The State of Orange County Jail Operations and our Internal Review re: John Chamberlain
May 2, 2008

Since February, 2008:

•    I ordered a comprehensive internal investigation to identify any and all personnel, known and unknown, who engaged in behavior in violation of department policy, state law, and federal civil rights violations.

o    As the investigation moves forward, all parties found to have engaged in inappropriate and/or illegal behavior will be pursued through the furthest extent possible up to and including termination and filing of criminal charges.

•    Mike Gennaco and his staff were brought in (prior to the formation of the OIR office in Orange County). They attend briefing updates on the progress of our internal investigation and remain engaged in the process to ensure full transparency and accountability to the public.
•    Experience of individuals managing the jails: Captain Dave Wilson, Captain Jay LeFlore and Captain Roland Chacon all have experience in Internal Affairs/PSD   Captain Dave Wilson actually managed Internal Affairs and Captain Roland Chacon supervised Internal Affairs at one time.     

•    For the last 4-6 weeks, formal and informal training has been taking place in all of the jail briefings (at all of the jails); these briefings are facilitated by sergeants, lieutenants and captains and include topics such as ethics, use of force, restraint and temperament, professionalism and accountability. Chief Walters has also attended jail briefings to discuss these topics with our personnel.

•    In the Central Jail we've provided formal training to every supervisor on the subject of Emergency Response and Restraint, so that our supervisors are aware of all options and are in compliance when handling extraordinary circumstances.  This training will most likely be provided to all jail supervisors in the near future.  In light of the death of Jason Gomez, we felt it important enough to implement this in the Central Jail  and have the Jail Compliance & Transition Team consider it mandatory training.  The reviews have been very good.

•     I have been and will continue to work with the County's CEO's Human Resources department and County Counsel's labor relations experts to implement positive changes:

o    I have already begun a jail personnel transfer schedule, where jail staff will be routinely rotated among the jail facilities. In the past, jail staff was not transferred from one jail facility to another with any frequency.  This change will provide for the professional growth and career development of staff by enhancing their operational knowledge of each jail facility.
(The Board of the Directors of the deputy's union has taken us to court over this change. They lost their motion for an injunction and the transfers took place as planned on April 25, 2008. The next hearing before the judge on this matter is scheduled for May 16, 2008)

o    I have instituted a scheduling change at Theo Lacy to enhance efficiencies and staffing and which also increases safety.
(The Board of the Directors of the deputy's union is opposing this change)

o    I have initiated a study into the possibility of placing a "correctional officer" classification in the jails.
(The Board of the Directors of the deputy's union is opposing this change)

•    Requested an expedited process in getting additional closed-circuit cameras installed in the jails.

•    I met with the FBI as well as the US Attorney's office -- they have agreed to work with us as we review the Special Grand Jury transcripts and the information we receive through our internal review to see if there were any civil rights violations
 
•    We continue to roll out new policies -- most recently our updated policy on the use of tasers - distributed Friday, April 18

•    I will be addressing this board in the near future to implement a pilot program at Theo Lacy to test a data collection devise known as The Club - which will electronically collect data as deputies walk our jails and ensure they are activity supervising our inmates

•    We are developing a mandatory training program for all Lieutenants, Sergeants and Deputies - titled: "Response to Resistance, and Jail Operations and Procedures" which will be an ethics based, practical application course dealing with use of force and critical issues involved with jail operations.

Since October 5, 2006, proactive measures have been taken to enhance the safety and security at the jail facilities.  These measures have been taken for the further protection of staff and inmates and I would like to review some of them now:

•    The televisions have been removed from the inmate housing guard stations system-wide.  Further, new policy was implemented where personal electronic devices are no longer allowed inside the jails.

•    Specialized housing units were created to protect inmates with sensitive charges that may make them prone to assaults from other inmates.

•    While the law requires that an inmate's criminal charges be available to the public, several steps have been implemented to reduce the risk of inmates learning the criminal charges of fellow inmates.

o    Inmate charges were removed from the department's public web-site.
o    In February of this year, I instituted a policy where inmate charges are no longer given to the public over the telephone.

•    The booking slips (charge papers) of inmates no longer contain the inmates' criminal charges.

•    By policy, when it is brought to our attention by a family member, attorney or other reliable source - that an inmate may have risk or safety concerns/issues due to charges, testimony, etc. - the inmate is promptly interviewed and the interview is videotaped.

•    The department is in the process of having CCTV cameras installed and/or updated throughout the jail system both where the inmates are, as well as where are deputies are working.  The estimated cost of the project is $8.8 million.  ($4.4 million has been allocated for phase one of the project.  Phase two is unfunded at present.) 

•    Although there are currently no funds budgeted for the project, I have ordered the removal of the privacy walls that limit visibility into the inmate housing areas in the Theo Lacy Jail's 'F' Barracks.    

•    A committee was formed and tasked with the responsibility to update and enhance the uniformity of all jail policies and procedures. 

•    In order to increase supervisory accountability, a daily log, which is not vulnerable to unauthorized editing, has been created to document the activities of jail sergeants. This will provide a method for the sergeants to pass on information to their peers and the jail management team, and institute an effective means to capture and analyze statistical data for the jail system.