**ICE/DRO DETENTION STANDARD**

EMERGENCY PLANS

# PURPOSE AND SCOPE. This Detention Standard ensures a safe environment for detainees and employees by having contingency plans in place to quickly and effectively respond to any emergency situations that arise and to minimize their severity.

General emergency plans developed under the facility's health authority
for control of communicable diseases (including avian flu) are covered
on a separate Detention Standard.

It applies to the following types of facilities housing DRO detainees:

-   Service Processing Centers (SPCs);

-   Contract Detention Facilities (CDFs); and

-   State or local government facilities used by DRO through
    Intergovernmental Service Agreements (IGSAs) to hold detainees for
    more than 72 hours.

***Procedures in italics are specifically required for SPCs and CDFs.***
IGSAs may adopt, adapt, or establish alternatives to the italicized
procedures, provided they meet or exceed the intent represented by those
procedures.

Some terms used in this document may be defined in the separate
**Definitions** Standard.

# EXPECTED OUTCOMES. The expected outcomes of this Detention Standard are:

1.  Each facility will have in place contingency plans to quickly and
    effectively respond to any emergency situations that arise and to
    minimize their severity.

2.  Staff will be trained at least annually in emergency preparedness
    and implementation of the facility's emergency plans.

3.  An evacuation plan will be in place in the event of a fire or other
    major emergency, and the plan will be locally approved in accordance
    with this Detention Standard and updated at least annually.

4.  Events, staff responses, and command-related decisions during and
    immediately after emergency situations will be accurately recorded
    and documented.

5.  Plans will include procedures for handling detainees with special
    needs during an emergency or evacuation.

6.  The applicable content and procedures in this standard will be
    communicated in a language or other manner that the detainee can
    understand.

# DIRECTIVES AFFECTED. This Detention Standard replaces Emergency Plans dated 9/20/2000.

# REFERENCES

> American Correctional Association 4th Edition, Standards for Adult
> Detention Facilities: 4-ALDF-1C-01, 1C-02, 1C-03, 1C-04, 1C-05, 1C-06.
>
> ICE/DRO Detention Standard on **Environmental Health and Safety** that
> provides requirements and guidelines for avoiding and mitigating
> dangerous situations, specifically in regard to fires, environmental
> hazards, and evacuations.
>
> ICE/DRO Detention Standard on **Use of Force and Restraints** that
> provides requirements and guidelines for emergency situations that
> require the use of force.
>
> Memorandum dated 7/14/2006 on **Escape Reporting** from the ICE/DRO
> Director, which specifies requirements for the reporting, tracking,
> and investigating of the escape of an ICE/DRO detainee.
>
> A helpful resource is: ***A Guide to Preparing for and Responding to
> Prison Emergencies.*** The Guide is available at
> [http://www.ncicic.org/]{.underline}

# EXPECTED PRACTICES

## Staff Training

> Each facility shall include emergency preparedness as part of the
> initial orientation and training provided all new employees, and all
> staff shall be trained at least annually on the facility's emergency
> plans.
>
> Other training requirements, for example, climate monitoring, Special
> Response Teams (SRTs), the Disturbance Control Teams (DCT), Hostage
> Negotiation Teams (HNTs), video equipment, and the Command Post, are
> specified in other sections in this Standard.

## Preventive Action

### Climate Monitoring

Staff alertness to changes in facility \"climate,\" promptly reported,
can be of critical importance in defusing a potentially explosive
situation. Detention management experience indicates that certain
circumstances may predictably contribute to increased tensions in a
detained population. Often such issues can be controlled or lessened
before they erupt into some sort of incident or disturbance.

Staff shall be trained to watch for signs of mounting tension among the
detainee population, such as a spike in the number of detainee requests
and incident reports, sullen, restless, and short-tempered behavior, or
detainees avoiding contact with staff (including eye contact).

Factors known to exacerbate tensions that may lead to group disturbances
include, but are not limited to:

-   Racism,

-   Heightened complaints about food,

-   Dissatisfaction with the performance or attitude of a post officer,

-   Increasing complaints about recreation, medical care, visiting,
    mail, etc.,

-   Gang activity,

-   Prohibited sexual activity, and

-   Inaccurate or incomplete information about detainee cases or
    facility policies.

### Staff Actions

Staff may improve their chances of resolving and deflecting detainee
unrest by:

-   Discussing plans, programs, and procedures among themselves;

-   There should be an open dialogue between staff and detainees that
    address concerns;

-   Treating detainees fairly and impartially;

-   Reducing misunderstandings among detainees, for example, by
    enforcing and explaining rules that prevent any individual or group
    from imposing its will on other detainees;

-   Resolving misunderstandings and conflicts as they arise;

-   Encouraging participation in work and recreational programs;

-   Routinely reporting on facility climate and detainee attitudes to
    the facility administrator; and

-   Alerting supervisors at the first sign(s) of trouble, gang activity,
    group hostilities, etc.

> Quick, decisive staff action can prevent the start or spread of a
> disturbance.
>
> The facility administrator shall develop written procedures for staff
> to follow when reporting an emergency.

### Pre-Incident Considerations

> When all attempts to defuse a volatile situation have failed, the
> facility administrator shall determine how to proceed, based on
> considerations of safety (detainees, personnel, general public);
> property protection; and, if applicable, the safety and welfare of
> hostages.

