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Policy 515Santa Ana Police Department Custody Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/06/26, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police Department***DRAFT*** Reporting In-Custody Deaths - 1Reporting In-Custody Deaths 515.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides direction for notifications, reporting, and review of in-custody deaths (15 CCR 1046)._ 515.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: In-custody death - The death of any person, for whatever reason (natural, suicide, homicide, accident), who is in the process of being booked or is incarcerated or under supervision at any facility of this department (Penal Code § 832.10). 515.2 POLICY It is the policy of this department to follow state and local guidelines regarding notifications and reporting in-custody deaths. 515.3 MANDATORY REPORTING All in-custody deaths shall be reported within 10 days of the death to the state Attorney General's office, in accordance with reporting guidelines and statutory requirements (Government Code § 12525). If the decedent is a boarder for another agency, the Jail Administrator shall notify that agency so that agency will assume responsibility for the notification of the decedent's family. Pursuant to Article 37 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, in the case of the death of a foreign national, telephonic notification to the appropriate consulate post should be made without unreasonable delay and confirmatory written notification shall be made within 72 hours of the death to the appropriate consulate post. The notification shall include the incarcerated person's name, identification number, date and time of death, and the attending physician's name. In the event that a juvenile dies while in custody, the Jail Administrator or the authorized designee shall notify the court of jurisdiction and the juvenile offender's parent or guardian (15 CCR 1047). A copy of the initial review report for every in-custody death provided to the state Attorney General's office shall be submitted to the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) within 60 days of the death, and contain the information required by 15 CCR 1046 and comport with the disclosure requirements of Penal Code § 832.10 (public disclosure of records) (15 CCR 1046). The initial review report shall contain the following: 1. Demographic information (a)Full name of the decedent (b)Date of birth Santa Ana Police Department Custody Manual Reporting In-Custody Deaths Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/06/26, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police Department***DRAFT*** Reporting In-Custody Deaths - 2(c)Date of death (d)Time of death (e)Gender (f)Race and ethnicity (g)Relevant medical history 2. Facility Information (a)Name and location of the detention facilit y (b)Description of the locations where the death occurred within the facility (c)Date and time of the incident (d)Detention facility personnel (including names and roles) involved in the reporting of the death or incident 3. Any relevant circumstances leading up to the death, including behavioral or medical issues 515.4 PROCEDURE Upon determining that a death of any person has occurred while in the custody of this department, the Shift Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the Chief of Police and all appropriate investigative authorities, including the Coroner, are notified without delay and all written reports are completed. The Shift Supervisor shall also promptly notify the Jail Administrator and make any other notifications required by policy or direction. The Jail Administrator shall observe all pertinent laws and allow appropriate investigating agencies full access to all facts surrounding the death. The Department shall establish policies and procedures for the investigation of any in-custody death. The decedent’s personal belongings shall be disposed of in a responsible and legal manner. All property and records shall be retained according to established records retention schedules. The individual designated by the decedent shall be notified of all pertinent information as required by law. During an investigation, all inquiries regarding the death shall be referred to the Public Information Officer. Correctional officers shall not make a public comment. 515.5 IN-CUSTODY DEATH REVIEW The Chief of Police is responsible for establishing a team of qualified staff to conduct an administrative review of every in-custody death. At a minimum, the review team should include the following (15 CCR 1046; 15 CCR 1030): (a)Chief of Police and/or the Jail Administrator Santa Ana Police Department Custody Manual Reporting In-Custody Deaths Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/06/26, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by Santa Ana Police Department***DRAFT*** Reporting In-Custody Deaths - 3(b)City Attorney (c)District Attorney (d)Investigative staff (e)Responsible Physician, qualified health care professionals, supervisors, or other staff who are relevant to the incident The in-custody death review should be initiated as soon as practicable, and a written report shall be completed within 30 days of the death. The team should review the appropriateness of clinical care, determine whether changes to policies, procedures, or practices are warranted, and identify issues that require further study (15 CCR 1046). 515.5.1 BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS IN-CUSTODY DEATH REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS