B.03.02 Prisoner Cell and Location Checks at Night (National Procedure)

Procedure Standard

• After General lock-up, and before morning unlock, Prisoner Cell and Location Checks are carried out at two-hourly intervals, to confirm each prisoner is in the correct cell or location. The first such check is to take place after general lock-up, that generally being the time of night when the majority of prisoners have been locked up and most staff have left the site.

At the start of the shift

• At the handover of the shift the oncoming Night shift senior officer is to sign the lock-up book as acknowledgment of the unit / site muster.
• The outgoing shift senior officer is to brief the Night shift staff of any matters that may affect the safe and secure condition of the unit / site.
• The oncoming shift senior officer is to record and sign for the muster in the lock-up book / log book, and indicate that the handover brief was satisfactorily completed.
• The handover brief may include special instructions for occasions when prisoners are housed communally in designated locations (e.g. Maori Focus Units, Faith Based Units, Youth Units).

Security concerns during the shift

• If concerns arise over the well-being or security of a prisoner or security of the site, the situation must be investigated immediately. The senior officer of the shift is to be informed immediately and response strategies initiated.
• If it is discovered that a prisoner is not in their cell or designated location, the senior officer of the shift is immediately informed and an escape response plan is initiated (refer to local Emergency Response Plans).
• Torches are to be used to check cells and prisoners.

Unlocking prisoners at night

• During the normal hours of lock-up and on such other occasions as the Prison Manager may direct, no prisoner is to be unlocked unless the on-call officer has given approval and at least two officers are present, extra staff may be required if the circumstances warrant their attendance.
• In the case of cells that contain two prisoners with BB security classification, three staff are required, extra staff may be required if the circumstances warrant their attendance.
• The only exceptions to this are:
  1. the unlocking of scheduled ‘early unlock’ prisoners for work (see local instruction in lock-up / log book);
  2. in a civil defence emergency or critical incident where prisoner(s) in imminent danger; or
  3. where during a scheduled Prisoner Cell and Location Check a prisoner’s location or physical well-being cannot be ascertained by viewing through an observation window.

Note:

• Self Care units are nationally exempt from the requirement to carry out night time prisoner location checks due to; staff not being able to view prisoners inside the self-care units and staff are unable to unlock self-care units to undertake night time prisoner location checks.
• In the instance of 2 and 3 above, an incident report must be completed on IOMS for all incidents requiring a prisoner to be unlocked during the normal hours of lock-up.

At the end of the shift 

• The senior officer of the shift completes the lock-up / log book and identifies any event that occurred outside of normal routines.
• The senior officer of the shift briefs the oncoming shift senior officer on the current muster status and any concerns that may impact on the safe, secure and humane containment of prisoners.

B.03.02 Key Roles and Responsibilities

Night shift staff

1. Carry out Prisoner Cell and Location Checks at least 2-hourly to ensure cells are secure, prisoners are securely held, and to ensure the safety of prisoners.
2. Carry out 2-hourly Facility Checks to ensure the safety of prisoners and security of facilities.
3. Carry out the check of prisoners during the night when this is possible without disturbing the prisoner e.g. through observation windows.
4. Record the results of all Prisoner Cell and Location Checks and Facility Checks in unit / site log books.
5. Regularly signal their location to the Central Point when carrying out checks, either manually or by electronic pegging system, should this be an option available on-site.

Senior officer of shift

1. Initiate appropriate response strategies when there are concerns over the well-being or security of any prisoner or the security of the prison.
2. Monitor all Facility Checks.
3. Complete and sign Lock-up / Log books.