HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/08/2025 03.B. Presentation regarding the current status of City jail r-
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 3.B.
For Meeting of: April 8, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Presentation regarding the current status of City jail
SUBMITTED BY: *Commander Maritza Davis
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Yakima City Jail Presentation
ITEM BUDGETED: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Safe and Healthy Yakima
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
YAKIMA CITY JAIL STUDY SESSION.pptx
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YAKIMA CITY JAIL
Corrections Division
Chief of Police Shawn Boyle
Commander Maritza Davis
Guest: Yakima Municipal Court Presiding Judge Aryn Masters
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City Jail Overview
• Zais Law and Justice Center, 200 S. 3rd Street
• Opened in 1996
o 1st Inmate Booked on April 8, 1996
• 72 beds, Male only, Misdemeanors and Gross Misdemeanors
o DUI, Shoplift, DV Assault, VNCO, DWLS, Criminal Trespass, Possession Controlled
Substance
• Operates and staffed 24/7
• Work Closely with Yakima Municipal Court, City Prosecutor, County Jail
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Yakima Police Department :
1 of 4 Divisions
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CHIEF OF POLICE
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES STANDARDS
CRIMINAL PATROL CORRECTIONS SERVICES
INVESTIGATIONS
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IN MATE POPULATION
• Inmate population fluctuates through the year
• Court can allow inmates to enroll in Electronic Home Detention: Reduces Jail
Costs
• 2024 Average Daily Pop (ADP): 40
• Average Length of Stay (ALS): 8 days
• The short stay limits our ability to provide additional services
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Yakima County Jail
• Agreement for a block of 40 beds daily @$136.48 + Medical
• (We pay whether filled or not)
• House: All females, males with other agency charges (Felony, District)
• WSP, UGP, Selah, YSO, Moxee, Tieton
• Fractionalized costs
• House Intensive Management Inmates (IMI)
• All males that require a higher level of medical/mental health care, behavioral conditions and
require special housing or treatment, as determined by CO
• History:
• 2020- Cost based on a monthly average daily pop (MADP) sliding scale.
• IMI — Cost at higher rate. Difficult to track and to audit invoices
• City agreed to pay a slightly higher rate for all City inmates with no limit on IMI
• 2021-2023 — Block of 50 beds
• 2024-2028 — Block of 40 beds
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Corrections Staff, Testing and Training
• At full staff: 15
O 1 Commander (Performs administrative functions)
O 3 Sergeants
O 11 Officers
• Certified by the Criminal Justice Training Commission
O 10-Week Corrections Academy
• Additional Training and Certifications:
O 1st Aid/CPR/AED, Firearms, Defensive Tactics, Taser, Jail Medical, Suicide
Prevention, FTO Certification
• Instructors: FTO, Firearms, Taser
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dO Requirements
• Must Pass: Written Exam, Physical Agility, Oral Board, Background Check,
Polygraph, Psychological, and Medical Exam (similar to Police)
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• Pass the Field Training Officer Program (FTO)- 3.5 months
o Entry Level w/Academy = 7.5 months
o Entry Level w/out Academy = 5 months
o Lateral Officer = 3-4 months
• Must Qualify with Firearm Annually
• Work Hours and Shifts:
o Currently on 12 hour shifts
o Monday — Friday: 4 on duty between 0745-1545 for court
o All other hours only 2 officers on duty
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Main Functions
• Safety and Security:
• Ensure inmates are safe, prevent escapes, prevent assaults on staff/inmates,
respond to fire alarms, fix damaged structure/parts
• Process Bookings: Gather personal info, fingerprints, mugshot, medical history,
log property, search inmate
• Classify for Housing
o General Population or Segregation (Medical, PC, prior behavior history,
informant, LE relative)
o Small jails have limited segregation options
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Main Functions cont . . . .
• Corrections Officers are allowed to pass-out medication
• Respond to emergencies: Sick inmates, seizures, chest pains, withdrawal, falls,
fights, suicidal inmates and/or attempts
• Provide medical attention: 1St Aid/CPR/AED, Narcan, take vitals, 02 levels, blood
pressure, blood sugar levels
• Ensure Right, Rules, and Regulations are followed
• Impose discipline, sanctions and/or additional criminal charges for rule violations
• We have a ZERO tolerance for gang-related issues or fights
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Main Functions cont . .
• Yakima Municipal Court
• Court Security Monday — Friday @ 9am and 1:30 pm
• 3 officers assigned to court duties, 1 officer in the control center
• Pickup and return inmates from Yakima County Jail
• High risk prisoners due to substance abuse/mental illness/felony charges
• On average we bring 20-30+ inmates before the court, per day; however, we
can have light docket days on occasion
• Process all legal paperwork: Judgement and sentence, bail, bond surrenders,
citations, warrants
• Calculate sentences and release dates
• Inmates get 1/3 off the sentence for good behavior
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Services and Programs
• Inmate Health Care: Part-Time
• Kite Med — Contract for inmate health care services (25+ yrs.)
• 1 Doctor and 4 Registered Nurses
• Mon-Fri for up to 4 hours
• On-call 24/7
• Address general health care needs: HBP, Diabetes, Seizures, Infections,
Drug/Alcohol withdrawals,
• Medications ordered & delivered by local pharmacy
• Provide Jail Medical Training Annually
• 2024: We had zero medical grievances filed
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Services and Programs cont . .
