A grand jury report released Monday faults Orange County sheriff’s deputies on multiple levels, including improper inmate counts and lax patrolling of possible escape routes, for the daring escape of three jail prisoners in January of last year.
The grand jury also faulted the Orange County Board of Supervisors for failing to fund requests for improved video cameras to update a system full of blind spots in the antiquated Central Men’s Jail in Santa Ana.
Previous grand juries raised the issue of the blind-spot-ridden surveillance system dating back to 2011 and again in 2014.
“Video surveillance systems in Orange County jails have been described as antiquated, inadequate and of poor quality,” according to the grand jury’s report. “These (previous) grand jury reports also recognized that an up-to- date video surveillance system would improve the safety of inmates, staff and visitors. The (Orange County Sheriff’s Department) responded to these recommendations indicating that they agreed that more efficient video equipment would improve the monitoring of prisoners.”
Sheriff Sandra Hutchens responded to the earlier grand jury reports by stating the cost to upgrade the video surveillance would be “significant,” and that new cameras would be installed “as funding becomes available.”
Responding to the 2013-14 grand jury’s report, the Board of Supervisors agreed to adopt $10.9 million in upgrades to the video surveillance equipment over the next five years.
The grand jury also pointed out that the smuggling of contraband into the jails remains a “significant problem.”
Before the jail break, “there was a lack of consistent policy enforcement regarding searches of non-deputized employees and there were no metal detectors in the (Central Men’s Jail),” according to the grand jury.
“The escapees used smuggled cell phones to communicate with co- conspirators outside the jail, who aided and abetted in their escape. On the night of the escape, the trio had the supplies they needed: three sets of clothing, three pairs of shoes, two coils of rope, and two get-away cards.”
Sheriff’s officials have since installed a metal detector and are conducting random searches with a canine team.
Still unsolved is the mystery of how the escapees got hold of cutting tools to saw through metal gates. The grand jury was offered various theories, but no evidence of anything concrete.
The grand jury noted that the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, the union that represents deputies, has alleged that jail contractors apparently accidentally left behind tools in areas accessible to inmates.
Another enigma to the grand jury was why none of the other inmates snitched on the escapees to foil the jail break.
“The grand jury was unable to determine if the larger `snitch controversy’ that was, and still is a major issue in Orange County, had a bearing on the inmates’ silence,” according to the report.
The Orange County Public Defender’s Office has uncovered examples of corruption in how jailhouse informants were used to elicit information from other inmates over the past few years in what is known now as the “snitch scandal.”
The grand jury focused on how poor training and a vague manual led to deputies doing less-reliable inmate counts by comparing paper and electronic records showing the comings and goings of inmates when they left the jail for court or for medical reasons.
“Most deputies were not aware that they were not following proper count procedures because they had done counts this way since they were first assigned to the CMJ and, in fact, were trained to perform counts this way at the CMJ so that the erroneous `paper count’ procedure became the de facto operating method,” according to the grand jury’s report. “Apparently, counts had been done this way for many years.”
Also, “bunk assignments” were not strictly enforced, which made it “easier for inmates to confuse deputies,” according to the grand jury.
The issue had been raised a year before the escape by some deputies, but the complaints fell on deaf ears, the grand jury concluded.
Since the jail break, however, deputies have been retrained and now strictly follow a procedure of eyeballing inmates in roll calls and making sure everything matches documentation. Also, prisoner counts are now done randomly as well to boost “accountability.”
The grand jury faulted deputies for becoming lax in clamping down on inmates using bed sheets and other materials to either hide from surveillance cameras or to use them as “rat lines” to pass on messages from one cell to another.
The plumbing tunnels that provided access for the jail break were not being properly patrolled once per shift, according to the grand jury.
“In spite of clear policy, plumbing tunnels were not regularly checked by some deputies prior to the escape,” according to the report. “Since the escape, deputies now follow procedure and check plumbing tunnels for signs of illicit activity at least once per shift.”
Sheriff’s officials have also installed metal grills to wall vents as additional security. Lighting around the jail was also improved.
Inmates Hossein Nayeri, Jonathan Tieu and Bac Duong, who were put back behind bars eight days following their Jan. 22, 2016, escape, are awaiting trial.
Lt. Lane Lagaret, a spokesman for the sheriff’s department, said the grand jury report “highlights the work done over the course of the last year to improve security at the Central Men’s Jail.”
“When the escape occurred in January 2016, the department acknowledged failures and need for improvement,” Lagaret said in an emailed statement. “Those improvements have been made and the jail is secure. Orange County residents can feel confident that we have made the necessary changes to meet our current security needs and that we have a proactive plan in place for additional upgrades.
The facility complies with all regulatory standards but the age of the facility, however, requires constant attention and maintenance. Extending the life of the facility will require significant investment in capital improvement projects and we are committed to working with the Board of Supervisors to achieve our long-term plans for the jail.”
—City News Service