## Contingency Plan Development

### Basic Planning

#### Responsibility

> Every facility shall designate the individual(s) responsible for
> developing and implementing emergency contingency plans. All plans
> shall comply with the ICE/DRO standards for confidentiality,
> accountability, review, and revision included in this section.
>
> Each plan shall include procedures for rendering emergency assistance
> to another ICE/DRO facility, for example, supplies, transportation,
> and temporary housing for detainees, personnel, and/or TDY staff.
>
> *In SPCs and CDFs, the chief of security is the individual responsible
> for developing each contingency plan and implementing it when an
> emergency situation occurs. In the development process, he or she
> shall rely upon the expertise of all department heads and ensure all
> departments understand and are fully ready to execute their
> responsibilities under the plan.*
>
> *Each facility shall maintain an accurate inventory of equipment
> identified and shall review that inventory at least every six months
> to ensure its accuracy.*

#### Planning with Other Agencies

> *Each SPC and CDF shall develop contingency plans with local, State,
> and Federal law enforcement agencies and formalize those agreements
> with Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).*

-   *Facility legal staff and/or the respective Chief Counsel should
    review MOUs for legal sufficiency and, in particular, other agency
    rules regarding arrest authority, use of intermediate and deadly
    force, jurisdiction, and outside-agency involvement.*

-   *The facility administrator and representatives from the affected
    agencies shall cosign the MOUs.*

-   *Simulated exercises to test the contingency plans shall occur on a
    regular, mutually agreed-upon basis and at least annually.*

-   *The facility administrator shall review and approve contingency
    plans at least annually.*

> *If any local, State, or Federal agencies decline to participate, the
> facility administrator shall inform the Field Office Director and make
> periodic contact to revisit the issue.*
>
> *The Field Officer Director for the respective SPC or CDF is required
> to forward copies of all their emergency plans (or documentation of
> lack of other agency cooperation) and MOUs to the Deputy Assistant
> Director (DAD), Detention Management Division, and the DAD, Response
> Coordination Division, when they are signed or updated, as well as
> annual reports on their status.*

### Keeping Plans Current

> *The chief of security shall:*

-   *Update the plans as often as necessary and forward them for
    facility administrator approval. If the facility administrator
    requests changes, the chief of security shall incorporate them and
    resubmit the plans within 30 days.*

-   *Conduct annual contingency plan reviews, with participation from
    every department head.*

-   *Document each annual review and approval of the plan on the master
    copy of the Contingency Plan File, even if review resulted in no
    changes.*

### Safeguarding Plan Confidentiality

> Every plan that is **being developed or is final** must include a
> statement prohibiting unauthorized disclosure. Staff may not discuss
> any aspect of a plan within the hearing of a detainee, visitor, or
> anyone else not permitted access to the plan.

*The chief of security shall determine where copies of the various plans
are to be stored, and in what quantity. A master copy shall be kept
outside the secure perimeter, along with an itemized list of plans and
where to find them.*

*The chief of security shall implement a checkout system that accounts
for all plans at all times, with safeguards against detainee access.
Release of contingency plan details to non-ICE/DRO personnel requires
the written approval of the respective Field Office Director.*

> *The chief of security shall send a disk containing the facility\'s
> contingency plans to the Field Office Director and Assistant Director,
> Detention Management Division, Office of Detention and Removal. The
> packages containing the disks shall be marked \"**Confidential**.\"*

### Organization of the Contingency Plan File

-   **General Plans.** A general section shall contain policy,
    procedures, and plans common to most emergency situations.

-   **Contingency-Specific Plans.** The sections that follow the general
    section shall contain contingency-specific plans, as detailed below.
    They may incorporate by reference the provisions of the general
    section and shall contain only the exceptions and/or additions
    applicable to the particular contingency.

## General Implementation of Contingency Plans

> Each facility shall establish written policy and procedures
> addressing, at a minimum: chain of command, command post/center, staff
> recall, staff assembly, emergency response components, use of force,
> video recording, records and logs, utility shutoff, employee conduct
> and responsibility, public relations, facility security, etc.
>
> The respective Field Office Director shall maintain up-to-date data on
> the physical capacities of each facility that can be used to quickly
> identify the best source(s) of emergency assistance.
>
> *In SPCs and CDFs:*

### *Chain of Command*

> *The facility administrator shall identify the chain of command for
> directing operations in an emergency.*

### *Command Post*

#### *Equipment for the Command Post*

> *The facility shall set up a primary command post outside the secure
> perimeter that, at a minimum, is equipped as follows.*

Internal/external phone capabilities

-   *Two private outside lines:*

    -   *A speakerphone for open conference calls among the facility,
        Field Office, and possibly Detention Management Division command
        posts.*

    -   *A second line to handle all other calls.*

-   *A separate line for internal communications.*

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-   **Radio equipment** equipped for facility frequencies, local law
    enforcement communications and, if possible, other Federal law
    enforcement agencies;

-   *A **computer** with Internet capabilities.*

-   ***Facility plot plan**, including property maps, up-to-date
    building blueprints, local maps, and overhead photographs;*

-   ***Video recordings** of building interiors within the secure
    perimeter (showing doors, windows, closets, ceilings, floors,
    etc.);*

-   ***Escape-post kits**, including maps, directions, etc. (as detailed
    below under the contingency-specific plan for escape);*

-   ***Contingency plans** -- one or more copies;*

-   ***Hostage Negotiation Team** equipment;*

-   ***Videotape or Digital Video Disc (DVD) player/television**;*

-   ***Voice-activated recorder or conventional tape recorder**;*

-   ***Assault/breaching plans (building-specific, as appropriate for
    the facility)**; and*

-   ***Supply Kit** containing general supplies that may be needed (at a
    minimum, logbooks, blank rosters, purchase orders, and writing
    utensils).*

