Emily's Protocols

EMILY’S PROTOCOLS
Accreditation:
1. Denver Jails shall continue to maintain National Commission on Correctional

Health Care (“NCCHC”) accreditation as it has for many years. The most recent
accreditation was March 11, 2008.
2. Denver has completed a self audit of American Correctional Association (“ACA”)

Standards and has 100% compliance with the mandatory standards, and just over
91% compliance with the non-mandatory standards. Denver will apply for ACA
accreditation in November of 2008. Denver shall continue to strive to meet the ACA
Standards.
Medical:
3. The Denver Sheriff Department (“DSD”) shall require that Denver Health Medical
Center (“DHMC”) protocols in Denver jails require the taking of vital signs for any
person coming to the jail from the hospital, including Emergency Department
(“ED”), clinics and Correctional Care Medical Facility (“CCMF”).
4. The DSD shall require that DHMC protocols in Denver jails require that each
inmate coming to the jail from the hospital, including ED, clinics and CCMF has
received a copy of his or her discharge/after-care instructions.
5. Deputy Sheriffs and medical staff shall continue to ask core questions during intake
screening.
6. The implementation of a new Jail Management System (“JMS”) in June 2009 will
develop features called “alerts” which will place individuals in a queue that can be
monitored by medical and correctional supervisors throughout the department.
Under this system, the following notices shall be sent:
a. When an inmate is discharged from a hospital or clinic to the custody of the

Denver Sheriff’s Department, an alert will be sent to the supervisor and
medical staff on site at the Denver correctional facility where the inmate is to
be sent that such inmate will be arriving.
b. For any inmate who has been received from a hospital or clinic,
“precautions” noted in the Electronic Medical Records (“EMR”) shall
integrate with the JMS information that deputy sheriffs are required to
review at the beginning of each shift.
c. When deputies house any inmate in an “observation” cell, an alert shall be

sent to the supervisor on duty.
d. The JMS shall generate an alert to medical staff and DSD supervisors any
time an inmate has not been presented to medical staff within 30 minutes
after pre-booking.
e. The DSD will develop a “shift log” or similar record through the JMS to
record significant events occurring on shift. These shall include referrals to
medical and a specific notation of whether medical has seen the inmate. The
supervisor shall review the “shift log” or similar record at shift end and take
appropriate follow up action on any pending medical requests.
f. DSD will maximize the “alert” features offered through the JMS and EMR
to maximize proper medical response to inmate needs. This shall include,
but not be limited to, four hour alerts for any inmate who has been received
from any hospital or clinic and identified as needing precautionary
monitoring (i.e. motor vehicle accident, blunt abdominal trauma).
7. Inmates with serious medical needs shall be presented to medical staff immediately;
at the infirmary if possible or on-site as needed.
8. The DSD will review recent depositions by RN Costin, the Affidavit of Jessica
Jaquez, and the depositions of Jessica Jaquez and other corrections staff as they
pertain to Costin and will consult with DSD’s independent medical consultant (non-
associated with DHMC) to evaluate his assignment in Denver Jails.
9. DSD negotiated its contract with DHMC to include employing a Correctional

Health Care Management consultant to improve inmate medical care. Denver has
reviewed the consultant recommendations and shall continue to require DHMC to
institute them as appropriate.
10. Denver’s Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility (“PADF”) has incorporated a medical

“kite” (written form) system for inmates, and shall continue to utilize this system.
Inmates who have submitted a “kite” shall be seen on or before the next nursing
line.
Sheriff Non-Medical Protocols:
11. The PADF shall continue to have an assigned position responsible for moving people
from pre-book to the medical staff.
12. The Sheriff Department has incorporated advocacy training for all new hires,
promotions and select supervisory staff meetings. A portion of the advocacy efforts
of the DSD shall place an emphasis on the need for a deputy to assert a lay person’s
perspective to situations where doubt may occur on any given situation, and to
notify a supervisor immediately. The advocacy training for supervisors shall
include the expectation that they are to take reasonable steps to resolve conflicts
with medical concerns to include direct calls to the on-call physician and/or
authority to utilize 911 services to transport persons to area hospitals.
13. All corrections staff shall receive pre-service and annual medical awareness
training.
14. The DSD’s regular “vignette” trainings during roll call periods prior to each shift
shall annually include a discussion of the factual issues of the events in the Emily
Rice case.
15. Inmate advocacy shall continue to be incorporated into recruit orientation, new
supervisor orientation and highlighted to supervisors in staff meetings. Progress
reports from the Director shall continue to incorporate this theme frequently and
recognize employees who have demonstrated acts of advocacy with commendations
and awards. Training themes shall continue to incorporate this philosophy.
16. The determination to transport any individual to an area hospital from the jails
without specific instructions by medical staff is reserved to Sergeants and higher
ranks. Accordingly, department orders shall provide that all corrections staff be
trained that they must alert a supervisor if they believe from a lay person’s
perspective that an inmate requires additional medical attention from the jail
medical staff. If supervisors believe that an inmate requires additional medical
attention, they are to take reasonable steps to resolve conflicts with medical
concerns, including making direct calls to the on-call physician and/or utilizing 911
services to transport persons to area hospitals. If supervisory staff continue to
believe that an inmate requires additional medical attention for a serious medical
need, supervisory staff must alert a Division Chief.
17. DSD has instituted a “rounds” tracking system throughout the Sheriff Department
by the use of wand which records key points throughout the jails and shall continue
to utilize this system. Deputies shall register the wand at key points at regular
intervals, including 2 rounds per hour at irregular times rounds for normal cells,
and 15 minute rounds for observation cells. Failure to conduct such rounds shall
lead to discipline up to and including termination.
18. Disciplinary action shall be taken where appropriate and in accordance with
departmental orders, Career Service Rules and the Mayor’s Executive Orders.
Denver shall not tolerate conduct that places inmates at risk or fails to accord
inmates their legal rights.
19. DSD has incorporated video cameras in all PADF observation cells, and these shall
continue to be monitored by staff. DSD shall have continuous dedicated, direct
monitoring by staff of the observation cells in the Justice Center.
20. The administrative head of the PADF has been passed to new leadership.
21. DSD has replaced the Digitron system with an enterprise system. This has increased
camera recording capability, including in the north female cluster, which shall be
continuously recorded. At the new Denver Jail facility, video surveillance shall be
recorded in all areas where inmates are housed. Such video shall be retained for not
less than 30 days or as required by law for normal operations, but this shall not
absolve DSD from retaining video of critical incidents for longer periods of time as
required by law. Specifically, in the event of a death at the jail, DSD shall retain the
video for no less than 90 days.
22. Beginning in 2009, the Manager of Safety shall begin development of a disciplinary
matrix system for the sheriff’s department with the expectation that this system will
be in use on or before June 2010. The Manager shall make every effort to have the
matrix system in place prior to June 2010.
23. The City shall provide a detailed report to the Rice family regarding the status its
implementation of each of “Emily Protocols” within six months, and then annually
for each of the next three years.

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EMILY’S PROTOCOLS

1. Denver Jails shall continue to maintain National Commission on Correctional

2. Denver has completed a self audit of American Correctional Association (“ACA”)

a. When an inmate is discharged from a hospital or clinic to the custody of the

c. When deputies house any inmate in an “observation” cell, an alert shall be

9. DSD negotiated its contract with DHMC to include employing a Correctional

10. Denver’s Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility (“PADF”) has incorporated a medical

Sheriff Non-Medical Protocols:

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