E-19

November 14, 2005

     
Michael Hennessey, Sheriff
Custody Operations
Jail Facility Lockdown Guidelines

POLICY: The Sheriff’s Department identifies the need to establish guidelines to sustain jail
operations at times when factors and situations require a more controlled,
restrictive jail movement of the prisoner population.

PURPOSE: To provide consistent guidelines for supervisory staff to follow in order to

continue to sustain jail operations when situations occur that could impact the
security of the jail facility and/or pose a serious safety threat to the staff and
prisoners.

DEFINITIONS:

Housing Supervisor: A sworn staff member assigned as a supervisor with

responsibility to provide direction, authority, supervision and control over
Sheriff’s Personnel assigned to supervise a prisoner housing area or prisoner
housing unit. The Housing Supervisor has responsibility over the prisoners
housed in these designated housing areas or housing units. The Housing
Supervisor reports directly to the Watch Commander.

Jail Operational Level: A designation that determines the operational activities,

prisoner movement and any restrictions placed into effect at a jail facility.
 Jail Facility Lockdown Guidelines

Sheriff’s Personnel: Any staff member, including sworn and non-sworn staff,
employed by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.

Watch Commander: The highest ranking sworn staff member assigned as a

supervisor with responsibility over jail operations during a designated set of
watch hours. The Watch Commander reports directly to the Facility Commander.

PROCEDURE:

I) General Rules

A) These guidelines are developed to assist supervisory staff identify jail operation levels
to provide an acceptable and safe level of security for the jail facility. Serious safety
threats that pose a significant safety risk to the staff and prisoners need to be
evaluated. In some situations, more controlled and restrictive movement of the jail
prisoner population may need to be implemented in order to sustain jail operations.

B) Some examples of situations that could cause a change in normal jail operations and
require a more controlled restrictive level of response are as follows: (These
examples of situations may not cover every situation when this type of response is
necessary).

1) Gang or racial violence that involves a large segment of the jail population.
2) Jail searches and housing shakedowns.
3) Serious assaults against staff.
4) A staffing shortage that causes the watch/team minimum to drop at least four (4)
positions below the minimum staffing level.
5) Investigation situations.
6) To reestablish control and safety within the jail facility.
7) Escape situations
8) Major jail disturbances
9) Natural disasters
10) To prepare for a jail evacuation.
11) Other situations as identified by the Facility Commander or the Watch
Commander.

C) Jail facilities shall not be locked down without acceptable justification and without
the approval of the Watch Commander, Facility Commander and the Commander of
the Custody Division.

D) Any jail operation level, other than level one, that is placed into operation shall only
remain in effect for as short a period of time as is practical and justified. The
continuation of a jail operational level is subject to the continuous review by higher
ranking authorities. Changes may occur at the direction of higher ranking authorities.
 Jail Facility Lockdown Guidelines

E) These guidelines are not intended to restrict deputized staff from an immediate
response of locking down a prisoner housing area in order to maintain safety, provide
security and re-establish control over a situation. The deputy imposing the lockdown
of the prisoner housing area shall immediately notify the Watch Commander. Once a
lockdown occurs, the Watch Commander shall immediately respond to the scene and
evaluate what level of lockdown response needs to be maintained.

F) These jail operational levels apply to all jail facilities within the Custody Division.
II) Jail Operational Levels

A) Each jail operational level is identified and described as follows:

1. Level One – Routine Operations

a. The jail facility functions in a normal routine operations mode.

b. All prisoner general population housing areas are unlocked with

prisoners permitted to assemble in common areas inside each housing unit.

c. All jail operations are in service.

d. No problems identified.

2. Level Two – Lockdown of One Individual Prisoner Housing Area.

a. Short term lockdown. This type of lockdown may be needed to perform
a housing search, to investigate the circumstances of an assault or to
identify the participants in a prisoner altercation.

b. This level of response is subject to the approval of the Housing

Supervisor and the Watch Commander.

c. Services for the prisoners inside the locked down housing area can be
temporarily changed and rescheduled at the direction of the Housing
Supervisor. Any changes with the schedule shall be monitored by the
Housing Supervisor authorizing the changes to ensure compliance with
Title 15 regulations and departmental policies.

d. The housing unit shall be unlocked upon conclusion of the incident or

the investigation.

e. Compliance with all Title 15 regulations and departmental policies shall

continue to occur for all prisoners housed inside of the jail facility.

3. Level Three – Partial Lockdown of the Jail Facility

a. This level of response occurs as a result of a serious jail incident, a jail
disturbance or a significant staffing problem that would cause a
 Jail Facility Lockdown Guidelines

watch/team to drop at least four (4) positions below the minimum staffing
level.

b. Beyond the immediate decision response by the on-site Housing

Supervisor or Watch Commander, the continuation of this level of
lockdown response shall be approved by the Facility Commander within
the first 24 hours after the occurrence of the incident that prompted the
lockdown response.

c. Any continuation of this level of response beyond 24 hours in duration

shall be reviewed and approved by the Division Commander, and/or the
Undersheriff and/or the Sheriff.

d. Sheriff’s Personnel may be detailed and reassigned to other jail

assignments as directed by supervisory staff. Sheriff’s Personnel will be
directed to respond to any jail emergency as necessary.

e. Services for prisoners shall be adjusted at the discretion of the Watch

Commander.

f. Compliance with all Title 15 regulations and departmental policies shall

continue to occur.

4. Level Four – Lockdown of the Entire Jail Facility

a. The entire jail facility is locked down.

b. This level of response occurs as a result of a serious jail incident, a jail

disturbance or a significant staffing problem that would cause a
watch/team to drop at least four (4) positions below the minimum staffing
level.

c. Beyond the immediate decision response by the on-site Housing

Supervisor or Watch Commander, the continuation of this level of
response shall be approved by the Facility Commander within the first 24
hours after the occurrence of the incident that prompted the lockdown
response.

d. Any continuation of this level of response beyond 24 hours in duration

shall be reviewed and approved by the Division Commander, and/or the
Undersheriff and/or the Sheriff.

e. Prisoner visiting hours and the prisoner recreation schedule may be

suspended for up to a maximum of 24 hours during the first 24 hours of
the lockdown. Prisoner visiting hours and prisoner recreation schedules
may not be suspended beyond 24 hours unless approved by the. Sheriff or
the Undersheriff.
 Jail Facility Lockdown Guidelines

f. Compliance with all other Title 15 regulations and departmental policies

shall continue to occur.

g. Sheriff’s Personnel may be detailed and reassigned to other jail

assignments as directed by supervisory staff. Sheriff’s Personnel will be
directed to respond to any jail emergency as necessary.

h. Services for prisoners shall be adjusted at the discretion of the Watch

Commander.

5. Level Five – Jail Evacuation

a. A partial or full jail evacuation.

b. The jail facility shall follow their facility evacuation plan.

III. Documentation

A. The Watch Commander shall prepare a memorandum to the Facility Commander

attached to the incident report whenever a Level 3, Level 4 or Level 5 response is
implemented.

B. The Facility Commander shall maintain written documentation at the jail facility
about all situations that result in a Level 3, Level 4 or Level 5 response.

C. Copies of these reports shall be forwarded to the Chief Deputy of the Custody
Division, to the Undersheriff and to the Sheriff.