Chapter 1 – General Administration

13010.9 Public/Media Notice of Escapes

• In the event of an actual or suspected escape or walk away from an institution, minimum support facility, conservation camp, community reentry program, community-based facility, health care facility or transportation vehicle, in which participants are considered to be under CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation custody and not parolees, the institution, regional PIOPublic Information Officer, RPARegional Parole Administrator, or off-hours designee shall notify by the fastest means possible (i.e., email, telephone), radio stations, television stations, and newspapers in surrounding communities, as well as the escapee’s home community, of pertinent information about the escapee. 

• The PIOPublic Information Officer or designee shall work with OPECOffice of Public and Employee Communications and the Office of Correctional Safety (OCSOffice of Correctional Safety) to write a formal press release to be distributed to media in the escapee’s last known location and county of commitment. The press release will be posted on the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website and may be shared on CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s official social media platforms. Such information which can be provided to the media in a press release shall include, but not be limited to, the missing escapee’s: 

  • Name, CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation number, and age.

  • Physical description, including race and/or ethnicity, gender, height, weight, hair and eye color, any distinctive scars or tattoos, and clothing.

  • Estimated time of disappearance and other pertinent details as approved for disclosure by OCSOffice of Correctional Safety.

  • County of commitment.

  • Commitment offense.

  • Possibility of being armed or being a danger to the community.

  • Most recent photograph.

  • Inform the news media of the department’s search efforts and cooperation with local law enforcement agencies to apprehend the escapee.

• In the event of an escape or walkaway by a county offender from a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation fire camp, CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall initiate the efforts to apprehend the county offender and make all notifications as required by state law the same way it does for any other CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation escapee. CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will also notify the county of commitment and be responsible for all first reports, which will be filed with the district attorney’s office.