Date:

Dear _____________

This letter is in response to Grievance No. ___________________ regarding your inability to get a full
night’s sleep while incarcerated in the San Francisco County Jails. Your grievance has been brought to
the attention of the Sheriff and she has asked us to inform you of the following:

● Due to the number of inmates that are transported to court every day, and the distance
between the San Bruno facility and the Superior Court, the department has found it necessary to
serve breakfast early in order assure that inmates arrive to their court appearances in a timely
fashion.

● Section 1027.5 of Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations requires that safety checks be
conducted at least hourly through direct visual observation of all inmates at least once every 60
minutes. This is necessary to assure that no inmate is being victimized or attempting to hurt
themselves.

● Each jail in the San Francisco Jail system has different issues regarding lighting. Inmate safety
and facility security necessitates that there is some level of lighting on at all times to assure that
inmates are not being victimized, causing harm to themselves, or creating any other number of
security issues.

With the above in mind, the Sheriff has ordered a comprehensive review of our practices in regard to
meal times, safety checks, lights out time, and the number of hours of uninterrupted sleep inmates are
currently afforded on nights before court as well as on weekends. She is currently reviewing plans that
include the following.

● A minimum of six continuous hours of lights off time when local, state or federal court is in
session, and seven hours on weekends and court holidays.
● Medication not being distributed prior to lights being turned on in the mornings.
● Shifting meal times to allow for a longer period of lights off time in the mornings.
● Absent exigent circumstances, no announcements over the intercom during lights off time.
● Reminders to sworn staff to conduct safety checks during lights off time in a quiet and
compassionate manner in order to keep disturbances to a minimum.

While no plan has been approved yet, the Sheriff has made it clear that this is a priority and you will
receive a more detailed response within the next 30 days. She thanks you for your patience and is
committed to make the necessary changes.