As of Tuesday, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department has formally implemented new policies for inmates at city jails who identify as transgender, gender variant or non-binary, San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessy said Wednesday.
The use of the word "new" is novel in this instance. The policies and procedures being implemented were announced at the beginning of 2017 after reforms began being considered in 2015.
The sheriff's office says the full implementation of the rules has awaited staff training.
The new policies will allow inmates to declare their preferred name and gender identity at intake and to indicate a gender preference for the deputy who will search them.
Sheriff’s deputies have been instructed to address inmates by their preferred gender pronouns and any inmates identifying as transgender, gender variant or non-binary will be moved from a 12-person cell at the main jail to a separate housing pod, where they will have access to classes and services.
Our number one priority is safety for all: staff, inmates, visitors and service providers.
We thoughtfully and carefully considered and vetted every policy and procedure, which impacts our TGN inmates to ensure they feel protected, respected and have full access to the County Jail’s educational, vocational, recovery and life skills classes and services.
--Sheriff Vicki Hennessy