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

Current through June, 2024
POLICY
SUBJECT AREA
EFFECTIVE: 2/11/80
301-329 Facilities & Equipment
UNITS AFFECTED: Department of Corrections
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)
....
Commissioner of Corrections (Acting)
Statutory Authority:
				  28
				  V.S.A. §
											601