Chapter 3 – Personnel, Training, and Employee Relations

33020.15.1 Definitions

• Ballistic Vest: A ballistic vest is designed to cover specific portions of the wearer’s body to resist penetration by a bullet.

• Combination Vest: A combination vest is designed to cover specific portions of the wearer’s body to resist penetration by inmate manufactured knives, ice picks, other sharp objects and bullets.

• Cover: A vest cover is the holder for the vest panel. The cover shall be appropriately sized to maintain the position of the panel upon the wearer’s body as designed by the manufacturer.

• CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vests, covers, or both: A CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest, cover, or both purchased by the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is State property. Each CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest, cover, or both shall be maintained by the employee to whom they are issued in accordance with CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation mandates. The vest, cover, or both shall stay under the control of the issued employee until the vest, cover, or both is replaced with another CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest, cover, or both, or the employee purchases a personally owned vest, cover, or both, the employee separates from the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the employee transfers to another CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation division or unit that requires a different type of vest, cover, or both than the employee was issued, or where vest wear is not mandatory as described in this section.

• Personally owned vests, covers, or both: A personally owned vest, cover, or both is a vest or cover that an authorized employee (as noted in this section) chooses to purchase and maintain at their own expense.

  • A personally owned vest, cover or both must meet or exceed the requirements of the specific vest type.

  • Personally owned vest covers that are used with CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest panels must be specifically designed to fit the specific CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest panel.

  • It is the responsibility of each employee that purchases a personally owned vest, cover or both to notify the Vest Control Person (VCP) prior to wearing the vest, cover or both to work so that inventory control measures can be initiated.

  • The employee shall also provide that vest, cover or both to the VCP annually for inspection at the time and date established by the VCP.

• Stab Resistant Vest: A stab resistant vest is designed to cover specific portions of the wearer’s body to resist penetration by inmate manufactured knives, ice picks, and other sharp objects.

• Standby Vest Pool: Each institution, division, facility, or unit shall maintain a Standby Vest Pool. The Standby Vest Pool shall contain sufficient vest and cover types, amounts, and sizes, at the discretion of each Warden, Superintendent, or Division Head, to supply to personnel who are temporarily required to wear a vest as described in this section.

  • Standby Vest Pool vests will be issued to:

    • Employees who are required to wear a vest but have not been permanently issued a vest. If such an employee works full time in a unit wherein vest wear is mandatory (as defined in this policy), the Warden, Superintendent, or Division Head may elect to issue a vest from the Standby Pool to that employee for the duration of their assignment in the unit.

    • Employees who do not have their permanently issued vest with them when they report for duty.

    • Employees or official visitors that enter Special Housing Units, as described in this policy.

    • Individuals participating in a Division of Adult Parole Operations ride-along.

  • Correctional Training Center or Stockton Training Center employees and cadets that use Standby Pool Vests shall wear these vests under the outer uniform shirt or jumpsuit.

• Vest Control Person: The institutional, facility, division, or unit VCP shall manage and maintain, under the responsibility of the respective Warden, Superintendent, or Division Head, the institution, division, or unit inventory of CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and personally owned vests, covers, or both. It will be the responsibility of each institutional, facility, division, or unit VCP to coordinate their needs with the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation VCP. The CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation VCP shall have overall responsibility for managing the departmental vest inventory.

• Vest panel: A vest panel is the protective material held by the vest cover.