Santa Barbara County jail inmates making masks for deputies

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- It's all hands on deck at the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office, where work is underway to make personal protective equipment.

SBSO spokesperson, "It's one of those things that's difficult for us to source from manufactures because everybody is looking for this type of equipment."

The Sheriff's Office is trying to make 3,400 face shields for deputies and other first responders. And it the inmates in the county jail making them.

SBSO inmate services manager, Deirdre Smith, said, "I think it gives the deputies a chance to see the human side of the inmates that they're working with. And I think that shows, again it allows them to take off that criminal identity and put on the hat of a human being and allow the custody staff to view them that way."

The inmates are part of the success stories program inside the jail.

"In order to be in the Sheriff's treatment program you have to be at a moderate to high risk to recidivate," said Smith. "So we're helping  people gain skills so they don't continue to come in and out of custody."

To make these face shields the inmates are repurposing from other items. The plastic shield part coming from a three ring binder. The foam for the forehead coming from egg crate foam. And then the elastic band, to keep it all in place.

Roy Duran Jr. is an inmate in the program. He said, "Being part of Success Stories and what we teach is that we have a purpose that's greater than ourselves. By participating in this program we have had an opportunity to live out that purpose and serve a cause that benefits humanity as a whole."

So far the inmates have made about 800 shields.They're waiting on more supplies and hope to finish by this weekend.