SAN DIEGO — San Diego Sheriff Kelly Martinez has unveiled a bold $500 million, 10-year plan to improve the county’s jail system.
"It's been one of my priorities from the very beginning," she said. "I've talked a lot about we need to prioritize and improve our jail system."
The plan, which was presented to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors earlier this month, details some of the work needed at each of the county's seven jails. The oldest facility is the Vista Detention Facility, which was built in the 1970s.
The department expects to spend more than $300 million on the Vista jail with renovations and possibly a new building entirely.
Sheriff Martinez says none of the improvements are designed to house more inmates. Instead, the department wants to make changes to become more ADA compliant and cater to the mental health and substance abuse needs of the jail population. Some of that work has already begun.
“The structures that the showers are in, for instance, aren't wide enough for a wheelchair to access the showers, so we're working on that now. We need to build more therapeutic spaces, more spaces where we can treat mental illness, as well as some of the other needs of the people that are in our custody,” said Sheriff Martinez.
The Sheriff's plan comes after state auditors criticized the department in 2022 for its handling of inmate deaths, saying 185 people died between 2006 and 2020, one of the highest totals among counties statewide. Sheriff Martinez says the department has already implemented most of the recommendations in that audit, including improving screening procedures at intake, tracking inmate's healthcare, and confiscating drugs.
CBS 8 asked Sheriff Martinez if she has felt pressure to make things better.
“You know, what I've felt is a lot of support. I think right now we're getting the support we need to make the changes we need to do,” said Martinez.
San Diego County's Board of Supervisors have allocated a small portion of the funds needed to begin certain projects. It's unclear where the rest will come from. The Sheriff's Department has hired a consultant and expects to have an update in June.
“When you come into a position like I have as a leader, you really need to forecast for the future and identify what the needs are and plan for those needs," Sheriff Martinez said. "If you don't do that, I think you're failing our communities and so this is really what we're trying to achieve right now is mapping it out, helping people understand what we need so that we have the tools to prioritize the right things."
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