New Santa Cruz County Jail fencing slated to control protesters, sheriff says

Additional fencing will provide added security to the Santa Cruz County Jail, officials said Tuesday. But others believe it could block free speech. County supervisors have approved an emergency requisition to install a new 7-foot fence at the jail.

NewsChannel 5 learned some believe the fence will send the wrong message.

“I was actually arrested at political demonstrations in the past,” Courtney Hanson of Sin Barras said.

Hanson said she knows what it’s like to spend a few nights in jail. That’s why she joined the organization Sin Barras which means “without bars.” She thinks more fencing around the Santa Cruz Jail is unnecessary.

“If people really want to assemble, and really want to draw attention to the jail, and issues going on in there, it’s pushing people a little farther away,” Hanson said.

Last March, when protesters involved in the demonstration that shut Highway 17 down also blocked a jail entrance, deputies said it caused serious problems.

“Now this is a driveway we use to get inmates to and from court, so there was no connection between people that were arrested that day and this garage. But we had to clear it out and our deputies had to maneuver some cars around,” Chief Deputy Craig Wilson said.

The new extension will extend all the way down Blaine Street and will also add gates to the two entrances on the side. Essentially, the new fence will extend the 7-foot fence already in place to the back of the jail. Nearby resident Suzi Conger said she won’t mind.

“I don’t have positive or negative feelings about it,” Conger said.

Jail officials said the extra security is needed.

“We have had many county vehicles vandalized, tires slashed, windows smashed,” Sheriff Jim Hart said.

“A lot of our employees get here late at night, including the nurses. They’re not all corrections officers or deputies, so we do want to maintain a safe environment for them to get to and from their car,” Wilson said.

The new fence will cost just shy of $48,000. Hanson believes that money should be spent elsewhere.

“It’s not sending a great message, to prioritize building this,” Hanson said.

The sheriff said construction on the new fencing should happen sometime over the next few months.