If you are looking into a San Bernardino County Sheriff excessive force lawsuit, something serious has likely happened: a takedown during an arrest, a beating in a jail booking area, a Taser, or a death after contact with deputies. We are sorry you or your family are facing this. San Bernardino County is huge, and its Sheriff's Department patrols cities, desert towns and mountain communities and runs one of the largest jail systems in California.
This guide is about that department specifically. It covers how big it is, what its own reports and published court cases show, how a complaint differs from a legal claim, and where a claim against the County of San Bernardino goes. The key point: most state-law claims against the County must be filed within six months.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department at a glance
| Agency | San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (Sheriff-Coroner) |
|---|---|
| Staff | 2,233 sworn and 2,190 professional staff (2024 Annual Crime Report) |
| Area served | More than 20,000 square miles and more than 2.2 million people (2024 Annual Crime Report) |
| Jails | West Valley Detention Center (Rancho Cucamonga), High Desert Detention Center (Adelanto), Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center (Devore), Central Detention Center (San Bernardino) |
| Jail population | Average daily population 4,746; 58,142 bookings in 2024 (2024 Annual Crime Report) |
| Deaths in custody | 2023: 18 · 2024: 12 · 2025: 9 (count of the department's posted in-custody death notices, as of October 2026) |
| Court oversight | Turner v. County of San Bernardino consent decree on jail medical and mental-health care (entered 2018) |
According to its 2024 Annual Crime Report, the department has 2,233 sworn and 2,190 professional staff and covers more than 20,000 square miles. Deputies patrol unincorporated areas and cities that contract with the County for police services, and the department also runs the jails and the coroner's office. That combination matters for a lawsuit: the same County is usually responsible whether the harm happened during a traffic stop in a contract city or in a jail housing unit.
What court cases show about deputy force
A detailed account comes from Prison Legal News (March 2024), which reviewed federal court files. It reported that from 2014 to 2016, 33 people held in the county's jails filed lawsuits alleging abuse by the County and its deputies, much of it involving Tasers and painful arm restraints. It also described two later force cases at West Valley Detention Center:
- Ramon S. Lopez alleged that deputies threw him into a booking room and beat him until he lost consciousness in July 2017, and that a nurse walked past without helping. His federal case settled in 2021 for $20,000.
- Michael Flores alleged that two guards beat him unconscious in November 2018 while wearing weighted gloves. The guards said he was fighting them. His case settled in 2021 for $15,000.
Those amounts are small, and they show something important: the value of a force case depends heavily on the injuries, the evidence (especially video) and how early the case is built. These are allegations from lawsuits; neither settlement was an admission of wrongdoing. If you were hurt by deputies inside a jail, our guide on suing after a beating by jail deputies goes deeper.
Deaths in San Bernardino County custody
Under state law the department posts notices of in-custody deaths. Counting the notices on its AB 2761 reporting page, there were 18 deaths in 2023, 12 in 2024 and 9 in 2025, and at least 7 from January through April 2026. Most occurred at West Valley Detention Center. Counts can differ by source: in November 2024 the department said there had been 10 deaths so far that year and disputed advocates' figure of 20.
Jail medical care has been under federal court supervision. In Turner v. County of San Bernardino, a Prison Law Office class action, a consent decree covering medical, dental and mental-health care was entered in December 2018. According to Prison Legal News (November 2024), the court released the medical-care provisions from monitoring in July 2024 after finding substantial compliance. For more on the largest jail, see our West Valley Detention Center deaths guide.
Reported San Bernardino County results
These are reported results in cases brought by people or families against the County of San Bernardino. They were obtained by other lawyers, not by our firm.
| Year | Case | Type | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Family of Adam Preston Adams, killed by his cellmate at West Valley in 2023 (federal suit by his daughter) | Settlement; the County had not confirmed the amount | $1.75 million (reported) | Press-Enterprise via Hoodline |
| 2018 or 2019 (source gives both) | Stoflett v. County: children of Betty Lozano, who died in a High Desert sobering cell in 2017 | Settlement | $1.9 million | Prison Legal News |
| 2021 | Family of Robert Vernon Sutton, beaten by a cellmate at West Valley in 2019 | Settlement | $857,500 | Prison Legal News |
| 2021 | Ames v. County: family of Harry Simmons, alleged medical neglect, 2017 | Settlement | $285,000 | Prison Legal News |
| 2021 | Snell v. County: family of Albert Snell, in-custody suicide, 2017 | Settlement (County and medical contractor) | $190,000 | Prison Legal News |
| 2021 | Lopez v. County: alleged deputy beating at West Valley, 2017 | Settlement | $20,000 | Prison Legal News |
| 2021 | Flores v. County: alleged guard beating at West Valley, 2018 | Settlement | $15,000 | Prison Legal News |
Every case is different. Past results, including those listed here, do not predict the outcome of any other case. Our page on police brutality settlements in California collects results from other agencies.
