropriate)
Court Security Division P age 4 of 5 5/08 (REV 6/11) (3) Develop intelligence on the escapee.
( a ) I n t e r v i e w w i t n e s s e s
(b) Access and printout escapee’s JIMS file. (c) Be responsible for the re-arrest of the escapee
w hen apprehended.
(d) Process the in-cust ody defendant through Main
J a i l o r J u v e n i l e H a l l a s a f r e s h a r