SANTA CRUZ >> They tied trip lines from ripped jail-cell sheets, covered their arms with socks, hid their faces with makeshift masks and armed themselves with soap, a radio, mop, books and bottles of liquid.

The 26 men housed in the west-wing L Unit complained it was too cold and, about 2 p.m. Tuesday, drove an offensive against Santa Cruz County Jail officers entering the two-story, booby-trapped cell block. The men covered the unit floor with soap and water and blocked stairwells and walkways with mattresses as they tried to pelt the guards with books and soap, Sgt. Brian Cleveland said.

“They had been gearing up for an attack,” Cleveland said. “They set out trip lines as booby traps. They threw whatever they had access to.”

The men used mats to protect their bodies, he said.

“It was a hectic situation,” Cleveland said.

It started with a complaint Monday. The inmates, two appeared to be in charge of the others, told officers that it was too cold in their units and refused to return to their cells, Cleveland said.

Jail staff checked the temperatures, which were in the high 60s to low 70s in all the units, Cleveland said. Blankets were offered and declined. The men also declined to eat dinner on Monday, Cleveland said.

By Tuesday, the inmates of L Unit declined any offerings of blankets and dinner. The Water Street jail can accommodate 311 inmates.

“They all refused to return to their cells and had free access to the unit, which is not allowed,” Cleveland said. “This made a very tense environment for our corrections officers.”

At that point, the threats escalated in what was becoming an apparent offensive, Cleveland said.

“The inmates started taking an offensive approach to our corrections officers,” Cleveland said.

The masked men covered their arms with socks as armor, he said. They also had a mop bucket.

Deputies used a K-9 officer as a deterrent upon entry, but the barking did not stop the inmates’ tactics.

“Several less lethal options were used to gain compliance,” Cleveland said. Sting balls, which eject rubber pellets, and bean-bag rounds were used on the inmates.

“Upon entering the unit, the inmates were throwing hard objects and an unknown liquid,” Cleveland said. “One of their concerns was exposure to human waste.”

Some inmates locked themselves in their cells.

The resistance was quelled in less than 20 minutes, Cleveland said.

“There were no serious injuries,” Cleveland said. “Several inmates had some discomfort, some bumps and bruises. No one had to be treated in a hospital.”

THE CLEANUP

All inmates were searched, examined by medical staff and placed in a holding room while L Unit was cleaned.

“It took 15 people more than three hours to clean the unit,” Cleveland said.

Two inmates were the “primary instigators,” he said. Charges have not been filed, but surveillance is being reviewed to determine legal action.

Cleveland declined to release the identities of the two men.

At some point on Tuesday, the inmates threw something on the ceiling that obstructed the surveillance camera, Cleveland said.

“And they covered the entire interior wall so we couldn’t see inside the unit,” Cleveland said.

More than $1,000 in property was destroyed.

Felonies likely will be recommended: assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and conspiracy, Cleveland said. No one has been arrested in connection to the disturbance.

“This is not a normal occurrence,” Cleveland said.

L Unit has not had previous problems, he said.

Wednesday, 24 inmates were returned to L Unit, Cleveland said. The suspected organizers were placed in another area of the jail, he said.

COMPLIANCE

In the last year, the Sheriff’s Office has been working on what it calls “incentivized housing,” which rewards compliance from inmates, Cleveland said.

Officers “talk to inmates and identify some of the leaders in the unit and try to gain compliance,” Cleveland said.

The inmates may receive workout equipment, radios — “things they’re not normally entitled to,” he said.

“It’s been very effective at the jail,” Cleveland said. “However, this unit did not want to have any compliance over this issue and refused to negotiate.”