July 03, 1972

General Order 501.8

Arrest of Escapees From the
D.C. Department of Correction.

The purpose of this order is to establish the policy and procedures to be followed by members of the force when apprehending escapees from facilities of the D.C. Department of Corrections This order consists of the following part:

PART I Responsibilities and Procedures for Members of the Department

A. Policy.

It is the policy of this department that persons committed to the custody of the D.C. Corrections Department by the courts and who escape from correctional facilities such as D.C. Jail, Lorton Reform..— tory, Community Correction Centers, Halfway Houses, or from escorted or unescorted (furloughs) viáits to the District of Columbia, be bonked and processed for violation of escape statutes. Such escapees shall not be turned over to correctional officers without having first been booked and processed by this department, and then only after having been placed into their custody by a Magistrate of the Superior Court.

B. General.

1. Within twenty-four hours of an escape from a correctional facility, or the custody of a correctional officer, an officer from the Warrant Squad, D.C. Department of Corrections, will make application for an arrest warrant at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. The United States Attorney will decide whether to prosecute the escapee under the U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 751, as an Escaped Federal Prisoner, or under the D.C. Code, Title 22, Section 2601, for Prison Breach. After obtaining an arrest warrant, the corrections officer will deliver, together with the warrant, a copy of a face sheet giving a description and background information on the escapee to the Watch Commander at the Central Records Division, for entry in the WALES system.

2. The fact that an arrest warrant has not yet been received on an escapee, or escapees, from a Corrections Department facility, shall not preclude members of the force from effecting an arrest after proper verification through WALES. Arrests of escapees under these circumstances shall be handled in the same manner as arrests made on a warrant.

C. Procedures.

1. The Central Records Division will receive arrest warrants from the Superior Court for persona charged with escaping from D.C. Corrections Department facilities. Escape warrants shall be processed in accordance with General Order No. 702.1. In addition to the PD Form 26, the Central Records Division shall Forward to the organizational element assigned to serve the warrant, a copy of the warrant application form and a face sheet giving background information on the escapee.

2. The organizational element receiving PD Form 26 for service shall prepare an offense report, PD Form 251, using the information from the warrant information form. The face sheet on the escapee shall remain with the PD Form 26 and shall be returned to the Central Records Division for disposition when the warrant is served.

3. Members of the force arresting escapees from D.C. Corrections facilities shall notify the Warrant Squad, D.C. Corrections Department, by telephone (638—5188) and shall include the name of the person notified in their reports (PD Form 252 and PD Form 163). The arresting officer shall appear in court on the escape charge and any other charges which may result from the arrest.

4. All escapees arrested shall be processed through the Identification Branch, Central Records Division, before being sent to court.

D. Escapees Arrested by Corrections Department Officers.

1. The Warrant Squad, D.C. Department of Corrections, will maintain a record of arrest warrants on escapees and will attempt to serve them whenever possible.

2. Escapees apprehended by Corrections Department officers, without the assistance of members of the force, will be taken to the nearest district station to be booked and later processed through the Identification Branch. A member of the force shall be listed as the arresting officer and the corrections officer as the complainant. The member to whom the case is booked shall be responsible for preparing the necessary reports (PD Forms 255, 163 and 252) on the case, but shall not be required to appear in court, unless the escapee had contraband, such as weapons or narcotics, on him at the time of arrest. Additionally, the arresting officer shall notify the Central Records Division of the fact that the arrest has been made, thereby clearing the warrant

3. Contraband recovered from escapees arrested by corrections officers will be turned in at the organizational element where the escapee is booked for transmittal to the Property Clerk as prescribed by General Order No. 601.1. Property recovered without a member being present on the scene, shall be entered on the property book at the booking element as evidence or suspected proceeds of crime, whichever is applicable, and the property return, PT’ form 81, shall be prepared by the member listed as the arresting officer. The name and telephone number of the corrections officer who is listed as the complainant shall be shown on the property return.

4. In the above cases involving contraband, both the corrections officer and the arresting officer shall present the facts concerning the contraband to the United States Attorney’s Office for a determination as to whether additional charges will be placed against the escapee. The arresting officer, however, shall be responsible for notifying the Property Clerk as to the disposition of the case in court, obtaining the appropriate property release from the United States Attorney, and staking the necessary entries in the arrest book.

5. In cases involving no contraband, the corrections officer will notify the arresting officer as to the disposition of the case in court. The arresting officer shall then make the appropriate entry in the arrest book.

Jerry V. Wilson

Chief of Police