Policy Text
Correctional Services P age 1 of 8 4/05 (REV 9/16)
MJ/RCCC
OPERATIONS ORDER
Use of Safety Cells / Segregati on Cells / Multipurpose Rooms /
North Holding #2
The purpose of this Order is to outline the procedures for use and documentation of the
safety cells, segregation cells, m ultipurpose rooms, and/or Nor th Holding #2, at the
Main Jail or the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC).
I. Safety Cell / Segregation Cell / Multipurpose Room Locations
A. At the Main Jail four (4) safety cells are availa ble. Two (2) safety cells are
located in the male booking loop , one (1) safety cell is locate d in the
female booking loop, and one (1) sa fety cell, P13, is located i n the intake
psychiatric unit on floor 2P.
B. At RCCC there is one (1) safety cell, l ocated in the Ramona wing of th e
Sandra Larson Facility (SLF) .
C. At the Main Jail six (6) single person holding cells, labeled as segregation
cells, are available. Five (5) segregation cells are located i n the male
booking loop and one (1) segregati on cell is located in the fem ale booking
loop.
D. At RCCC one (1) single person holding cell, located in 448 North and
identified as North Hol ding #2, is available.
E. At the Main Jail and RCCC multipurpose rooms ar e available in most
housing units.
II. Safety Cell Use and Placement
A. The SAFETY CELL shall only be used to hold those prisoners w ho
threaten or display behavior that endangers self, other people, or property.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
1. Combative or violent behavior. 2. Threats or attempts t o harm self or others.
3. Destruction of property.
B. Custody staff must obtain watch commander or division commander
approval prior to placing a prisoner in a safety cell. In the watch
commander’s absence, an acting watch commander shall be appoint ed.
Correctional Services P age 2 of 8 4/05 (REV 9/16)
MJ/RCCC C. The only exception to prior approval is the most volatile of circumstances,
in which custody staff may place a prisoner in a safety cell wh ile obtaining
approval in order to keep the pris oner or others from being inj ured.
D. Only one prisoner at a time s hall occupy a safety cell.
E. Prisoners placed in physical restraints may be placed in a s afety cell.
Restraint devices are outlined in Operations Order 2/02, Use of Restraints.
F. Prisoners placed in a safety cell shall be allo wed to retain enough clothing
or be provided with a suitably designed “saf ety garment”, to pr ovide for the
prisoners personal privacy unless specific identifiable risks t o the
prisoner’s safety or t o the security of the facility exist and are documented.
1. Absent a direction by Jail P sychiatric Services (JPS) deemin g a
“safety garment” necessary, a s worn supervisor must authorize
custody staff to take the clothi ng and supply the prisoner with a
“safety garment”.
2. Unless a “safety garment” is necessitated by the prisoner’s
behavior, prisoners shall be allo wed to retain personal clothin g
except for shoelaces, shoes, belts , or any other clothing artic les
which could threaten his/her safety or damage property.
3. Custody staff is responsible for safekeeping confiscated pri soner
clothing. Confiscated clothing will be returned to the prisone r upon
removal from the safety cell or placed in his/her property in
accordance with Operations Order 4/3, Prisoner Clothing, Proper ty,
and Funds.
G. Prisoners shall only be kep t in a safety cell until they are no longer a
danger to self or others and/or he/ she no longer poses a threat to the
safety or security of the facility.
III. Main Jail Segregation Cell Us e and Placement
A. At the Main Jail , segregation cells may be used to temporarily hold
prisoners who should be separated from the general population f or
reasons including, but not limited to:
1. Charges/custody status. 2. Classification and/ or gang affiliation.
3. Sexual orientation/transgender status. 4. Behavior which disrupts facility operations. 5. Placement into restraints as a result of combative or violent
behavior, physical attempt to har m self or others, or the destr uction
of property.
Correctional Services P age 3 of 8 4/05 (REV 9/16)
MJ/RCCC B. Custody staff shall make reasonable accommodations to provid e
prisoners access to the inmate te lephone system in accordance w ith
California Penal Code 851.5. Custody staff shall document the telephone
access for prisoners placed in s egregation cells and/or will do cument the
reasons why telephone access is restricted.
IV. Multipurpose Rooms and RCCC North Holding #2 - Use and Placement
A. Prisoners in housing units who are in need of immediate mental health
services referral and/or have been placed in restraints may be temporarily
placed in a multipurpose room or North Holding #