#### *Staffing the Command Post*

> *In SPCs and CDFs, the facility administrator shall control the
> decision-making process, at the discretion of the Field Office
> Director.*
>
> *Command Post staffing shall include, but is not limited to, the
> following:*

-   *Facility administrator or incident commander;*

-   *Assistant facility administrator;*

-   *Chief of security;*

-   *Person to log activities in chronological order;*

-   *Person to handle communications with the Field Office, maintaining
    open lines of communication throughout the situation; and,*

-   *Person to control traffic in and out of the Command Post. To
    control incoming and outgoing Command Post traffic, the chief of
    security may implement a pass system.*

> *To ensure alertness:*

-   *Command Post staff must rotate shifts with personnel from the
    relief roster after each shift.*

-   *Command Post staff shall be relieved for short breaks during each
    shift to prevent mistakes and misjudgments as a result of fatigue or
    stress.*

#### Activating the Command Post

> *The chief of security shall activate the Command Post at the facility
> administrator\'s direction.*
>
> *The activated Command Post shall immediately open the conference-call
> line to the Field Office and DRO HQ Detention Management and the,
> Response Coordination Divisions, if applicable. The Field Office
> Director or HQ Divisions may wait until the dimensions of the
> unfolding incident are known before deciding to activate their command
> posts.*
>
> *The facility\'s Command Post shall remain activated 24 hours a day
> until the situation is resolved or the facility administrator, in
> consultation with the Field Office Director, determines it is no
> longer useful.*

#### *Testing and Training*

> *Emergency preparedness activities shall include activating the
> Command Post phone lines and other logistical support systems at least
> **monthly** to test equipment and familiarize staff with the Command
> Post and its equipment.*

### *Emergency Recall List*

> *As detailed in the Detention Standard on **Facility Security and
> Control**, the facility Control Center is required to maintain a list
> of the phone numbers of every officer, administrative/support services
> staff, emergency response components and law enforcement agencies.*
>
> *For emergency response purposes, the Control Center shall also
> maintain a current roster of all Field Office and DRO HQ Detention
> Management and Response Coordination Division numbers.*

### *Assembly of Staff*

> *The facility administrator shall:*

-   *Develop Control Center procedures for executing an all-staff
    recall;*

-   *Designate primary and secondary areas for staff assembly,
    preferably where they cannot be observed by detainees; and*

-   *Also designate backup areas for each primary and secondary area,
    and specify exceptions, if any, for a specific contingency.*

> **5. Emergency Response Components**
>
> *At SPCs and CDFs, the facility administrator shall ensure the
> appropriate personnel are trained under the DCP and establish and
> maintain DCTs, SRTs and HNTs based on ICE criteria.*
>
> *The DCT shall consist of trained staff in protective equipment
> capable of an unarmed response to a crisis. They shall have at their
> disposal less-than-lethal response options, including standard riot
> batons, and chemical agents.*
>
> *SRTs are highly trained, well-equipped tactical teams capable of
> providing both less-than-lethal as well as lethal response options.*

*HNTs are trained negotiators whose goal is to bring a successful
resolution to a crisis through verbal dialogue.*

*If the facility does not have the capacity to establish or maintain
these emergency response components, the facility administrator shall
develop agreements or MOUs with local, State, or Federal agencies, as
appropriate, for these resources.*

### 6. Use of Force {#use-of-force .unnumbered}

> Any force that must be used to control an emergency situation shall be
> in accordance with the Detention Standard on **Use of Force and
> Restraints** and any other applicable ICE policies on the use of
> force.
>
> *Emergency Plans at SPCs and CDFs shall be based on, and consistent
> with, three documents:*

-   *ICE Interim Use of Force Policy (July 7, 2004),*

-   *ICE Interim Firearms Policy (July 7, 2004), and*

-   *"DRO Addendum to Interim ICE Firearms" memorandum to Field Office
    Directors from Wesley J. Lee, Acting ICE Director (July 11, 2005).*

### 7. Video Equipment {#video-equipment .unnumbered}

> At least one video camera shall be maintained in the Control Center
> for use in emergency situations, and the facility administrator shall
> ensure it is maintained, tested, and supplied as required in the
> section on "**Maintaining Video Recording Equipment,"** in the
> Detention Standard on **Use of Force and Restraints**.
>
> That Detention Standard also details requirements and procedures for
> video-recording use-of-force incidents.
>
> *In SPCs and CDFs, shift supervisors, along with other designated
> staff, shall be trained to use video equipment, plus such technical
> issues as how to identify tapes or DVDs and photographs by date and
> location.*

### *8. Records and Logs* {#records-and-logs .unnumbered}

> *The facility administrator shall designate the Command Post staff
> member who shall keep a date-and-time chronological logbook record of
> events during the emergency, including all command-related decisions
> and discussions, phone calls, and radio transmissions.*
>
> *Radio transmissions shall be documented by a voice-activated tape
> recorder whenever possible.*
>
> *Command Post staff shall also maintain a reading file to update staff
> coming on duty.*

### 9. News Media/Public Relations {#news-mediapublic-relations .unnumbered}

> The Public Information Officer is responsible for coordinating
> briefings with news and television media. All media releases should be
> coordinated through the Field Office public affairs liaison.

### 10. Facility Security  {#facility-security .unnumbered}

> The facility administrator shall provide written procedures for:

-   Detainee recall and lockdown,

-   Counts (in accordance with the Detention Standard on **Population
    Counts**),

-   Intensifying security,

-   Security key access (issuance and accountability, drop chute, etc.),
    and

-   Evidence seizure and preservation.

