Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

52060.9 Emergency Calls

• An emergency is defined as a death, serious illness, or accident involving an immediate family member as defined in Title 15, Section 3000. When a member of an inmate’s family calls to convey an emergency message, the call shall be referred to the appropriate Chaplain or Correctional Counselor.

• If the Chaplain or Correctional Counselor is not available, the call shall be referred to the Program Lieutenant. In the absence of the Program Lieutenant, the Watch Commander shall accept the call. The staff member accepting the call shall attempt to verify the emergency.

• The inmate shall be informed of the message and may be permitted a monitored telephone call, which shall be placed as a collect call or paid for by the inmate’s trust account.

• If the inmate is permitted an emergency call, upon completion of the call, the staff member shall evaluate the inmate’s reactions and behavior in order to determine whether or not an increase in custody and/or change of housing and/or follow-up counseling is required. If the staff member is unable to independently make a determination, the matter shall be referred to the appropriate administrator.

• Trust account withdrawal telephone calls shall not be placed on public inmate telephones. Time and charges for approved calls shall be recorded on the CDC Form 193, Trust Account Withdrawal Order, by the staff who monitors the call. (See DOMDepartment Operations Manual 23000.) If the inmate is permitted to place a call, the time, date, person called, and the inmate’s response shall be recorded on the CDC Form 128-B, General Chrono. The original sent to the Record’s Office for the inmate’s C-File and a copy to the inmate.