Gavin Smithcamp #2161

Jose Bedoya #2162

Arnaldo Ryan #2163

Patrick O'Malley #2164

Michael Gray #2165

Welcome to our third newsletter. You may have noticed the recent job announcements -- we just closed our first recruitment of 2013 for entry level candidates. This recruitment has not occurred since 2009. While we were fortunate to swear in six new deputies on February 22, these deputies were already academy trained and are lateral hires. With this infusion, our department is still understaffed by several dozen deputies. I know, especially after serving seven years on the Budget Committee of the Board of Supervisors, that it's unwise policy for departments to compensate for staff deficiencies by using overtime.

We are revamping our recruiting strategies with a specific focus on hiring from within San Francisco. As statistics show, this is not a common practice for our City's public safety agencies. As a Supervisor, I sponsored legislation creating a vocational training academy for high school students or young adults who want to pursue employment in public safety. Although, that academy remains in limbo between the S. F. Unified School District, City College and City Hall, the S.F. Sheriff's Department wants to cultivate top flight candidates who know the City and want to contribute to their communities through public service.

Why become a deputy sheriff or a program coordinator? Because our work matters!

On February 7, 2013, I proudly watched Reggie Daniels, an ex-offender, honored as one of four winners of the KQED Black History Month Local Heroes Award. In custody, Reggie participated in the department's Resolve to Stop the Violence Program (RSVP). He used his time well inside, and embarked on an amazing path upon release, where he earned a Masters degree from the University of San Francisco. He is now a program leader, helping us make reentry more effective for ex-offenders.

Another wave of inspiration carried over into something that no other jail system in the nation participated in-- the One Billion Rising event. While a great deal of attention was focused on the general public for increasing efforts to stamp out violence against women and children, another audience was key to the equation, both offenders and survivors who are in jail. We reached out to event organizers, Dancing Without Borders, to work with our staff, women and men inmates. A truly remarkable collaboration between inmates, sworn deputies, department and organizers resulted in something that exceeded all expectations. The rally theme to end violence also buttressed the call for anti-violence education, treatment and restorative justice. This passion is captured in the video link of women and men inmates with our deputy staff and organizers - I encourage you to check it out.

Further, on behalf of our department and city, congratulations to Deputy Sheriff Joanne Gomez, recipient of the San Francisco Rotary Emergency Services Award for 2013. Honored for her bravery for saving a man who fell off the BART station platform and landed onto the tracks with a oncoming train arriving within one minute. A delegation of us were there to witness the award ceremony and to celebrate the heroes of the Sheriff's Department, the San Francisco Police Department, Fire Department and Coast Guard. Congratulations to all.

Finally, I want to commend our training unit. The Board of State and Community Corrections found our department in "substantial compliance". This means that all sworn peace officers, except those on approved leave, completed their mandated training. 

Looking forward, as I intimated in previous reports of exciting actions to come, in collaboration with the San Francisco Adult Probation Department, we just launched California's first Reentry Pod. We will have more on this in the next newsletter.

Professional excellence coupled with the drive to make a difference in people's lives is a first-rate reason to work here.

Deputy Gomez was honored for her heroic actions of March 27, 2012. Deputy Gomez was at a BART station platform waiting for the train to commute to work. She noted that the next train was due to arrive in one minute. At that time a young man ran across the platform and fell onto the train tracks below the platform. Deputy Gomez immediately climbed down onto the tracks to rescue the young man from the arriving train. Another person came to Deputy Gomez's aid and together they began to lift the man up to return him to the platform. Two more people came to assist and were successful in lifting him back onto the platform.

On the platform Deputy Gomez placed the unconscious man, on his side and in a position of recovery. The man was bleeding from his nose and mouth. When the man recovered consciousness, Deputy Gomez reassured the man and continued with first aid. When BART P.D. and medical assistance arrived, Deputy Gomez shared the appropriate information with BART P.D. and then caught the next train to report to work.

Deputy Gomez's professionalism and bravery prevented a possible fatality or serious injury to a member of the public in their time of need.

San Francisco Inmates Rising!

On February 14 the Sheriff's Department participated in One Billion Rising, an empowering "dance strike" and global movement designed to bring awareness to the fight against violence to women and girls.

The lyrics of Tena Clark's "Break the Chain" never sounded as powerful as they did on the day we taught the women in our SISTER program the dance steps that would be performed across the world during this important event. During the four-hour process of healing through dance, music, and meditation, the energy and focus of all participants could be felt as one of community, awareness, openness, respect, love and hope. When asked how people felt after the group, one woman shared, "I know that I am in jail, but I feel free".

We can't end violence against women and girls alone. It's a global problem and we need a global solution. Men must stand up and account
for their violence. It was in this spirit that on February 13, in keeping with the principles of Restorative Justice in our RSVP program, the men participated in a four-hour process of engaging each other in deep dialog about violence, accountability, and empathy. They, too, learned the One Billion Rising dance steps and created posters that illustrated the myths and truths about domestic violence, rape, and trafficking victims. These posters were distributed to women in the audience at the One Billion Rising event at City Hall.