### 11. Health Services Responsibilities {#health-services-responsibilities .unnumbered}

> The plan shall specify procedures for providing immediate and
> follow-up medical care to detainees and staff under every emergency
> scenario outlined in the section on **Contingency-Specific Plans**.

### 12. Food Service Responsibilities {#food-service-responsibilities .unnumbered}

> The plan shall specify procedures for updating the Food Service
> Administrator (FSA) on such issues as the number of people who will be
> on duty and require meals.
>
> The FSA shall make contingency plans for providing meals to detainees
> and staff during an emergency, including access to community
> resources, which the FSA shall negotiate during the planning phase.

### 13. Maintenance Department Responsibilities {#maintenance-department-responsibilities .unnumbered}

> The plan shall provide for emergency utility control, including plot
> plans identifying locations of water and gas shut-off valves and
> electrical circuit breakers. It is suggested that the utility
> shut-off's be photographed and included in the plans for quick
> identification during an emergency.

### 14. Employee Conduct and Responsibility {#employee-conduct-and-responsibility .unnumbered}

> The plan shall address professional conduct and responsibility,
> including what to do if taken hostage with instructions and guidelines
> on:

-   Staying calm and controlling emotions,

-   Being deliberate - thinking before speaking or acting,

-   Accepting the reality of the situation,

-   Using a mild tone when speaking with captors,

-   Observing captors, mentally noting their distinguishing
    characteristics (physical features, weapons, clothing, etc.),

-   Responding to captors\' orders,

-   Eye contact and other interactions with captor(s),

-   Telephone communications,

-   Escape attempts.

### 15. Facility Access Routes {#facility-access-routes .unnumbered}

The plan shall specify alternative means of reaching the facility for
emergency staff if the main approach becomes dangerous or inaccessible
(for example. during a civil disturbance, adverse weather conditions,
fire, etc.).

### *16. Nearby Residents*  {#nearby-residents .unnumbered}

*The plan shall specify how and when staff shall notify nearby
residences of the situation, including type of emergency, actions being
taken, evacuation routes if applicable, and special precautions.*

### *17. Communications Equipment/Radio*  {#communications-equipmentradio .unnumbered}

*The plan shall specify whether the remote battery-charging units shall
be maintained in the Control Center or outside the secure perimeter. A
determination as to the type of radios being used in the facility should
dictate whether the battery charging units should be maintained outside
the secure perimeter. If the radios can be taken off-line and rendered
useless, the battery charging units may be maintained inside the secure
perimeter. If not, they should remain outside the secure perimeter.*

### 18. Post-Emergency Procedures {#post-emergency-procedures .unnumbered}

> The post-emergency part of the plan shall include the following action
> items:

a.  Segregating the detainees involved in the incident;

b.  Collecting written reports;

c.  Seizing, documenting, and preserving evidence;

d.  Accountability (especially of sensitive equipment and staff);

e.  Damage assessment and repair;

f.  Injury treatment and documentation;

g.  Coordinating legal actions/prosecutions;

h.  Debriefing of staff involved and follow-up for additional analysis
    and implications for changes in policy or procedures;

i.  General review and critique of the emergency operations and
    management, with a follow-up agenda, including, but not limited to:

-   Monitoring the facility climate, and

-   Revising the Contingency Plan.

## Contingency-Specific Plans

> The facility shall compile individual contingency-specific plans, as
> needed, in the following order:
>
> 1\. Fire 8. Adverse Weather
>
> 2\. Work/Food Strike 9. Civil Disturbance
>
> 3\. Disturbance 10. Environmental Hazard
>
> 4\. Escape 11. Detainee Transportation System Emergency
>
> 5\. Hostages (Internal) 12. Evacuation
>
> 6\. Search (Internal) 13. ICE-wide Lockdown
>
> 7\. Bomb Threat 14. Staff Work Stoppage
>
> 15\. If needed, other site-specific plans

### *Fire*

> *The safety/maintenance supervisor shall develop a comprehensive Fire
> Control Plan, in accordance with the **Fire Prevention and Control**
> section of the Detention Standard on **Environmental Health and
> Safety**.*
>
> *The chief of security shall develop a procedural outline for shift
> supervisors in the event a fire occurs during non-duty hours.*

### *Work/Food Strike*

> *The facility administrator shall determine the course of action to
> pursue, based on whether:*

-   *Strikers have announced when the strike shall end;*

-   *Occurrence of or potential for violence;*

-   *The number of detainees involved;*

-   *The prospects for neutralizing the problem.*

### *Disturbance (Internal)*

> *After determining the course of action to pursue, the facility
> administrator shall direct staff to implement the action plan, which
> shall cover at a minimum:*

a.  *Controlling utilities;*

b.  *Available emergency entrances, for example, Food Service, housing
    areas, etc.;*

c.  *Trained emergency responders/other staff and equipment;*

d.  *Dispensing chemical agents in specific areas;*

e.  *Perimeter security, including crowd, traffic, and media control;*

f.  *Shutting down detainee telephone systems;*

g.  *Notification of outside agencies;*

h.  *Removal of controlled substances from the pharmacy area.*

### *Escape*

#### Implement Local Procedures

> *The facility administrator shall deploy staff to primary, secondary,
> and directional escape posts, designating a timekeeper/recorder for
> each:*

-   ***Primary.** Fixed and mobile posts near the facility;*

-   ***Secondary.** Fixed and mobile posts beyond the immediate facility
    area;*

-   ***Directional Posts.** No fixed location and based on situational
    intelligence that indicates a direction for the search.*

