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L.A. County Orders Jail Safety Overhaul With 120-Day Deadline

The move follows a surge of in-custody deaths this year.

Overview

  • Supervisors approved a Janice Hahn motion on a 4–0 vote, with Kathryn Barger abstaining, after ten people died in county jails in the first two months of 2026.
  • The directives expand access to Naloxone, tighten cell checks, require consistent camera monitoring, upgrade security, inventory emergency equipment, and expedite compassionate releases.
  • County agencies, including the Sheriff’s Department and Health Services, must implement the changes and report back within 120 days.
  • In a separate action, the board ordered a concrete timeline for closing Men’s Central Jail and restored the Jail Closure Implementation Team name.
  • The state attorney general’s lawsuit over unsafe jail conditions remains active, while Sheriff Robert Luna points to an older, sicker population in custody.