2 SF county jails locked down due to series of inmate attacks on deputies and staff

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Two San Francisco County jails are locked down because of a series of inmate attacks on deputies and staff.

The sheriff’s office is demanding help from the California National Guard amid safety concerns and a staffing shortage.

The lockdown affects County Jail Number 2 in San Francisco and County Jail Number 3 in San Bruno.

“In 2023 alone, there were 240 reported incidents of prisoner fights, representing a 58% increase from the previous year,” said Ken Lomba, the president of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association.

“Their presence is crucial to provide immediate relief and enhance the safety and security of our facilities for all personnel and inmates,” Lomba said in the letter posted on the union’s website.

Seven staff members were injured in attacks since March 29.

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The sheriff’s office released a statement Sunday afternoon saying they are working on plans to address the issues raised by the Deputy Sheriff’s Association.

“In light of recent incidents in our jails, the Sheriff’s Office is actively working on comprehensive plans to address the issues raised by the DSA (Deputy Sheriff’s Association) regarding the safety of staff members and incarcerated persons in our custody and care.

We believe that our current internal response strategies will immediately address the increase in assaults on our members. We are coordinating our resources and will have enough staff for upcoming operations. Assistance from other agencies is contemplated during planning, but only in exigent circumstances or incidents.

The request for National Guard resources for the jails is premature and not necessary at this time.

We understand that the DSA also ties the recent incidents into low staffing levels and has called for immediate staffing. The National Guard is not the answer to the staffing shortage. The Sheriff continues to be committed to filling vacancies, recruiting, and hiring.

The Sheriff’s Office shares the DSA’s concerns for the safety of the jails and its members. We are confident that recent safety issues and behaviors by those incarcerated will be addressed by our internal response.

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In addition to serving as jail guards, deputies provide security to city hall and county courts.

The jail’s inmate population stood at 1,137 as of Friday, according to the sheriff’s department’s website.

An announcement on the website on Saturday said visits to inmates by members of the community and parent-child visits were cancelled through Monday.

The county operates jails in downtown San Francisco and in San Bruno, in San Mateo County.

Bay City News contributed to this report

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