Santa Clara County seeks ‘humane, safe’ options to tear gassing mentally ill inmates

Santa Clara County Sheriff Bob Jonsen vowed to improve mental health care in the county jail during his campaign last year, yet tear gas and pepper spray are still used on incarcerated individuals with mental health issues.

Sheriff deputies in the jail use tear gas and oleoresin capsicum spray, or pepper spray, on mentally ill individuals who won’t willingly leave their cells when being relocated, for medication or during an emergency. On Sept. 22, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for the county Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring to work with the Sheriff’s Office, custody health and county counsel and report back with an evaluation of alternatives to chemical agents. It also requested a review of video from adjacent cells to ensure individuals were evacuated and decontaminated when chemicals were used.