Board of Supervisors holds hearing after spike in jail assaults; deputies, inspector general and public defender call for staffing and program changes

A San Francisco Board of Supervisors Committee of the Whole hearing on May 14 examined the recent series of lockdowns in San Francisco County jails after an increase in assaults on deputies and a simultaneous rise in the jail population.

The hearing brought testimony from Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, the president of the Deputy Sheriffs Association (Ken Lamba), Inspector General Terry Wiley and Angela Chan of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office. Each witness tied repeated lockdowns and increased violence inside County Jail 1–3 to a combination of understaffing, higher numbers of people detained with behavioral-health and substance-use disorders, and operational strains that limit programming and visitation.

Why it matters: The witnesses described a mix of short-term operational failure points and longer-term policy choices. Witnesses and some supervisors said recent increases in arrests and changes in how the city addresses public drug use contributed to population growth in the jails; they said understaffing and the composition of the detained population have combined to create more frequent lockdowns, disruption of legal visits, and risks to both incarcerated people and deputies.

Sheriff’s description of the situation

Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said the department’s average daily jail population has risen toward roughly 1,200 people and that the department’s custody operations division is operating below authorized staffing levels. He said some housing units have been locked down to allow investigations after deputy assaults and that redeploying staff during those responses can trigger broader facility lockdowns. He described ongoing recruitment and training efforts and requested additional support for body-worn cameras, tasers and behavioral-health staffing in partnership with the Department of Public Health (DPH).

Deputy Sheriffs Association and immediate operational fixes

Ken Lamba, president of the Deputy Sheriffs Association, said prisoner-versus-prisoner fights rose about 45% from 2021 to 2023 and attacks on staff increased about 380% over the same period. He told supervisors the department has not kept pace with attrition and urged faster hiring, a national recruitment push (including relocation assistance), increased outsourcing of background investigations, and local pay adjustments such as removing the first-step pay barrier for new hires.

Inspector General assessment and recommendations

Inspector General Terry Wiley said staffing shortages contribute directly to lockdown frequency and duration, noting that minimum staffing levels in the collective bargaining agreement can force shutdowns when units fall below those thresholds. Wiley recommended redeploying staff from non‑charter assignments back to jail duties when necessary, investing in upgraded camera and monitoring technology (including body cameras) and reducing dependence on excessive, unsustainable overtime.

Public Defender concerns: visits, programming and health care

Angela Chan, assistant chief attorney with the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, described frequent denials or interruptions of attorney visits citing short staffing and lockdowns, unreliable Zoom connections for legal visits, problems transporting people to court, and slow restoration of in‑person family visitation and in‑jail programming. Chan said more than 97% of people in the jails are pretrial and urged faster, reliable access to counsel and to court to avoid lengthening stays.

Differing policy context and oversight demands

Supervisors pressed witnesses on the policy choices that preceded the current conditions, including enforcement priorities, the closure of non‑carceral treatment options and budget decisions. Several supervisors urged the mayor’s office, the police department and the district attorney’s office to provide data showing how many current bookings are for drug use/possession versus drug sales or violent crimes; several asked the administration to appear at follow‑up hearings. Inspector General Wiley and the DSA both emphasized that overcrowding and a changing composition of the detained population (more people with mental‑health and withdrawal needs) worsen operational pressures.

Evidence from the hearing and proposed next steps

- Testimony cited a roughly 35–40% increase in the jail population over the prior year and noted that 76% of people detained have rapid turnover (released within seven days), making continuity of care difficult. - Recommendations included large‑ and small‑scale actions: immediate hires and nationwide recruitment campaigns; redeploying non‑charter deputies back to jail duties in emergencies; outsourcing more background investigations; rolling out additional body‑worn cameras and improved surveillance cameras with analytics; funding 24‑hour behavioral‑health coverage through DPH; and restoring cohort‑based programming that earlier supported education, vocation, and behavioral interventions.

Public comment and next steps

Members of the public and jail service providers told the board that limited programming, lack of sunlight and disrupted family visits have harmed people in custody and their families. Community groups urged restoration of evidence‑based, culturally attuned programming and stronger reentry linkages. Supervisors agreed to continue the conversation during the budget process and in follow‑up committee hearings; several asked the mayor’s office for immediate engagement and data requested during the hearing.

The board filed the hearing for the record and asked the sheriff, the mayor’s office and other agencies to provide follow‑up data and proposals, including breakdowns of arrests and bookings by charge, detailed staffing plans, and any proposals for urgent investments in behavioral health and technology.