Can you sue the San Bernardino County Sheriff?
Usually the defendants are the County of San Bernardino and the individual deputies involved. The legal paths are:
- Federal civil-rights claims (42 U.S.C. § 1983). Force during an arrest or stop is judged under the Fourth Amendment: was it objectively reasonable given everything the deputy faced? Force against someone in jail awaiting trial is generally judged under the Fourteenth Amendment. The County can be liable under federal law for its own policies, customs or failure to train. These claims generally must be filed within two years, with no claim form first. Deputies may raise qualified immunity, but that defense does not cover the County's policy liability.
- State-law claims. Battery, negligence, wrongful death and Bane Act claims (Civil Code § 52.1) can be brought against the County, which is generally responsible for deputies' on-duty acts. Some immunities apply, but federal qualified immunity does not. These claims require a government claim within six months.
If the incident happened in a city that contracts with the Sheriff for patrol, the deputies are still County employees. A lawyer should still check whether the city has any role, because each public entity has its own claim requirements. For a fuller explanation of the force standard, see our excessive force guide.
Complaint or claim: what is the difference?
You can file a citizen complaint with the Sheriff's Department about a deputy's conduct. A complaint asks the department to investigate and, if it chooses, discipline the deputy. It is not a request for money, and it does not stop the six-month deadline for a claim against the County. If you want compensation, you need a separate government claim. Filing a complaint first, without advice, can also mean giving a recorded statement to the same department you may later sue.
If criminal charges are pending against you from the same incident, talk to a lawyer before saying anything to investigators. The civil claim deadline usually keeps running even while a criminal case is open.
Where to file a claim against San Bernardino County
The County's Risk Management department says to complete the "Claim Against County of San Bernardino" form, print it, sign it and send it to the address listed on the form. Risk Management's office is at 222 W. Hospitality Lane, Third Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415. The page does not list email or online filing. Check the current form for the return address, keep a copy, and use a delivery method that gives you proof of the date.
For death or personal injury, the claim generally must be presented within six months of the incident (Government Code § 911.2). If it is rejected in writing, you generally have six months from the rejection to file suit. Our six-month claim deadline guide explains late-claim relief, which is limited.
Steps to take now
- Get medical treatment and keep every record, photo and bill.
- Write down names, badge numbers, patrol unit numbers, the station involved, and witnesses.
- Save phone video and note nearby cameras. In jail cases, the booking or housing unit and the time matter for preserving video.
- Request body-worn camera video when it exists; video of critical incidents generally must be released within 45 days (Government Code § 7923.625).
- After a death, ask the Sheriff-Coroner Division for the coroner's report; the department's coroner is part of the same agency.
- Do not sign County paperwork or give a recorded statement before getting advice.
How LaCour can help
LaCour Trial Lawyers handles police misconduct and wrongful death in custody cases statewide. Our offices in Pomona and Riverside are the closest to San Bernardino County, and our trial partners lead each case. We have Spanish-speaking lawyers and staff and work on contingency: no fee unless there is a recovery. Request a free, confidential review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue the San Bernardino County Sheriff for excessive force?
Often, yes. You can bring federal civil-rights claims against the deputies and the County, and state-law claims such as battery and the Bane Act against the County. The state claims require a government claim within six months.
How long do I have to file a claim against San Bernardino County?
For personal injury or death, generally six months from the incident under Government Code § 911.2. Federal civil-rights claims generally have a two-year deadline, but missing the six-month claim can end the state-law part of your case.
Where do I send a claim against the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department?
Claims against the Sheriff's Department are claims against the County of San Bernardino. Use the county's "Claim Against County of San Bernardino" form from Risk Management and send it to the address printed on the form, keeping proof of the date you sent it.
Does a complaint to the Sheriff's Department stop the deadline?
No. A citizen complaint is an internal discipline process. It is not a legal claim for money, and the six-month claim deadline keeps running.
What if deputies hurt me inside West Valley Detention Center?
People held in the jail can bring civil-rights and state-law claims for force and for denied medical care. Video, medical records and the names of housing units and staff are key, so act early to preserve them.
Do contract-city deputies count as county employees?
Yes. Deputies who patrol contract cities work for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, so the County is generally the public entity responsible. A lawyer should still check whether a claim to the city is also needed.
Sources
- San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, "2024 Annual Crime Report"
- San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, AB 2761 in-custody death postings (accessed October 2026)
- Sierra Sun Times (department release), "Sheriff's Department clarifies number of in-custody deaths," November 2024
- Prison Legal News, "Four Dead in One Month in San Bernardino County Jails, $3,232,500 in Settlements Paid So Far," March 2024
- Prison Legal News, "San Bernardino Jail Partially Released from Court Monitoring," November 2024
- Hoodline (citing the Press-Enterprise), "San Bernardino County settles jail death case for $1.75M," October 2026
- San Bernardino County Risk Management, "Liability Claims"
This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.