I. AUTHORITY

This policy is issued under authority granted to the Chief Probation Officer.

II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines to recognize, and a procedure to respond to any emergency situation that may arise at the Probation Department’s Juvenile Services Center.

III. APPLICABILITY

This policy procedure applies to all Probation staff.

IV. BACKGROUND

On occasion, individuals seeking information from the front desk staff become agitated to the extent of posing a potential safety risk for those around them.  In addition, officers may at times make arrests in and around the Juvenile Services Center.  

Further, the need may arise to quickly evacuate the building during times of natural events (fire, earthquake, flooding), as well as a non-natural event (bomb threat, armed intruder, etc).  This policy is provided to effectively and safely respond to emergency situations in and around Juvenile Services Center, which may arise at any time, with little or no notice.

V. GENERAL POLICY

1. The safety of all Probation staff is the priority of the Department. If any non-sworn staff is presented with a situation where he/she believes his/her personal safety is at risk, it is the Department’s expectation that they remove themselves immediately from the situation to a safe place and not return until instructed to do so by the Incident Commander.
2. Any sworn staff placed in a situation where he/she believes his/her personal safety is at risk may take appropriate action based upon his/her level of training, experience, ability, and applicable policies.
3.  Should an emergency situation arise at the front desk areas, non-sworn staff will respond using the procedures outlined in this policy.
4. Probation recognizes two levels of emergencies, and two levels of evacuation.
   1. Level 1 Emergency
      1. A Level I Emergency is defined as any subject or subjects presenting an immediate threat of injury or death to someone in the building.  This includes persons making verbal threats observed or believed to be carrying a weapon or behaving in such a manner to lead to the reasonable belief that the subject is a threat to themselves or others.
   2.  Level I Emergency Response for Front Desk Area
      1. Front desk staff shall request assistance by announcing “Code 3 at the front desk”.
      2. Sworn staff will respond and stage in the employee break room.
      3. Non-sworn personnel will remain at their workstations or return to their workstations. Non-sworn front desk personnel will proceed to the employee break room and inform sworn staff what the emergency is. 
      4. If no manager or supervisor is present, the most senior/experienced Deputy Probation Officer shall assume the role of Incident Commander. 
      5.  The Incident Commander shall assess the situation on the information available to him/her at that time and formulate an appropriate response, including the need to summon a supervisor/manager, contact 911, secure special equipment necessary (i.e. AED, safety equipment, etc.) determine any officer safety issues present, or gather the number of officers required to safely resolve the situation.
      6. Once the emergency is clear, the incident commander will announce on the PA system that all is clear.
   3.  Level II Emergency
      1. Level II Emergency is defined as anything less than a Level I Emergency, which could include an agitated client in the lobby, or any situation that staff feel uncomfortable with or believe might escalate. 
   4. Level II Emergency Response for the Front Desk Area
      1. Front desk staff shall request assistance by summoning a sworn staff member to the front desk.
      2. The sworn staff shall assess the situation, call for assistance if needed, and take appropriate action.
5. Advisement of Potentially Dangerous Persons:  If management personnel believe that a reasonable possibility exists that a person(s) may attempt to enter the building for the purpose of harming Probation staff and/or visitors, staff shall be notified by the following:
   1.  Posting a hard copy notice describing the nature of the threat, a photograph (if available) and the physical description of the person(s). 
   2.  Sending an email message to all Probation staff advising them of the nature ofthe threat, a photograph (if available) and a physical description of the person(s).
6.  Evacuation
   1. The decision to evacuate the building may be made by emergency services personnel, the Chief Probation Officer and/or his/her designee, a representative of the County Administrative Office, or by the senior manager or supervisor present in a Probation Department facility during the time of the emergency.
   2. Unless the level of evacuation is made at the direction of those parties noted in Section F. (1.), the most senior sworn staff member present shall assume the role of Incident Commander and be responsible for announcing either a Level I or a Level II evacuation.
   3. An evacuation may be ordered for, but not limited to the following: fire, flood, earthquake, suspected or confirmed presence of an explosive device; chemical exposure.  The Probation Department recognizes two levels of evacuations as follows:
   4.  Level I Evacuation
      1.  Level I evacuation shall be called when the possibility of death or serious bodily injury is imminent, and the safest way to mitigate this risk is for all inhabitants to immediately exit the building.  In a Level I Evacuation, the following will apply:
      2. The Incident Commander or his/her designee will announce a Level I evacuation over the building public address system and notify the Juvenile Hall Control Desk.  
      3.  All personnel and visitors will immediately exit the building and proceed to the evacuation assembly area (the Juvenile Services Center parking lot is primary assembly area and the Honor Farm parking lot is secondary in the event the primary area is unsafe).
      4. Upon arrival at the assembly area, the most senior staff member present shall commence taking a count of all staff present.
      5.  In the absence of emergency services personnel, the Incident Commander and/or his/her designee shall make a room to room search of the building to ensure that all staff and visitors have safely exited.
      6.  Upon confirming that all staff and visitors have exited the facility, the Incident Commander shall meet with the commander of the emergency services personnel.
      7. All staff shall remain at the assembly area until directed to return by the Incident Commander.
   5.   Level II Evacuation
      1.   Level II Evacuation shall be called when there is a presumed or actual threat to the safety of the staff, but time and circumstances allow for a more orderly evacuation than those in a Level I evacuation.  In a Level II evacuation, the following will apply: 
      2. The Incident Commander or his/her designee will announce over the public address system that the building is being evacuated and notify the Juvenile Hall Control Desk.  Staff and visitors shall be directed to shut down their computers, secure safety equipment, cash and records of importance, and quickly exit the building to the primary assembly area (Juvenile Services Center parking lot).  
      3.  Time and circumstances permitting, the Incident Commander will direct staff to move County vehicles to a safe location at his/her discretion.
      4. A staff member will be designated to maintain a roster of Probation personnel once they have arrived at the assembly area.
      5. Once the building is evacuated, the Incident Commander and/or his/her designee shall make a room to room search of the building to ensure that all staff and visitors have safely exited.
      6. The building will then be secured, and the Incident Commander shall remain on site until Probation personnel are allowed to return, unless directed to leave the area by emergency services personnel, or until the area becomes too dangerous to safely remain. 
7.  High Risk Arrests

 

1. In the event an officer believes that the arrest of a high-risk subject in a Probation Department facility is imminent, he/she shall:
   1. notify a Supervisor or the Chief Deputy; and
   2.  develop a plan by which the arrest may be made safely and with the least amount of risk to staff and visitors; and
   3. determine the need for the assistance of the police; and
   4. ensure that sufficient sworn staff are present to safely execute the arrest; and
   5.  determine the safest location to effect the arrest; and
   6. if necessary, advise non-involved staff to remain in their offices; and/or cordon off the area of the building where the arrest is to be made.

 

             

 

VI. EXCLUSIVITY

This policy will remain in effect until superseded or suspended in writing by the Chief Probation Officer and can be reviewed as needed.