Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Operations Manual

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Chapter 3 – Personnel, Training, and Employee Relations

Article 21 – Uniforms/Employee Grooming Standards

Revised January 17, 2023

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33020.15.2 Wear Authorizations and Requirements

Updated June 3, 2025

  •  Ballistic Vest:

    • Wear Authorizations:

      • The Ballistic Vest is authorized for wear by the following employees:

        • Office of Correctional Safety.

        • Crisis Response Team (CRTCrisis Response Team) members.

        • Office of Internal Affairs.

        • Division of Adult Parole Operations agents.

        • Basic Correctional Officer Academy Firearms Instructors.

    • Wear Requirements:

      • The Ballistic Vest shall be worn only in the manner prescribed by the manufacturer and the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

      • For normal wear, the Ballistic Vest shall be worn concealed under the outer uniform shirt, blouse, or shirt, or jumpsuit for the duration of the shift unless otherwise provided for in this section.

      • Once a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned Ballistic Vest has been issued to an employee, wear of the vest is mandatory while that employee is on duty unless otherwise approved by the appropriate Division or Office Head.

      • Outer wear of the Ballistic Vest is authorized only with the use of a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation approved outerwear cover (e.g. tactical, firearms instructor).

      • If an employee chooses to purchase a personally owned Ballistic Vest, cover, or both, the wear requirements are the same as those pertaining to a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest.

  • Combination Vest

    • Wear authorizations:

      • The Combination Vest is authorized for wear by the following employees:

        • Community Correctional Facility (CCFCommunity Correctional Facilities) and Modified Community Correctional Facility (MCCF) peace officers who have transportation responsibilities.

        • Crisis Response Team (CRTCrisis Response Team) members.

        • Adult Operations Statewide Transportation Unit Correctional Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captain.

        • Adult Operations institutional or facility transportation team Correctional Officers, Sergeants, Lieutenants, or other CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation peace officers.

        • Adult Operations, Institutional Investigative Services Unit Correctional Officers, Sergeants, and Lieutenants.

        • Medical Guarding Unit or hospital coverage Correctional Officers, Sergeants, and Lieutenants.

        • Basic Correctional Officer Academy Firearms Instructors

    • Wear Requirements:

      • The Combination Vest shall be worn only in the manner prescribed by the manufacturer and the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

      • For normal wear, the Combination Vest shall be worn concealed under the outer uniform shirt, blouse, shirt, or jumpsuit for the duration of the shift unless otherwise provided for in this section.

      • Outer wear of the Combination Vest is authorized only with the use of a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation approved outer wear cover (e.g. tactical, firearms instructor).

      • Once a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned Combination Vest has been issued to an employee, wear of the vest is mandatory while that employee is on duty unless otherwise approved by the appropriate Division or Office Head.

      • If an employee chooses to purchase a personally owned Combination Vest, cover, or both the wear requirements are the same as those pertaining to a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned vest.

  • Stab Resistant Vest

    • Wear authorizations:

      • The Stab Resistant Vest is authorized for wear by the following employees:

        • All institutional or facility Correctional Officers, Correctional Counselors, Institutional Parole Agents, Supervising Casework Specialists, Sergeants, and Lieutenants.

        • Other employees as mandated in the Stab Resistant Vest Wear Requirements section.

        • Any employee who chooses to purchase a personally owned Stab Resistant Vest or cover.

    • Wear Requirements:

      • The Stab Resistant Vest shall be worn only in the manner prescribed by the manufacturer and the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

      • For normal wear, the Stab Resistant Vest shall be worn concealed under the outer uniform shirt, blouse, shirt, or jumpsuit for the duration of the shift unless otherwise provided for in this section.

      • Outer wear of the Stab Resistant Vest is authorized only with the use of a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation approved outer wear cover (e.g. tactical, firearms instructor).

      • Once a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned Stab Resistant Vest has been issued wear of the vest is mandatory while that employee is on duty unless provided for in this section.

      • If an employee chooses to purchase a personally owned Stab Resistant Vest, cover, or both the wear requirements are the same as those pertaining to a CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation owned Stab Resistant Vest.

      • Correctional Training Center Stab Resistant Vests shall be worn concealed under the outer uniform shirt, blouse, shirt, or jumpsuit.

  • Special Units

    • The following requirements for wear of a Stab Resistant Vest in designated special units shall be complied with:

      • All CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employees, regardless of personnel classification, entering a Restricted Housing Unit or Temporary Detention Unit (TDU), shall wear a Stab Resistant Vest when the employee is:

        • In direct contact of incarcerated persons or patients within the aforementioned units (unrestrained or restrained).

