SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday ended a short standoff at the Main Jail by inmates who said the facility was too cold.
According to Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Clark, inmates were complaining for several days about the temperature in one of the housing units.
Jail staff was providing extra blankets maintenance staff worked to keep the temperature above 70 degrees, Clark said.
But the inmates became “increasingly noncompliant,” as they disobeyed orders, used mattresses as makeshift barricades and prepared tools to use as weapons, Clark said.
“Despite hours of Correctional staff attempting to resolve and deescalate the disturbance, the inmates ultimately refused to follow lawful directives,” he said.
Just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Sheriff’s Office staff entered the housing unit to restore safety and order. Nobody was injured.
