I drafted this note in response to several questions regarding the Pitchess Detention Center escape sirens. First of all, thank you for taking an interest in public safety. I am Sergeant Darren Harris with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and I would like to update you with our current protocol regarding inmate escapes from Los Angeles County jails located at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic. First of all, I am happy to report that due to increased security measures, improved fencing, electronic monitoring, and other factors, we have not had an escape or inmate worker walk-away from any of the jail facilities on the PDC grounds since March of 2007.

However, just because we have not had an escape in some-time, does not mean we have stopped planning, improving security measures, training, and instituting a brand new state-of-the-art notification system. At this point we are open to, and are attending as scheduled, community meetings regarding the subject of additional notification sirens, but we do not have any concrete plans to add additional sirens to the existing systems at this point. The sirens that were originally installed were military surplus air raid sirens and were put in the areas that were determined to most likely be immediately impacted by an escape. We have found that in a majority of the escape incidents, the escapees go towards the I-5 Freeway and attempt to get out of the area. Therefore, we determined the residential areas near the I-5 freeway required the most immediate notification systems. The next area to be considered for a siren would most likely be the Tesoro Del Valle area, as it is in closer proximity to the north eastern edge of the PDC grounds. Many of the recent questions about additional sirens were pertaining to residences located in the Saugus area. The concerned areas are several miles from PDC grounds and with our new systems and protocols, we would now have ample time to notify residents in the area by using our new electronic and media notification systems, which were put into place in September of 2007 as yet another proactive approach to keeping us all safe. I will describe them in more detail later in this letter.

Rest assured, current policies require that immediately following any escape we bring hundreds of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department resources into the area from our Major Crimes Bureau, Aero Bureau, Special Enforcement Bureau, K-9 Unit, Sheriff's Reserve Mounted Posse members, SCV Sheriff Search and Rescue members, SCV Sheriff's Off-road Motorcycle Teams, the California Highway Patrol, and our Lancaster, Palmdale, Crescenta Valley, Lost Hills, Temple and East Los Angeles Sheriff's Stations. These resources supplement a full compliment of staffing from your Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and Emergency Operation Center activations by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and PDC facilities with hundreds of custody division deputies also being deployed. We have also adopted a pre-developed Inmate Escape Operational Plan and Procedures guide that is more than 100 pages in length and completely outlines specific areas of responsibility for all Sheriff's Department personnel in a comprehensive effort to protect all our residents. With the increased visibility, saturation patrol, off-road motorcycle patrols, and pre-determined fixed posts for uniformed deputy sheriffs and roving search teams, It is extremely unlikely that an escaped inmate would head towards, or make it all the way into the Saugus area. In fact, based on my 18 years of experience in law enforcement, my involvement in several of these escape operations, and knowledge of day-to-day law enforcement functions, I would say there is a much greater chance of falling victim to an unfortunate incident of random crime or violence as we go about our daily lives then there is of falling victim to an escaped inmate from the Pitchess Detention Center. Not only are the escapes now very rare, but the inmates are generally trying to get out of the area as quickly as possible, have pre-arranged rides, and have rarely, if ever, assaulted or injured any of our residents in the process. We have learned a lot since 2004 and previous years. The new protocol and procedures offer the best possible protection for all Santa Clarita residents. One more new option we are currently looking at is the possibility of utilizing the City of Santa Clarita's Reverse 9-1-1 phone notification system. Although not yet implemented for PDC escapes, this system could give us the ability to call all residents with a pre-recorded message. I'll keep you posted on that progress.

All that being said, we do not take your safety and our responsibility lightly and have taken your concerns to heart. Since receiving many of your inquiries and concerns, we have joined in partnership with the City of Santa Clarita in the development of new immediate electronic notification protocol in the event of an escape. We now have the ability to immediately notify all residents and local media outlets of any escape and provide detailed information about who is being sought. Not to mention our ability to post the information and escapees picture right here on SCVSheriff.com. We have also posted detailed safety information on "What To Do in the Event of an Escape from Pitchess Detention Center" this Web site. If you have not yet signed up for our new "SCV Sheriff e-Notify" and "SCV Sheriff Alerts" systems, I would ask that you visit the following link and do so: SCVsheriff eNotify. Through this system, residents will be notified via e-mail of any inmate escape or other safety or disaster related emergencies and alerts in our community. You will also be provided with information on what to do.

Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to me at any time regarding this subject by submitting questions via our "Ask Sergeant Harris" portion of this Web Site.

Thank you once again for getting and staying involved with keeping our community safe! Trust me, I have two small children myself and live in close proximity to the Pitchess Detention Center. I would be the first one stepping up in protest if I had any concerns about their safety and that of my neighborhood pertaining to this matter. However, I am not discounting any community concerns, just trying to give you some personal and professional insight as to how far we have come. I'm glad to see you are all doing the same in working for our safety. That's what makes this community so great! Let me know if you have any additional question or concerns.

With your safety in mind,

Sergeant Darren Harris

(661) 799-5814