In January 2016, Orange County Men’s Jail witnessed an escape of three inmates who ended up on the run for eight days. In fact, it took authorities working at the jail a total of 15 hours to finally notice that the three men were missing.
A grand jury report concluded on Monday that the jailbreak resulted from the ‘neglect’ of basic security rules. Tunnels located in the jail were not inspected or checked on a regular basis, which made access to the roof a piece of cake.
“Lack of compliance with existing policies and procedures by various OCSD personnel at all levels was the primary factor responsible for the escape,” the report said.
The escapees were eventually caught, with one surrendering and the other two found in San Francisco. With the breakout making international news, changes had to be made at the jail to prevent similar incidences.
“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,” said sheriff spokesman, Lt. Lane Lagaret.
More lighting, video surveillance and modifications on cell grates’ have also been installed by the Sheriff Department, while the process of tracking inmates has faced major improvements.
See the full story on the OCRegister.com.