#### Notify Authorities

> *The facility administrator shall:*
>
> *Immediately notify local, state, and federal law enforcement
> officials and ensure that the respective Field Office is immediately
> notified. Ordinarily, in a CDF, notification will be through the
> facility's ICE/DRO COTR and, in an IGSA facility, the ICE/DRO
> representative.*
>
> *Within one hour of discovery, the escape shall be reported to the
> nearest U. S. Marshals Service office if the escapee was:*

-   *Convicted of a criminal violation, and/or*

-   *Paroled for deportation prior to the completion of his or her
    sentence.*

> *Additional requirements for ICE/DRO are detailed in the 7/14/2006
> memorandum from the ICE/DRO Director cited above under **REFERENCES**.
> Briefly, those requirements include reporting the escape through the
> Significant Incident Reporting (SIR) system, and forwarding an Escape
> Report to the DRO Headquarters Detention Management Division for
> tracking in the National Escape Tracking Database (NETS). The Field
> Office Director is also required to conduct an investigation,
> determine whether proper procedures were observed, and provide a
> report to the Detention Management Division.*

#### Escape-Post Equipment

> *Escape-post equipment kits shall be stored in the Command Center, and
> include, at a minimum:*

1.  *Flashlight;*

2.  *Restraints (handcuffs and/or flex-cuffs);*

3.  *Packet containing post location, map(s), fact sheet highlighting
    arrest authority, search procedures, apprehension techniques, etc.;*

4.  *Radio;*

5.  *Binoculars, if applicable.*

#### Escape by aircraft:

1.  *Observe and record aircraft description such as colors,
    registration or tail number, direction of flight, etc.;*

2.  *Notify local law enforcement and Federal Aviation Administration;*

3.  *Firing on aircraft is prohibited, except to return fire originating
    from the aircraft. Even in that case, however, the usual
    deadly-force considerations apply, and staff must carefully weigh
    the consequences (the aircraft may crash into a building, the pilot
    is most likely under duress, etc.).*

### *Hostage Situations*

#### *ICE/DRO Field Office Hostage Situation Management Plan*

> *The Field Office Hostage Situation Management Plan shall make
> available the essential logistical support, local and/or backup
> resources (equipment, expertise, personnel) to any affected facility
> in the jurisdiction.*

1.  *The Field Office and Response Coordination Division shall jointly
    provide designated facilities with well-trained and well-equipped*
    HNTs*.*

2.  *The Field Office plan shall identify, for each facility, the backup
    personnel, mental health professionals, and others as needed during
    a prolonged crisis. The Field Office shall maintain a list of all
    ICE/DRO hostage-negotiation trainers/consultants and trained
    negotiators in the jurisdiction.*

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3.  *The Field Office Director, in consultation* with *the facility
    administrator, shall ensure the availability of Crisis Support
    Teams, consisting of trained counselors/therapists to:*

-   *Provide post-crisis services to staff and families, and*

-   *Upon request, assist facilities to develop site-specific emergency
    plans for victims and their families.*

#### *Hostage Negotiation Teams* (HNTs)

1.  *Each facility's core negotiation group (generally the team leader,
    primary negotiator, and mental health expert) shall attend Hostage
    Negotiation Training and be certified as hostage negotiators.*

-   *Requirements for the team leader include: experience and skill
    applying hostage negotiation principles and strategies, working
    effectively under stress, and proven leadership ability. The
    facility administrator shall generally select a department head* as
    *the team leader.*

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-   *Negotiators must possess strong verbal/interpersonal skills,
    personal maturity, a commitment to negotiation as the key to
    conflict resolution, flexibility, and a history of working well
    under pressure.*

2.  *The Headquarters Response Coordination Division shall:*

-   *Maintain a roster of ICE/DRO personnel who are trained in hostage
    negotiation and qualified and available for work on an HNT in any
    ICE/DRO facility; and*

-   *Provide copies to the Field Offices and keep them updated.*

3.  HNT *members shall convene for no less than eight hours of duty time
    every month to plan, practice negotiation scenarios, and consult
    with other law enforcement agencies. To solidify working relations
    and complementary strategies and techniques/tactics, an* SRT *member
    shall serve as team liaison and routinely attend the negotiation
    team\'s monthly sessions.*

4.  *Whenever possible, the negotiation team shall conduct annual joint
    training sessions with negotiators from other law enforcement
    agencies and maintain contact with counterparts in other agencies.*

5.  *Training exercises integrating the activities of the Command Post,
    HNT and SRT shall occur every six months to underscore the
    importance of a total facility response to a hostage situation. As
    participants collaborate and interact, they will experience how the
    other operational teams think and function, as well as what each can
    contribute in a crisis.*

6.  *Every negotiation team shall have access to portable communication
    equipment, or \"throw phones.\" To operate the equipment when needed
    in an emergency, team members shall have access to the equipment for
    routine practice sessions. A communications equipment expert,
    thoroughly familiar with the operation of the throw phone, should be
    available to each negotiation team during practical exercises.*

7.  *Each facility shall maintain a list of translator services, in the
    event one is needed for hostage negotiation.*

8.  *Each facility should also consider having available an electronic
    translator, such as a hand-held computer that translates spoken
    English phrases into other languages.*

#### *Chain of Command in Hostage Situations*

*As a general rule, the Facility Administrator will ensure the Field
Office Director is kept informed of every aspect of the crisis on a
pre-determined schedule until the crisis is resolved. The DRO HQ
Assistant Director, Field Operations may assume control of a large-scale
operation involving coordination with other ICE/DRO components and law
enforcement agencies as necessary.*

1.  *The facility administrator shall immediately report a hostage
    situation to the Field Office Director, who shall in turn notify the
    Assistant Director, Field Operations. The facility administrator
    shall assign a senior manager to serve as liaison with the Field
    Office and Field Operations.*

