Managing Emergencies with Multiple Stakeholders: Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Although jails routinely drill for various types of emergencies, COVID-19 challenged systems throughout the country in ways that were unprecedented. In particular, the dynamic and protracted nature of the pandemic forced many jurisdictions to remain agile while experiencing shortages and loss. This panel presentation explores how the Los Angeles County Jail System responded to COVID-19, and its lessons learned during the pandemic. The presentation includes multidisciplinary perspectives from both sworn and civilian personnel in custody, medical, public health, and allied support services. Presenters discuss the challenges and opportunities for effective interagency collaboration in general and specific to COVID-19. We also explore the importance of early proactive measures that can improve the adaptation to meet evolving needs, and we examine implementation of long-term strategies and scalable solutions that help build interoperability and resilience.