SFDSA Files Lawsuit Against San Francisco Sheriff

(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)

Demand to Cease and Desist to SF Sheriff

Demand to Cease and Desist to SF Sheriff pg 2

Demand to Cease and Desist to SF Sheriff pg 3

Deputy Sheriffs' Association Files Lawsuit Against San Francisco Sheriff

The San Francisco Sheriff's Office refused to maintain the status quo until the parties were able to meet and confer. Sheriff Miyamoto ignored California labor Law and continued this pilot project.” — San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' AssociationSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, USA, August 22, 2022 /EINPresswire.com / -- The City and County of San Francisco Sheriff's Office created a pilot program in County Jail #3 in housing unit 5. The San Francisco Sheriff's Office had two deputy sheriffs evaluate the functionality of the program and identified concerns. These deputies found numerous safety concerns that made it difficult to perform the regular safety checks of the prisoners in some cases and completely impossible in other cases. Despite the safety concerns the pilot program was implemented.

The Sheriff's Office stopped the twice an hour safety check and now safety checks are required to be done once every hour. The purpose of the checks is to maintain safety and security in the jail for staff, visitors, and the prisoners. Some of the requirements of these checks include noting the skin color of the inmate, the rise and fall of the chest, movement that indicates life, looking for any signs of illness or distress, inspection of cell doors and windows and a search for any apparent contraband or hazards.

These safety checks were completed by the deputies working on the floor but walking up to each inmate cell door and observing the inmate, the cell and surrounding area. Sometimes, at night, a flashlight would be required to properly check the welfare of the inmates.

On July 8, 2022, this changed. No longer would there be any floor deputies. Now, only one deputy, instead of two, would monitor all the prisoners by him/herself, from a tower called the Crow's Nest. In the event of an emergency, the deputy in the Crow's Nest was not to leave and assist an inmate having a medical emergency, being attacked, or attempting to harm himself, instead, the deputy is now required to call for help. Deputies who roam around the rest of the jail would then have to respond and handle the situation, wasting valuable time.

The San Francisco Sheriff's Office administration directed Crow's Nest deputies to utilize binoculars to assist them in seeing the inmates better. While this may help with viewing some of the inmates when the lights are on, they do little to help at night and cannot solve the problem of the inability to see some of the cells at all, with or without binoculars.

The Deputy Sheriffs' Association sent a letter to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office on July 18, 2022 and it was resent to the Director of Employee Relations, on July 22, 2022. This letter demanded that the new Crow's Nest practice stop until the parties can meet and confer over the impacts and effects of it. Numerous impacts and effects were listed in this notice.

The San Francisco Sheriff's Office responded to the DSA on July 26, 2022, refusing to maintain the status quo until the parties were able to meet and confer. Sheriff Miyamoto has ignored California Labor Law and continued this pilot program.

Within days of its implementation, a fight broke out in one of the cells in the evening and it was not discovered until the next morning, a prisoner had masturbated in a nurse's presence, and weapons have been found. This is evidence of the lack of safety the DSA was concerned with when it demanded the San Francisco Sheriff's Office cease and desist its new Crow's Nest practice.

The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' Association filed a Public Employees Relations Board Unfair Labor Practice Charge against the San Francisco Sheriff's Office , lawsuit case no: Case No. SF-CE-1794-M

Kenneth Lomba
San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs' Association
+1 415-696-2428
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