Mission Viejo City Council Supports Sheriff’s Appeal

To maintain public safety, the City Council in an emergency session on Monday voted to authorize the City Attorney to file or join an amicus brief supporting Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes’ appeal to a court ruling requiring the local jail population be cut in half, a move that would release dangerous and violent criminals back into the community.

Despite the Sheriff having plans for responding to COVID-19 issues within the jail system, the trial Court ordered him to reduce the inmate population by approximately 50% - which would result in the release of more than 1,800 inmates.

A large-scale release of these people, as directed by the Court, would pose a substantial risk to Orange County communities. The Court’s reduction mandate would also essentially cap the jail population and stop the intake of new inmates. As a result, cities like Mission Viejo would be unable to book people who’ve been arrested into jail.

“Public safety has always been our top priority,” said Mayor Brian Goodell. “Our City Council wholeheartedly supports Sheriff’s Barnes’ appeal to keep these criminals off our streets and his plan to appropriately respond to coronavirus issues in the jail system.”