Deputies at S.F. County jail to start wearing cameras
Deputies working at a San Francisco County jail facility will now be required to wear body cameras — a move spurred by a series of allegations that inmates were forced to participate in gladiator-style fights for gambling and entertainment purposes.
At least 30 San Francisco County sheriff’s deputies will be outfitted with cameras as part of a pilot program that will begin in the next several months in county jail No. 4, Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said.
“It’s my belief that fitting our deputies with body cameras, combined with personnel, training and policy reforms that are also in the works, are tools that will help to foster a more durable trust with the public, our inmates and their loved ones,” Mirkarimi said last week in a statement.
Mirkarimi moved funds from the department’s materials and supplies budget to pay for the cameras, he said, because he never received money he had requested from the county.
The cameras, he said, will allow the department to record and monitor interactions between deputies and inmates. Mirkarimi said the devices would better ensure “the safety of inmates” and protect deputies from “unfounded allegations.”
Because the cameras are untested, Mirkarimi will create policies to cover issues such as privacy rights, data storage, personnel training, consequences for failing to adhere to the camera program and public records requests.
On April 10, Mirkarimi announced that the FBI was investigating allegations of jail misconduct. Four deputies said to have been involved in the fights have been placed on administrative leave, he said.
The San Francisco police chief and district attorney’s office have also launched investigations into the fighting allegations.
Public Defender Jeff Adachi said inmates contended they were pitted against one another in two contests.
During a recorded interview, inmate Ricardo Palikiko Garcia told Adachi that Deputy Scott Neu threatened to hurt him if he didn’t fight. Adachi said Neu arranged matches on the seventh floor of the Hall of Justice jail.
Garcia told Adachi he was forced to fight a much larger inmate, identified as Stanley Harris. Harris also said Neu threatened to beat him up if he didn’t comply with his demands.
Harris reported the inmates were also forced to gamble for their food.