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7.  *The facility administrator shall notify the FBI and other agencies,
    as appropriate, of the situation.*

8.  *Under no circumstances may facilities cede command authority to
    external law enforcement agencies (such as ICE or the FBI) unless
    required in a signed MOU.*

#### *Disturbance Containment and Facility Security*

1.  *Prevent movement into or out of the scene of the hostage area;*

2.  *Add exterior, armed patrols;*

3.  *Terminate detainee telephone usage;*

4.  *Limit or curtail staff radio usage;*

5.  *Remove visitors and civilians, including contract employees and
    volunteers;*

6.  *Recall detainees for immediate official count;*

7.  *Remove detainees from the hostage area. If in a housing unit, move
    the detainees into temporary housing, in accordance with written,
    site-specific procedures;*

> *8. Conduct staff roll call, in accordance with written procedures, to
> determine the number and identity of hostages.*

#### *Negotiations*

> *The facility administrator shall have no hands-on involvement in the
> negotiation process. Once the emergency response component has
> contained and stabilized the immediate situation, the trained HNT
> shall take over.*

1.  *Hostage negotiators act as intermediaries between the Command Post
    and the hostage-takers, keeping the lines of communication with the
    captors' open and maintaining calm while working toward a nonviolent
    resolution.*

> *2. The HNT shall generally include:*

a.  *Team leader (manages negotiations; Command Post liaison);*

b.  *Primary negotiator (communicates directly with hostage takers);*

c.  *Secondary negotiator (advises/assists/spells primary negotiator);*

d.  *Mental health professional (observes, provides psychological
    analyses/ assessments and advice; monitors stress levels/emotional
    climate); and*

e.  *Note taker (documents every communication to/from hostage takers).*

> *3. Hostage negotiators shall have no decision-making authority.
> Negotiators shall maintain close contact with the decision-makers and
> persons in charge of tactical assault teams by means of continuous
> briefings on the status of the negotiations.*

4.  *Certain issues are not open to negotiation, such as releasing the
    hostage-taker(s) from custody, providing weapons, arranging a
    hostage exchange, and immunity from prosecution.*

5.  *Third-party participation in negotiations shall be consultative
    only.*

6.  *Unless formally involved in the negotiations, staff shall have no
    contact with the hostage-takers.*

#### *Status of Certain Staff during and After a Hostage Situation*

1.  *Regardless of the individual's rank or authority under normal
    conditions, facility personnel shall not be bound by
    instructions/orders/suggestions from any supervisor or other staff
    member who is a hostage.*

2.  *A staff member with a relative or close associate among the
    hostages shall be relieved from duty, responsibility, and authority
    pending resolution of the incident.*

3.  *Emergency plans shall specify the procedures for screening freed
    hostages for medical and psychological problems.*

-   *The DHS Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS) or
    designated Employee Assistance Program (EAP) contact shall
    coordinate and conduct the screenings and debriefings of all
    hostages and other employees involved in the disturbance.*

-   *Psychological screenings shall take place within 36 to 48 hours of
    the hostages\' release to guide decisions about counseling/therapy
    and work reentry.*

-   *The DIHS shall advise the senior official in charge of any
    employees who may be unfit for duty.*

4.  *The facility administrator shall ensure that there is a debriefing
    with the former hostages after their psychological and medical
    screenings, unless DIHS staff advises postponement.*

5.  *Emergency plans shall also provide for the debriefing of personnel
    not taken hostage, but significantly involved in the operation to
    free the hostages.*

#### *Hostage Family Services*

> *1. The facility administrator shall notify the hostages\' families of
> the situation as early as possible.*

2.  *If the situation is not resolved quickly, the Field Office Director
    (or designee) shall identify the members of the Crisis Support Team
    and direct them to establish a family service center at the
    facility.*

-   *The Crisis Support Team shall be distinct from the HNT.*

-   *The two teams shall have no members in common.*

3.  *At the family service center, the Crisis Support Team shall provide
    members of affected families accurate information, updates and
    breaking news, and professional advice and help. Among other things,
    the families may form mutual support groups.*

4.  *The Crisis Support Team shall directly address children\'s stress
    and stress-generated behavior. The Employee Assistance Program may
    assist with the family\'s stress management.*

#### *Media*

> *News media organizations shall abide by the policies and procedures
> of the facility being visited or toured. The staff member handling
> press releases and inquiries is responsible for:*

-   *Situating any media representatives who are present in an area
    where their presence will not interfere with emergency operations;*

-   *Arranging regular briefings; and handling incoming inquiries*

### *Search (Internal)*

#### *Search Teams*

> *The shift supervisor shall serve as search coordinator, dispatching a
> separate two-officer search team for every missing detainee, at least
> one of whom shall be thoroughly familiar with the assigned search
> area.*
>
> *The supervisor shall instruct them regarding which keys to draw,
> which search method to use, areas with nonstandard construction
> features (temporary or permanent); and the designated radio
> frequency.*

#### *Equipment (at a minimum):*

-   *Master blueprint or schematic for search coordinator;*

-   *Separate blueprints for each search area;*

-   *Radios (one per team);*

-   *Flashlights;*

-   *Restraints;*

-   *Ladders;*

-   *Tools as needed;*

-   *Riot batons.*

### *Bomb Threat*

#### *Immediate Response*

1.  ***Phone Threat.** The facility administrator shall develop a
    \"script\" for staff to follow upon receiving a telephoned bomb
    threat and make it available at every staff telephone for instant
    access.*

