Sheriff Oversight Board Adopts Yearlong Roadmap, Adds Language Access
Sheriff's Department Oversight Board • San FranciscoOctober 2, 2026
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San Francisco's Sheriff's Department Oversight Board set its agenda for the year on Oct. 2, 2026. Members voted 4-0 to adopt a timelines and priorities framework that schedules monthly topics, from jail mental health to budget scrutiny. Members also widened the framework to include language access and the treatment of transgender people in custody, while welcoming a new Sheriff's Office liaison and hearing from a women's recovery group that works inside the jails.
- Annual priorities framework adopted 4-0, with language access and transgender population topics added
- Board wants budget detail before budget hearings, including RESET Center spending
- Chief of Staff Kelvin Wu named the Sheriff's Office's liaison to the board
- Sister Circle details jail-based recovery groups and post-release court support
Board Locks In Its Year: Mental Health, Jail Conditions, Budget
The basics: The framework is the board's working calendar. It assigns monthly topics, plans invited speakers four to six weeks ahead and tracks the board's quarterly and annual reporting obligations.
Why it matters: The roadmap decides what the board examines each month and what reports it requests from the Sheriff's Office. That includes jail mental health in November and jail conditions in December, ahead of budget hearings where members want spending detail on the RESET Center and a stronger Inspector General budget.
Where things stand: Board President Hsu said the draft deliberately balances community voices with fiscal and operational oversight. "So as you can see, we try to do a good cross-section of hearing from the community," said Board President Hsu, describing a calendar that covers community input, budget, operations and policies. Members were asked to flag scheduling conflicts.
Board Member Cuevas pushed to fold language access into the December session on jail conditions and the needs of incarcerated people. "I would consider language access one of the needs," said Board Member Cuevas.
Cuevas also raised a gap. "I'm not clear on what is the approach for the transgender population in the jails," said Board Member Cuevas. Hsu responded with a path forward: "We could also invite the city's transgender office as well to outline expectations for the city," said Board President Hsu.
Board Member Rosborough asked whether the November mental health topic would include people working inside the facilities. "Are you including anyone that is currently working in the jail?" said Board Member Rosborough. Rosborough also praised the format. "It is like a roadmap," said Board Member Rosborough.
Follow the money: Discussion touched on a RESET Center visit expected in May. Members also stressed the value of dollars-and-cents information before budget hearings. For an oversight body, that sequencing matters: a hearing without spending data invites general testimony, while a hearing with line items allows targeted questions.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Board Member Cuevas moved to adopt the framework. It passed by roll call (For: 4, Cuevas, Dignan, Rosborough, Hsu; Against: 0; Absent: 3, Lozano, Palmer, Ortiz). No one spoke during public comment.
- Incarcerated people: Language access and transgender care now have dedicated places on the calendar.
- Jail staff: Their perspective could be part of the mental health discussion, if Rosborough's suggestion is adopted.
- Sheriff's Office: The office faces a predictable calendar of information requests.
- Inspector General: The office gains board attention heading into budget season.
What's next: The November mental health and December jail conditions sessions are the near-term tests. Advocates who want to testify should note the four-to-six-week speaker planning window.
New Liaison: Kelvin Wu Becomes the Board's Point Person
Where things stand: Assistant Sheriff John Ramirez congratulated the board's new president and vice president and thanked members for their cooperation. He then handed off liaison duties. "Kelvin has been identified by the sheriff as your liaison," said Assistant Sheriff John Ramirez.
Chief of Staff Kelvin Wu described his background and committed to respect and follow-through. He also cast the board and the department as partners. "We try to make the Sheriff's Office look better. We try to get more public trust," said Chief of Staff Kelvin Wu. Hsu noted that Wu's email address includes his middle initial, Y.
Why it matters: Wu becomes the day-to-day contact for jail visits and facility access requests. That is the channel the board depends on for Sheriff's Office information. How responsive that channel proves to be will shape whether the new roadmap yields real data.
The other side of the bars: James Irving, treasurer of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriff's Association, introduced himself at his first board meeting. Hsu stressed the need to balance the needs of incarcerated people and deputies. Irving's presence signals that the deputies' union is watching an oversight body whose agenda now includes jail staffing perspectives and conditions.
Sister Circle Brings Recovery Work From Inside the Jails
Where things stand: Founder Traci Watson Akbar was scheduled to present but did not attend. Members of Sister Circle presented in her place. Melanie Moisau Absher, a Sister Circle facilitator, court advocate and jail liaison, described the group as an extension of Positive Directions Equals Change. "We are a women's support network in San Francisco," said Melanie Moisau Absher, Sister Circle. She also shared her own recovery story.
Office Manager Sherry Ramirez said the group facilitates sessions in the jails on the first three Fridays of each month. Topics include anger management, parenting, conflict resolution and relapse prevention. Board Member Cuevas asked about the jail work and credits. Ramirez said participants can continue after release: "They can get parenting credits, they can get anger management credits, letters for court," said Sherry Ramirez, Sister Circle.
Why it matters: The presentation gives the board a ground-level view of community-run reentry programming. That context feeds directly into the December jail conditions and needs topic now on its calendar. Court credits and letters can affect custody and case outcomes for women leaving jail.
What's next: Sister Circle announced a Nov. 11 fundraiser at the Atwater Tavern, a Fleet Week stand and a December toy drive. The board took no action, and no one offered public comment.
Minor Items
- Minutes approved: The Sept. 4 regular and Sept. 18 special meeting minutes passed 4-0 by roll call.
- Grand jury response filed: The clerk said the board submitted its grand jury report responses the morning of the meeting.
- Observer urges follow-through: A public commenter called the late grand jury submission detailed and comprehensive. The commenter suggested sending it to the Comptroller's Office and working it into the annual plan.
- Thin quorum: Four members attended. Member Lozano was excused, Member Palmer was absent due to a Board of Supervisors suspension, and Member Ortiz did not join.
- Future agendas: Members were reminded that advance notice lets staff schedule requested topics.
Looking Ahead
Watch whether the city's transgender office and current jail staff appear on the November and December agendas. Also watch whether the Sheriff's Office delivers the RESET Center and budget figures members say they need before budget hearings.