‘Jailbirds’ fallout leads Sacramento County to restrict filming after Netflix series

Sacramento County elected officials unanimously approved stricter rules against filming in county facilities this week, a policy they developed after the sheriff’s office allowed filmmakers to record inmates inside the Sacramento County Jail for a Netflix series.

Under the new rules, county departments must receive written approval from the county’s public information officer prior to filming or entering into an agreement with a production company.

“Filming will not be allowed if disruptive to regular operations and will only be allowed in approved areas,” the policy said. “Film crews will be escorted and observed on site by County personnel and any facilities and/or assets utilized will be restored to their original condition or better upon completion.”

The policy also states that release of liability forms must be obtained prior to filming.

The stricter rules are in response to a Jailbirds, the Netflix reality TV series that aired in 2019, which filmed inmates at the Sacramento County Main Jail without their attorneys present.

Attorneys from the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office said at the time they were alarmed because the recordings could jeopardize their clients’ cases, raising fundamental questions about fairness to the inmates who had not yet been convicted at trial.

Inmates who appeared in the show said in interviews with The Sacramento Bee that they were told they would not face penalties for violations caught on camera.

The policy stipulates that once filming has concluded staff appointed by the County Executive must review the footage “in order to assure the content is appropriate,not harmful to the County, staff, and/or others being filmed.”

The resolution passed by the Board Tuesday that future amendments to the policy are to be delegated to the county executive’s office.