Opinion: The San Diego Sheriff’s Office Is Committed to Stopping In-Custody Jail Deaths

America’s justice system is built on the promise of public safety — but true safety means ensuring dignity not only in our local communities, but also in our jails, where humane treatment and rehabilitation are cornerstones of a morally just society.

My office’s mission is to provide the highest quality public safety service to everyone in San Diego County, and to meet that mission, we want to make sure everyone in the jails is safe.  Employees of the San Diego Sheriff’s Office are acting with sincere urgency to implement improvements for incarcerated persons in our care.

Every day, we are prioritizing safety improvements in the county jails, addressing the significant medical needs of people in our care, and reducing the number of in-custody deaths.  And, while we have not solved this issue, there are signs that actions we have taken are working. Between 2022 and 2023, we have seen a 68% reduction in in-custody deaths, and we anticipate a further reduction in 2024. 

While this is encouraging, it is not satisfactory. Until we ensure the dignity and safety of every person in our care every day, our mission is incomplete. The role incarceration plays in our justice system includes the assurance that people in jail will be safe and treated with dignity.

I recognize that the San Diego County jail system has not met the expectations of our residents and the rate of in-custody deaths occurring over the past 5 years must be addressed and we are doing that every day. Any death has real consequences and directly impacts the lives of families and our communities. I have personally had several difficult conversations with affected families about the urgent need to reform our jail system.  I take those conversations to heart and carry them with me as I oversee the work of the Sheriff’s Office in our county jails.

With a sense of urgency and duty, we are already making significant progress in improving safety in our county jails and immediately reducing the rate of in-custody deaths. The Sheriff’s Office has implemented interventions to stop the role illicit drug contraband plays in threatening the safety of people in our jails. These measures include stricter screening protocols at intake, even for deputies, staff, and contractors. We’ve expanded the deployment of drug-sniffing dogs in common areas to detect contraband, and we conduct better searches throughout our system.

We have instituted doctors and nurse practitioners who will evaluate individuals immediately upon their arrival to understand their medical needs and identify if more intensive support is required. Deputies and clinicians have implemented routine wellness checks among the general population in our facilities to ensure people who struggle with mental illness do not get left behind or fall through the cracks.

We’re also taking steps to ensure that those who are struggling with withdrawal from opioids or alcohol receive the care and attention they need with an expanded medication assisted treatment program. This level of dedicated care and supportive resources will provide the attention needed to help individuals struggling from withdrawal. In turn, this also reduces the impact those afflictions have on the safety of our general population facilities.

The Sheriff’s Office now has a robust partnership with Paradise Valley Hospital, establishing a secure 19-bed ward to exclusively provide inpatient health care services.

Everyone in jail will return to our communities, and it is imperative that when they do, they have the tools and support they need to be contributing members of our society. I am committed to providing the resources for incarcerated individuals to rehabilitate and find a path for that transition back into the community.  Every step along this journey matters, and we are sincerely committed to investing in the wellbeing of people, which, in turn, is an investment in broader public safety.

My office will continue to hold ourselves accountable and take on the hard issues we face. We will keep working closely with community partners, the county Board of Supervisors, and the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board to ensure that we live up to the expectations of our community and fulfill our duty to provide the highest quality public safety services to everyone in San Diego County.

Kelly Martinez was elected to serve as San Diego County’s Sheriff in 2022. Martinez has served the residents of San Diego County and the Sheriff’s Office since 1985.