Adult Detention Facilities—san Diego County

Conclusions 4

• CL1
  Broken windows should be repaired as soon as possible to ensure safety and security of staff and inmates. 9 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY (filed June 1, 2017) Fact: Security and technology systems at the George Bailey Detention Facility are outdated and expensive to maintain.
• CL2
  Outdated technology systems increase safety and security risks for staff and inmates. Fact: The Vista Detention Facility had a broken sally port door at the time of the Grand Jury’s visit. Fact: The Vista Detention Facility had a nonfunctional staff elevator at the time of the Grand Jury’s visit.
• CL3
  Nonfunctional sally ports and elevators increase safety and security risks for both staff and inmates.
• CL4
  Overall, the Grand Jury believes that the Sheriff’s Department manages the adult detention facilities well, especially considering the effect AB 109 has had on the inmate population as well 8 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY (filed June 1, 2017) as the ongoing impact of inmates’ mental health issues. The exception is the status of significant repair and maintenance items, several of which pose a threat to the safety and security of staff and inmates. In the George Bailey Detention Facility, the Grand Jury observed a broken window separating the enhanced observation room from the hallway outside of it, which rendered the room unusable. Also, the Grand Jury noted that approximately half of the security cameras throughout the facility appeared to be nonfunctional, as the glass covering the cameras was cloudy and opaque. Finally, technology in the facility—the analog door-opening system and the technology in the observation tower—is old and outdated. The Grand Jury was informed that these systems are expensive to maintain. The Grand Jury is aware that a proposal has been included in San Diego County’s 2016-2018 CAO Recommended Operational Plan to replace security controls and cameras at George Bailey Detention Facility. The Grand Jury supports this plan and encourages its completion. In the Vista Detention Facility, the Grand Jury noticed that one sally port door was stuck in an open position because the closing mechanism was not working. Additionally, the staff elevator was out of order, requiring staff to use the elevator designated for inmate transport. Staff informed the Grand Jury that because replacement parts were difficult to obtain, the elevator had not been functioning for some time. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Code of Regulations, Title 15, states, “The facility administrator shall develop written policies and procedures for the maintenance of an acceptable level of cleanliness, repair and safety throughout the facility.” The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Policies and Procedures Manual has such a policy, and it further states, “At the discretion of the Watch Commander, an emergency maintenance ‘Call- out’ may be initiated for those repairs, which, if not performed would significantly impair the operation of the facility or the safety of the staff or inmates.” The Sheriff’s Department Policies and Procedures Manual also has a full section devoted to elevator maintenance, which says in part ,“Due to the volume of elevator use, and the impact of facility operations, repair of elevators is of great concern and shall be handled expeditiously.” The Grand Jury believes that the Sheriff’s Department’s own procedures for repair and maintenance should be adhered to and given top priority for the safety and security of both staff and inmates. FACTS AND FINDINGS Fact: The George Bailey Detention Facility had a broken window at the time of the Grand Jury’s visit, rendering the enhanced observation room unusable. Finding 01: Broken windows should be repaired as soon as possible to ensure safety and security of staff and inmates. 9 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY (filed June 1, 2017) Fact: Security and technology systems at the George Bailey Detention Facility are outdated and expensive to maintain. Finding 02: Outdated technology systems increase safety and security risks for staff and inmates. Fact: The Vista Detention Facility had a broken sally port door at the time of the Grand Jury’s visit. Fact: The Vista Detention Facility had a nonfunctional staff elevator at the time of the Grand Jury’s visit. Finding 03: Nonfunctional sally ports and elevators increase safety and security risks for both staff and inmates.