        • Escorting incarcerated persons or patients housed within the aforementioned units anywhere on institution grounds.

        • On the aforementioned unit tiers.

      • Stab Resistant Vest wear requirements shall extend to all official visitors (including but not limited to contractors, religious advisors, outside law enforcement personnel, legal representatives, etc.) of each unit as described in this section. Stab Resistant Vests temporarily issued from a unit, institution, facility or division Special Unit Standby Vest Pool are approved for outer wear.

      • Correctional Officers, Correctional Counselors, Institutional Parole Agents, Casework Specialists, Sergeants or Lieutenants entering a unit such as a Correctional Treatment Center (CTC), Outpatient Housing Unit (OHU), General Acute Care Hospital (GACH), Intermediate Care Facility (ICF), or any Department of State Hospitals (DSHDepartment of State Hospitals (formerly DMH)) Unit or Facility, shall wear a Stab Resistant Vest when the employee is:

        • In direct contact with incarcerated persons or patients within the aforementioned units (unrestrained or restrained).

        • Escorting incarcerated persons, or patients housed within the aforementioned units anywhere on institution grounds.

        • On the aforementioned unit tiers.

        • All other staff entering a unit such as a CTC, OHU, GACH, ICF, or any DSHDepartment of State Hospitals (formerly DMH) Unit or Facility, shall have the option to wear a Stab Resistant Vest (obtained from the Standby Pool or from the respective VCP when the employee is:

          • In direct contact with incarcerated persons, or patients within the aforementioned units (unrestrained or restrained).

          • Escorting incarcerated persons, or patients housed within the aforementioned units anywhere on institution grounds.

          • On the aforementioned unit tiers.

  • General Information

    • Correctional Officers, Institutional Parole Agents, Casework Specialists, Sergeants, and Lieutenants assigned to areas other than described in the above “Stab Resistant Vest”, “Wear Requirements” section, and Conservation Camps shall wear Stab Resistant Vests while on duty, unless otherwise authorized by the Division or Office Head, Adult Operations.

    • Stab Resistant Vests shall be worn if the aforementioned Correctional Officer, Institutional Parole Agent, Casework Specialist, Sergeant or Lieutenant enters an Adult Operations institution secure perimeter during the course of the performance of their duties, unless otherwise authorized by the Division or Office Head, Adult Operations.

    • Correctional Officers, Institutional Parole Agents, Casework Specialists, Sergeants, and Lieutenants who work in Adult Operations or facilities in areas other than described in the above “Stab Resistant Vest”, “Wear Requirements” section, shall be issued a vest unless otherwise authorized by the Division or Office Head, Adult Operations.

    • Committee members in any RHU, TDU, Inter Disciplinary Treatment Team, CTC or OHU shall wear a Stab Resistant Vest unless otherwise authorized by the Division or Office Head, of Adult Operations.

    • It is the intent of the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, based upon available funding, to provide the appropriate vest to designated peace officer employees upon, or as soon as possible, after their graduation from their academy. Supervisors have the authority to verify that an employee is wearing their vest in accordance with the mandates of this policy.

  • Refusal to wear a vest: As vest wear is an essential function of the job for CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation peace officer personnel and mandated for all employees in specific units as identified in this policy, any employee who has been issued, either permanently or temporarily, a protective vest and then refuses to wear the vest in accordance with CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation mandates, shall be subject to progressive disciplinary action.

  • Non-possession of issued vest: In the event that an employee who has been issued a vest, or is mandated to wear a vest, is not in possession of their vest when reporting for duty, the following shall occur:

    • If a Standby Pool Vest is available, a vest may be temporarily issued to the employee for the duration of that employee’s shift. In the event the employee’s vest has been lost or stolen, this might require the assignment of a Pool Vest to that employee.

    • The employee may be sent home to retrieve the vest on their own time prior to being allowed to report for work. This decision shall be made at the discretion of the Warden, Superintendent, Division Head, or their designee.

    • Progressive disciplinary action shall be initiated.

      • When a protective vest has been issued to an employee but is not being worn (e.g. off duty or on-duty periods wherein wear is not mandated), the vest shall be stored in locations that prevent incarcerated person, or supervised person access.

      • The storage area should be climate controlled, not be subject to extreme high or low temperatures or excessive humidity and should allow for vest storage in accordance with the manufacturer’s wear and care recommendations.

      • Care must be taken to prevent the vest from being stolen while off duty.