162-39. Transfer of prisoners when necessary for safety and security; application of section to municipalities.

(a) Whenever necessary for the safety of a prisoner held in any county jail or to avoid a breach of the peace in any county or whenever prisoners are arrested in such numbers that county jail facilities are insufficient and inadequate for the housing of such prisoners, the resident judge of the superior court or any judge holding superior court in the district or any district court judge may order the prisoner transferred to a fit and secure jail in some other county where the prisoner shall be held for such length of time as the judge may direct.

(b) Whenever necessary to avoid a security risk in any county jail, or whenever prisoners are arrested in such numbers that county jail facilities are insufficient and inadequate for the housing of such prisoners, the resident judge of the superior court or any judge holding superior court in the district or any district court judge may order the prisoner transferred to a unit of the State prison system designated by the Secretary of Public Safety or his authorized representative. For purposes of this subsection, a prisoner poses a security risk if the prisoner:

(1) Poses a serious escape risk;

(2) Exhibits violently aggressive behavior that cannot be contained and warrants a higher level of supervision;

(3) Needs to be protected from other inmates, and the county jail facility cannot provide such protection;

(4) Is a female or a person 18 years of age or younger, and the county jail facility does not have adequate housing for such prisoners;

(5) Is in custody at a time when a fire or other catastrophic event has caused the county jail facility to cease or curtail operations; or

(6) Otherwise poses an imminent danger to the staff of the county jail facility or to other prisoners in the facility.

(c) The sheriff of the county from which the prisoner is removed shall be responsible for conveying the prisoner to the jail or prison unit where he is to be held, and for returning him to the common jail of the county from which he was transferred. The return shall be made at the expiration of the time designated in the court order directing the transfer unless the judge, by appropriate order, shall direct otherwise. The sheriff or keeper of the jail of the county designated in the court order, or the officer in charge of the prison unit designated by the Secretary of Public Safety, shall receive and release custody of the prisoner in accordance with the terms of the court order. If a prisoner is transferred to a unit of the State prison system, the county from which the prisoner is transferred shall pay the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety for maintaining the prisoner for the time designated by the court at the per day, per inmate rate at which the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety pays a local jail for maintaining a prisoner. The county shall also pay the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety for the costs of extraordinary medical care incurred while the prisoner was in the custody of the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety, defined as follows:

(1) Medical expenses incurred as a result of providing health care to a prisoner as an inpatient (hospitalized);

(2) Other medical expenses when the total cost exceeds thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per occurrence or illness as a result of providing health care to a prisoner as an outpatient (nonhospitalized); and

(3) Cost of replacement of eyeglasses and dental prosthetic devices if those eyeglasses or devices are broken while the prisoner is incarcerated, provided the prisoner was using the eyeglasses or devices at the time of his commitment and then only if prior written consent of the county is obtained by the Division.

Whenever prisoners are arrested in such numbers that county jail facilities are insufficient and inadequate for the safekeeping of such prisoners, the resident judge of the superior court or any superior or district court judge holding court in the district may order the prisoners transferred to a unit of the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety designated by the Secretary of Public Safety or his authorized representative, where the prisoners may be held for such length of time as the judge may direct, such detention to be in cell separate from that used for imprisonment of persons already convicted of crimes, except when admission to an inpatient prison medical or mental health unit is required to provide services deemed necessary by a prison health care clinician. The sheriff of the county from which the prisoners are removed shall be responsible for conveying the prisoners to the prison unit or units where they are to be held, and for returning them to the common jail of the county from which they were transferred. However, if due to the number of prisoners to be conveyed the sheriff is unable to provide adequate transportation, he may request the assistance of the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety, and the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized and directed to cooperate with the sheriff and provide whatever assistance is available, both in vehicles and manpower, to accomplish the conveying of the prisoners to and from the county to the designated prison unit or units. The officer in charge of the prison unit designated by the Secretary of Public Safety or his authorized representative shall receive and release the custody of the prisoners in accordance with the terms of the court order. The county from which the prisoners are transferred shall pay to the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety the actual cost of transporting the prisoners and the cost of maintaining the prisoners at the per day, per inmate rate at which the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety pays a local jail for maintaining a prisoner, provided, however, that a county is not required to reimburse the State for transporting or maintaining a prisoner who was a resident of another state or county at the time he was arrested. However, if the county commissioners shall certify to the Governor that the county is unable to pay the bill submitted by the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety to the county for the services rendered, either in whole or in part, the Governor may recommend to the Council of State that the State of North Carolina assume and pay, in whole or in part, the obligation of the county to the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety, and upon approval of the Council of State the amount so approved shall be paid from Contingency and Emergency Fund to the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety.

When, due to an emergency, it is not feasible to obtain from a judge of the superior or district court a prior order of transfer, the sheriff of the county and the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety may exercise the authority hereinafter conferred; provided, however, that the sheriff shall, as soon as possible after the emergency, obtain an order from the judge authorizing the prisoners to be held in the designated place of confinement for such period as the judge may direct. All provisions of this subsection shall be applicable to municipalities whenever prisoners are arrested in such numbers that the municipal jail facilities and the county jail facilities are insufficient and inadequate for the safekeeping of the prisoners. The chief of police is hereby authorized to exercise the authority herein conferred upon the sheriff, and the municipality shall be liable for the cost of transporting and maintaining the prisoners to the same extent as a county would be unless action is taken by the Governor and Council of State as herein provided for counties which are unable to pay such costs.

(d) Whenever a prisoner held in a county jail requires medical or mental health treatment that the county decides can best be provided by the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety, the resident judge of the superior court or any judge holding superior court in the district or any district court judge may order the prisoner transferred to a unit of the State prison system designated by the Secretary of Public Safety or his authorized representative. The sheriff of the county from which the prisoner is removed shall be responsible for conveying the prisoner to the prison unit where he is to be held, and for returning him to the jail of the county from which he was transferred. The prisoner shall be returned when the attending medical or mental health professional determines that the prisoner may be returned safely. The officer in charge of the prison unit designated by the Secretary of Public Safety shall receive custody of the prisoner in accordance with the terms of the order and shall release custody of the prisoner in accordance with the instructions of the attending medical or mental health professional. The county from which the prisoner is transferred shall pay the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety for maintaining the prisoner for the period of treatment at the per day, per inmate rate at which the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety pays a local jail for maintaining a prisoner, and for extraordinary medical expenses as set forth in subsection (c) of this section.

(e) The number of county prisoners incarcerated in the State prison system pursuant to safekeeping orders from the various counties pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or for medical or mental health treatment pursuant to subsection (d) of this section may not exceed 200 at any given time unless authorized by the Secretary of Public Safety. The Secretary may refuse to accept any safekeeper and may return any safekeeper transferred under a safekeeping order when this capacity limit is reached.