SAN DIEGO — San Diego County's top law enforcement official faced some tough criticism from the families of inmates who've died while in custody.
Speaking at the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board, Sheriff Kelly Martinez shared changes being made within the county's jail system, after an audit earlier found that San Diego County has the highest in-custody death rate of any jail system in the state.
This was the first time that Sheriff Martinez addressed the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board, taking questions posed by board members since taking over the department last year.
"I'm glad I had the chance to present today," she said near the end. "I think it's long overdue and I apologize for that."
Both before and after Sheriff Martinez spoke, family members of inmates who've died within the county's jail system spoke out, including the family of Saxon Rodriguez, who died of an overdose while in Central Jail in 2021.
"I want to talk to Kelly Martinez about not letting any more big brothers die," said Saxon's young brother Andrew.
"I hope to see more change than what has been presented to us," added his sister Sabrina Whittle.
Martinez, who had faced criticism from some members of the public for not speaking to the Review Board sooner, did not directly address the public's specific comments tonight. But she did emphasize her commitment to improving conditions in County jails.
"There are changes that have been made and continue to come and they will continue to come, and I am very committed and invested in the way we incarcerate people in San Diego County."
Among those changes over the past few years include wellness checks for inmates.
"We visit them in their cells, make sure that they're taking their medications, make sure they don't have any counseling needs or other medical needs," Martinez said.
New high-tech body scanners are now used to prevent drugs and other contra band from being smuggled in to jails by inmates or jail workers.
"We have a new employee screening process which was launched in July of this year for Sheriff's personnel, both sworn and professional, as well as contractors, volunteers and professional visitors who enter our county jails who undergo screening including their belongings," she added.
She said that a new drug interdiction team has intercepted a record number of drugs from inmates attempting to smuggle drugs into the system.
"People have purposely been arrested," she added, "Probation violation was the most common way. They would actively want to be arrested because there is such a market for narcotics in the facility."