Code of Vermont Rules
Agency 13 - AGENCY OF HUMAN SERVICES
Sub-Agency 130 - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Chapter 001 - CONTROL OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Section 13 130 001 - CONTROL OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

POLICY

INTRODUCTION

Effective tool and equipment control is essential to provide for efficiency, safety, and security of correctional offenders and staff both in the facilities and the field.

OBJECTIVE

To provide for the control, accessibility and safety of tools and equipment.

GROUP SERVED

The Department of Corrections, field units and correctional facilities.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

All units are responsible for maintenance of tools and equipment. All tools and equipment should be kept in a secure area and must be accessible to appropriate staff. Each facility will develop procedures describing who has accessibility to such tools and equipment.

Tools and equipment include all equipment used in work programs, all culinary equipment, fire extinguishing equipment, all firearms, ammunition and chemical agents, related security devices, keys and facility vehicles.

Facility Maintenance Equipment

All facility and maintenance equipment will be kept in a secure place. Its availability to inmates will be strictly controlled by facility personnel. An inventory of such equipment should occur after each use, excluding routine housekeeping equipment in minimum security areas. All equipment will be returned to the secure area at the end of its use. No equipment should be left unattended within any facility or on facility grounds.

In instances where maintenance crews from outside the facility perform work either on facility grounds or in the facilities themselves, a review of all tools and equipment used by such crews will be taken previous to such maintenance work occurring, and again will be taken when the crews finish work and are ready to leave the facility and its grounds.

Work Program Equipment

All tools and equipment used for work programs by offenders shall be strictly controlled by correctional staff. Its dispensation will be under staff supervision, and will be inventoried previous to and following each work assignment. Maintenance of such equipment will be the Department of Corrections' responsibility.

Culinary Responsibility

All culinary equipment will be available only to facility personnel and those inmates assigned to kitchen duty. Its accessibility will be strictly controlled, with no equipment allowed to leave the kitchen area without express consent of the facility staff. Culinary equipment will be inventoried periodically.

Firearms, Ammunition, Chemical Agents and Related Devices

Firearms will only be available to a facility through the express consent of the Commissioner of Corrections. Any facility dealing with this equipment will develop very stringent procedures guaranteeing the safety of the facility staff and inmates. Developed procedure should ensure inmates do not have access to any of this equipment at any time. Control of access to such equipment will be delegated to the Superintendent of the facility, and staff authorized to deal with this equipment will be delegated by the Superintendent. Each facility and field unit shall have an inventory of each of these items. Copies of these inventories will be supplied to the central office, which will incorporate those inventories into a master list.

Key Control

Each facility and field office will develop a procedure for monitoring, assigning, and controlling keys. Key control is essential to the security of both facilities and field offices, and should be strictly controlled. Keys should be maintained in a secure area when not in use, but should remain easily accessible to Corrections staff in case of emergency. All adult facilities should develop written procedures to ensure that all incoming personnel will leave their keys in a secure place to be returned on their departure.

Facility Vehicles

Each facility will develop procedures providing for the control and access of their vehicles. These procedures will include key control of such vehicles, the establishment and maintenance of security records, establishment of fleet license requirements and maintenance of travel log records and directives to keep vehicles locked when not in use.

LEGAL REFERENCES

28 V.S.A. 601(2)(3)(4)(5)(7)

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Commissioner of Corrections (Acting)

Statutory Authority: 28 V.S.A. § 601