• Mental Health Services
• No mental health available on site
• Only referrals sent by staff via email
• DCR will respond to assess suicidal inmates upon request
• 2024 — 53 inmates were on suicide watch
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Services and Programs cont . .
• MOUD Program- Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
• Provider continues inmates who are actively receiving MOUD and are
compliant with treatment
• Provide medications to address opioid withdrawals like Suboxone
• Work with local providers who are treating an inmate with addiction
(Methadone clinics)
• Narcan is available on the jail floor
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Services and Programs cont . . .
• Municipal Court Diversion Program
• Allow service providers access to inmates for drug/alcohol assessments by
appointment
• Visiting: For families, attorneys, professionals, religious services
• Bible Study — Currently suspended due to staffing shortages
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Services and Programs cont . .
• Presentations: On the field of Corrections to community members,
students at YVCC, YVTECH, YPD Explorers, etc.
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Challenges in the Field of Corrections :
Substance Abuse and Mental Illness
• Mental Health Concerns:
• The number of inmates suffering from mental illness has increased
considerably
• Jails have become a "dumping ground"
• Mental health inmates pose a high risk of harm to self and others
• High number require Special Housing
• Special Housing limited because jails are very old
• Mental health inmates take-up a lot of officer time
• Costly to City: Competency Evaluations or Eastern State Hospital
• Repeat Offenders : Re-arrested same day
• Inmates may not follow through with medications or treatment after release
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Challenges in the Field of Corrections :
Substance Abuse and Mental Illness
• Substance Abuse:
• High number of inmates abuse Fentanyl/Methamphetamine
• Most need Special Housing (cannot be in general pop)
• Take-up a lot of officer time when "High" and again when they withdrawal
• Increase in drugs brought to jails across WA State
• Increase in drug overdoses in WA jails
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Challenges in the Field of Corrections :
Substance Abuse and Mental Illness
• Obstacles in Corrections:
• Staffing shortages
• Limited resources in the community to take inmates with Mental Health
• Strip Search Policy:
• Must have reasonable suspicion
• Inmates purposely get arrested to smuggle drugs into jails
• Body Scanners:
• In several jails
• Department of Health (DOH): Too much exposure to radiation = cancer
• DOH issued rule regulating body scanners = reduced clarity of scan
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Booking Refusals :
The Process and the Reason
• Corrections Job: Risk Management on a daily basis
• By law: Provide adequate medical/mental health care
• Yakima City Jail Screening Process:
• YPD arrest, C/O screens and interviews (medical, MH, behavior, substance
abuse), review prior booking history. Determine if bookable or refer to County
• If referred to County Jail
• Full time medical services
• Mental Health Services
• Adequate staff to transport to emergency room or other medical facilities
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Booking Refusals :
The Process and the Reason ( Cont . . )
• Examples: Require higher level of medical care, MH illness, suicidal history,
serious infection, special housing, serious withdrawals from alcohol/drugs,
wheelchair, cancer, dialysis, open wound, recent surgery, known to keister drugs
(CO has body scanner), known to be assaultive towards staff (only 1 officer on
floor)
• City Corrections Officers document reason for referral to County Jail and
supervisor reviews
• Can sometimes accept individuals with medical clearance
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Inmate Population Management &
Cost Reduction
• Transfers:
• Weekly reviews, check medical/MH, transfer once stabilized
• Own Recognizance (OR): City/Co hospitalizations
• Medical Furloughs : Surgeries and medical procedures
• Audit County Jail Invoices: Average $40k-$60k errors found
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Current Yakima City Jail Struggle :
Corrections Officer Shortages
• Staffing shortages since Nov 2021 (3 years)
• C/O assault, other C/Os left employment
• Dec 2021 - MOU w/YPPA work jail shifts on overtime. Hiring daily
• Cmdr. Davis — Working in C/O capacity Monday-Friday
• Also Manager for the Police Services Division (additional 17 members)
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Challenge Recruiting Corrections Officers
• Corrections is a demanding job:
• High exposure to liability
• Responsible for lives of others
• Use of Force and deadly force
• Carry a firearm
• Risk of getting assaulted
• Exposure to Blood/Feces/Contagious diseases
• 24/7, nights, weekends, holidays
• Mandated overtime
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City's Efforts to fill Vacancies
• Increased vacation accruals for Lateral
• Eliminated PAT test for Laterals
• Lowered hiring age to 19 1/2 to apply, 20 at time of appointment
• 2022 - $5k Hiring Bonus new hires
• 2023 - $7,500 Lateral and $5k Entry
• 2024 — $10k Entry and Lateral
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Benefits of HavingCity Yakima Jail
• Ability to hold more individuals accountable for their actions
• Limited options besides Co Jail (Sunnyside, Benton County, Kittitas)
• City Jail and YPD work together. Expedited booking services
• Process 20-30+ inmates for court daily safely and efficiently
• C/O's are familiar with inmates and can best respond to their needs
• Control over future prisoner costs
• County Jail: 170% increase over last 10 years
• Option for bed rental: 15-20 beds, generate revenue (off-set the costs at Co)
• Judge Aryn Masters will discuss how the jail benefits the court
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Corrections Division Goals
• #1 Goal : Fill Corrections Officer vacancies
• #2 Goal : Attain Jail Accreditation
• Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC)
• 7 phases, meet over 170 standards
• Benefits:
1. Increase public confidence and credibility
2. Intensify administrative and operational effectiveness
3. Reduce risk exposure
4. Provide state and local recognition of professional competence
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Questions ?