> *(FBI Bomb Threat DATA Form, DOJ 370)*
>
> *The objective of the scripted questions is to secure the following
> information from and about the caller:*

-   *Bomb location*

-   *Time set for detonate*

-   *Type of explosive*

-   *Caller\'s affiliation/self-identification (credibility of threat)*

-   *Caller\'s gender, accent, tone, other characteristics.*

> *2. **Mail Threat.** The facility administrator shall instruct staff
> to consider suspect any letter or package with:*

-   *Oily/greasy stains/discoloration;*

-   *An incorrect title/department for the addressee;*

-   *The addressee\'s name misspelled;*

-   *Disproportionate weight relative to the size of the envelope or
    box; and/or:*

-   *No return address.*

> *3. **Written Threat.** Upon receipt of a written threat, staff shall
> treat the paper or other means of communication as they would any
> other criminal evidence, preventing unauthorized handling of the
> material and saving all material associated with the delivery
> (envelope, wrapping, etc.).*
>
> *4. **In-Person Threat.** Staff shall elicit as much information as
> possible from the person who has delivered an in-person threat while
> simultaneously contacting a supervisor.*

#### *Searching for a Bomb*

> *The shift supervisor shall notify the local fire department and
> hospital, in addition to the chief of security, facility
> administrator, safety/maintenance supervisor, and other appropriate
> facility officials.*

1.  *Search teams shall report any suspicious object immediately upon
    discovery. At least one member of each search team shall know the
    assigned area well enough to spot changes, for example, unusual
    objects, items moved from their normal locations, etc.*

2.  *If appropriate, the facility administrator shall order a power
    shutdown.*

#### *If a Bomb Is Found*

1.  *Team members shall keep as still as possible, radios, body alarms,
    cell phones, any and all electronic equipment capable of emitting an
    RF signal etc. will be turned off.*

2.  *Incoming traffic shall cease.*

3.  *The shift supervisor shall notify the bomb removal agency listed in
    the written procedures.*

4.  *Officers shall clear the surrounding area.*

#### *After an Explosion*

1.  *The safety/maintenance supervisor shall implement appropriate
    measures, in accordance with written procedures, that assume:*

-   *Structural damage*

-   *Additional bomb(s).*

2.  *The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Federal Bureau of
    Investigations, the local fire chief, or other explosive expert
    shall conduct the investigation.*

### *Adverse Weather*

> *After defining and mapping the interior- and perimeter-post areas,
> the facility administrator shall:*

a.  *Prepare a separate map showing locations of all unarmed interior
    posts. Set up and equip fog-patrol posts; establish procedures and
    assign responsibility for ensuring equipment is available and in
    working order at all times.*

b.  *Prepare another map showing locations of all perimeter/exterior
    posts:*

-   *Identify each as armed or unarmed.*

-   *List the weapons to be used at armed posts, and where they can be
    drawn.*

-   *Store multiple copies of the interior- and perimeter-post maps in
    the Control Center and Command Center.*

c.  *Ensure that the perimeter security has been enhanced with
    additional staff.*

d.  *Remove objects and items that could become airborne and act as
    missiles during high winds.*

e.  *Ensure staff is appropriately provided with necessary foul weather
    gear.*

f.  *Ensure generators are functioning properly and have an adequate
    supply of fuel for a protracted situation.*

g.  *Ensure that if institution is placed on lockdown status, a briefing
    with staff occurs.*

h.  *It is suggested that if the facility is placed in lockdown status,
    a memorandum be generated to the detainee population explaining the
    reason for the lockdown and the anticipated duration.*

i.  Civil Disturbance

> ***a. Scenarios***
>
> *The plan shall address various scenarios, for example, a single event
> (small/large); several coordinated events at one or more locations, at
> one or time or staggered times; type of event and individuals
> involved; other law enforcement agency involvement.*
>
> *Depending on the scenario, the plan shall specify procedures for
> multiple deployments involving the same and/or different kinds of
> equipment and teams, in the event of simultaneous demonstrations.*
>
> ***b. Basic Procedures***
>
> *The plan shall specify procedures for standard activities, including,
> but not limited to, the following:*

-   *Denying access to facility property (barricades, roadblocks,
    etc.),*

-   *Using riot equipment with the general public,*

-   *Notifying/involving other law enforcement agencies,*

-   *Establishing detention areas,*

-   *Marking unmarked property lines,*

-   *Medical care.*

### *Environmental Hazard*

#### *Safe Harbors*

> *The facility administrator shall identify and equip one or more
> \"safe harbor\" areas in the facility.*

-   *These designated areas shall have the capacity to house a large
    number of detainees safely and securely for two or three hours (gym,
    auditorium, food service area, etc).*

-   *Every designated safe harbor shall maintain supplies of, among
    other things, duct tape, plastic, and other items intended for use
    during an environmental hazard.*

> *Every department (food service, medical, maintenance, recreation,
> administration, etc.) shall have written procedures, and at least
> three days\' provisions, for use in temporary quarters. The objective
> is to disrupt the daily routine as little as possible.*

#### *Procedures When There Is an Environmental Hazard*

1.  *The facility administrator shall designate an officer to supervise
    a detainee crew to seal off the specified area(s) in a timely
    manner.*

-   *Staff and detainees shall receive the necessary training as part of
    the facility\'s emergency-preparedness training program.*

-   *The plan shall specify how often and where the specialized training
    shall occur.*

-   *The plan shall specify the number of employees and detainees to
    receive the training.*

9.  *The safety/maintenance supervisor shall, if necessary, shut down
    ventilation units (cooling/heating systems, fans, etc.).*

10. *The shift supervisor shall direct the detainees\' orderly transfer
    to the safe harbor areas.*

