Members Present: Ovava Afuhaamango, Scott Dignan, Diane Lozano, Estela Ortiz, William Palmer II, and Julie D. Soo
ROLL CALL AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
On the call of the roll. Board Members Afuhaamango, Dignan, Lozano, Ortiz, Palmer, and Soo, were noted present.
A quorum of the Board was present.
Dan Leung, Board Secretary presented the ancestral homeland acknowledgement of the Ramaytush Ohlone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Board Secretary Leung further thanked SFGovTV for recording, moderating, and televising the meeting on Cable Channel 26, and welcomed members of the public to attend board meetings and provide public comment in-person, by email at sdob@sfgov.org, or by US Postal mail addressed to the Office of the Inspector General, 1 South Van Ness Ave, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; and noted that in person comment was limited to 2 minutes with General Public Comment taken at the end of the meeting.
Board Secretary Leung welcomed Chief John Ramirez from the Sheriff’s Office to the meeting.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
There were no discussion or requests for corrections from any Board Members on the December 5, 2025, Regular Board Meeting Minutes.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
Member Soo, seconded by Member Lozano, moved to approve the December 5, 2025, Regular Board Meeting Minutes, as presented. The motion carried the following vote:
Ayes: Afuhaamango, Dignan, Lozano, Ortiz, Palmer, Soo
Nays: None
APPROVED.
PRESENTATION BY MELINDA BENSON
Melinda Benson, Director of Prisoner Legal Services, provided an update on current operations. The presentation highlighted recent accomplishments, ongoing initiatives, and the overall impact of the program’s work.
Questions from Member’s Palmer, Soo, Lozano, Afuhaamango, and Ortiz.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Rani Singh, Chief Counsel at the Sheriff’s Office, expressed her gratitude to Ms. Benson and her team, highlighting their dedication, professionalism, and the significant effort they put into their work. She specifically noted how their proactive handling of matters before they reach her makes her job easier, while commending their commitment to excellence and service.
PRESENTATION BY THE YOUNG WOMEN’S FREEDOM CENTER
Julia Arroyo, Executive Director, and Eva Barrios, Youth Organizer from the Young Women’s Freedom Center presented on the organization’s mission and work, including an overview of key programs, community impact, and opportunities for collaboration.
Questions from Member’s Soo, Dignan, Afuhaamango, Ortiz, Lozano, and Palmer.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
PRESENTATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF POLICE ACCOUNTABLITY
Marshall Khine from the Department of Police Accountability, presented on the proposed launch of a jail tablet survey and sought input on messaging, outreach, incentives, and future use of the platform.
Questions from Member’s Afuhaamango, Soo, Ortiz, and Palmer.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
INSPECTOR GENERAL RECRUITMENT UPDATE
Member Soo gave an update to the Board on the current status of the Inspector General recruitment process.
Discussion from Member’s Palmer and Ortiz.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
BOARD MEMBER REPORT
Member Afuhaamango reflected on her time on the Board including what she has learned in her time as a member of the inaugural board. She then announced her resignation and gave recommendations for the future.
Comments from Member Soo and Palmer.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
Member Soo gave a report on her attendance at the Commission of Status of Women meeting.
Comments from Member Palmer.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Member Soo initiated a discussion on future agenda items, with active input from Members Lozano, Palmer, and Ortiz.
Future agenda items include:
- Jail safety
- Contraband policy: sources, thresholds for strip searches, and related protocols
- Strip search policies and intake procedures
- Policies and best practices for overall safety
- Sheriff’s findings on contraband
- Presentation on P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standard Training)
- Jail tablet surveys, research, and PLS survey results
- Reasons for extended jail stays: Sheriff, Probation, District Attorney, or Courts?
- Update from SFSO IT department
- Community meetings
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
ADJOURNMENT
Having completed the agenda and there being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:18 p.m.
N.B. The Minutes of this meeting set forth all actions taken by the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board on the matters stated.
Approved with corrections by the Sheriff's Department Oversight Board on February 6, 2026.
____________________________________
Dan Leung, Board Secretary
Full video recording may be accessed at: https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/51747?view_id=223&redirect=true