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Sheriff Miyamoto recommends specific changes to Supervisor Fewer's proposed legislation to close County Jail #4

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office received confirmation that three more staff tested positive for COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus.

Our priority before, during and after this public health emergency is keeping the people in our custody and care, our staff and our community safe and well. 

The Sheriff’s Office has a longstanding history of partnering with our legislative leaders to forward progressive reforms and innovative ways to ensure public safety outside of incarceration. However, there are provisions in Supervisor Fewer’s legislation that if enacted, would compromise public safety.

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office received confirmation this afternoon that a Sheriff’s Deputy assigned to County Jail #4 has tested positive for the coronavirus at a health facility outside of San Francisco.

Today, March 20, 2020, the Superior Court signed orders to release 26 sentenced prisoners from San Francisco county jail who have less than 60 days left to serve. The court effected these orders in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency to reduce the county jail population and minimize prisoner and staff exposure to the coronavirus.

No known cases in San Francisco jails. The decision mirrors community public health measures.

San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto released the San Francisco Sheriff Office’s COVID-19 Response and Action Plan, which covers operations and actions the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Health’s Jail Health Services will take to minimize the risk of exposure if there is a coronavirus outbreak in the community and jails.

Dear Mr. Raju:

I write to reassure you and summarize some of the actions that the Sheriff's Office and the Department of Public Health are taking to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in our jails and prevent a public health emergency. 

In his first official budget to the Mayor and Controller's offices covering FY (fiscal year) 20-21 and FY 21-22, San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto is moving forward with plans to close County Jail #4 by July 2021. The Sheriff’s plan will meet Mayor London Breed’s deadline for closing the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St., where County Jail #4 is located on the 7th floor.