11. *Staff shall transport detainee identification cards to the safe
    harbor areas, to ensure accountability.*

12. *Detainees may take no personal property into safe harbor areas,
    with the exception of prescribed medicine.*

13. *When the danger has passed, the shift supervisor shall direct the
    detainees to return to their housing areas, after which staff shall
    conduct a population count.*

14. *If environmental conditions worsen or fail to improve within an
    acceptable time frame, the facility administrator shall implement
    the facility\'s Evacuation Plan.*

### *Detainee Transportation System* 

> *If an emergency occurs while detainees are being transported, the
> facility administrator shall, upon request of transportation staff,
> provide any or all of the following:*

-   *Vehicular escort*

-   *Personnel*

-   *Mechanical assistance*

-   *Medical assistance*

-   *Replacement Transportation (if vehicle disabled)*

-   *Notification to other law enforcement agencies*

-   *Holdover lodging.*

### *Evacuation*

> *The facility administrator shall have emergency contracting authority
> during an officially approved evacuation. It is recommended that
> facilities enter into contract negotiations with vendors within 75 to
> 100 miles to provide needed resources at an agreed- upon cost. In the
> event of an emergency, community resources will likely be directed
> towards hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other vital
> infrastructure and may not be available.*

a.  *The facility\'s plan shall factor in all variables, and
    combinations of variables, that may precipitate or affect a mass
    evacuation, such as the following contingencies, and their
    repercussions:*

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1.  *Minimal warning/preparation time;*

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15. *Weather-related complications, i.e. tornadoes, hurricanes,
    blizzards, etc.*

16. *An area-wide disaster would limit facility access to State and
    local emergency services (police, fire department, hospitals,
    military) and transportation provider;*

17. *At least 10 percent of the staff fails to respond when recalled.
    The type and scope of the emergency would determine whether and by
    how much that percentage might increase.*

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b.  *For every evacuation scenario, the plan shall:*

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1.  *Identify and prepare a list of suppliers to provide essentials
    during the emergency;*

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18. *Prepare an alternative list, identifying product substitutions and
    alternative suppliers;*

19. *Assign priorities among the essentials listed, recognizing the
    likelihood of shortages occurring during an area-wide emergency.*

> *c. The facility administrator shall secure as many signed contracts,
> agreements, and commitments for transportation and supplies as needed
> in the event that Federal and other public-sector resources are
> unavailable.*
>
> *d. **Pre-Evacuation Procedures***

1.  *Emergency staff recall (time permitting);*

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20. *Implement procedures to retrieve/pack detainees\' personal
    property, central files, medical records, etc.;*

21. *Implement department-by-department procedures to transport material
    needed to conduct daily operations at the temporary site: personnel
    files, blank rosters, forms, etc.;*

22. *Deploy emergency equipment;*

23. *Notify State and local authorities; and*

24. *Conduct (exit) emergency count.*

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e.  ***Facility Shutdown***

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1.  *Verify the count;*

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25. *Implement the internal search plan, if appropriate;*

26. *Apply emergency utility controls; and*

27. *Secure the site, to extent possible.*

#### f. Transition to Temporary Site {#f.-transition-to-temporary-site .unnumbered}

1.  *Confirm the previously projected number of vehicles needed for:*

-   *Detainees*

-   *Supplies.*

28. *Record vehicle data, including number and source(s);*

29. *Reconfirm security arrangements with other ICE/DRO components, the
    Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, local and State agencies,
    and the military;*

30. *Separate Special Management Unit detainees before moving,
    individually or as a group, to another such unit or to a local
    detention facility equipped to accommodate SMU detainees\' security
    and safety needs;*

31. *Confirm staffing/assignments, including TDY arrangements.*

### *Nationwide Lockdown*

> *In the event there is a compelling need to secure all ICE/DRO
> facilities, the DRO HQ Assistant Director, Field Operations shall
> notify Field Office Directors, who shall notify the facility
> administrators.*
>
> *a. The facility administrator shall implement the following lockdown
> procedures:*

1.  *Emergency count;*

2.  *Staff briefing (may include interim increase to 12-hour shifts);*

3.  *Suspend detainee access to telephones and televisions;*

4.  *Suspend visitation. Designated staff shall attempt to contact
    individuals with visits planned. Detainees may notify interested
    persons of the lockdown and suspension of visits by mail;*

5.  *Provide meal service in the housing units;*

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32. *Activate the Command Post;*

33. *Contact specialized personnel and teams, as appropriate (SRTs,
    HNTs, etc.*

> *b. The facility administrator shall inform the detainees, in writing,
> why the lock-down is necessary, what to expect, and how long it is
> likely to last. The facility administrator shall provide this detainee
> notification as soon as possible after implementing the necessary
> procedures (as provided in preceding paragraph).*

c.  Health Services staff shall make their regularly scheduled rounds

d.  *When the nationwide lockdown is terminated, the facility
    administrator shall:*

-   *Relax the lockdown systematically, according to written
    procedures.*

-   *Implement a **Lockdown Recovery Plan**.*

> *The plan should include slowly returning the facility to normal
> operating procedures by bringing small groups out at a time (this may
> be one range of a pod in each housing unit), feeding one range at a
> time, then gradually increasing over a period of a couple of days.
> This affords staff the ability to accurately assess the mood of the
> population and take appropriate actions as needed.*

**Standard Approved:**

**James T. Hayes, Jr. /s/ 12/5/2008**

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**James T. Hayes, Jr. Date**

**Director**

# Office of Detention and Removal Operations {#office-of-detention-and-removal-operations .unnumbered}