Two San Francisco County jails were placed on lockdown Sunday afternoon and a request for help from the National Guard was issued as officials reported that attacks against jail deputies are on the rise.
“Recent incidents have shocked the community, including a sharp rise in prisoner fights, attacks on prisoners by other inmates, and injuries to both civilian employees and deputy sheriffs.
These dangerous incidents underscore the pressing need for intervention to ensure the safety and security of all within the jails,” The San Francisco Deputy Sheriff’s Association (SFDSA) said in a statement on Sunday.
Sheriff officials reported that since March 29, at least seven staff members have been injured by inmates, including two who sustained serious injuries.
The SFDSA association’s president, Ken Lomba, demanded that San Francisco city leaders request the deployment of the California National Guard to assist with staffing issues.Â
“I am writing to urgently address the escalating violence within the San Francisco Jails, a situation that demands immediate action,” the letter read.
“Given the severity of these challenges, I demand that you immediately request deployment of the California National Guard to temporarily supplement our current staffing levels.”
Lomba explains that a crisis that has been worsening since 2020. He says the SFDSA stresses that the City and Sheriff’s Office must act swiftly to address this pressing issue and bolster safety and security within the jails.
In the letter, the SFDSA claimed 2023 saw at least 240 reported incidents of prisoner fights, a 58% increase from 2022, and that the reported attacks on inmates against other inmates rose 79% over the same period.
