Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Scott R. Jones Sheriff June 9, 2022 Hon. Michael Bowman Presiding Judge Sacramento*

Implementation of COVID-19 related Public Health Orders was hamstrung by a lack of enforcement support from the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, the County Chief Executive, the County Sheriff and local law enforcement agencies. Response to Finding 6. Disagree with finding As essential workers during the pandemic, a tremendous amount of personnel resources were devoted to developing and implementing COVID-19 protocols and procedures throughout our agency. The Sheriff's Office implemented numerous COVID-19 mitigation strategies within its facilities and continues to adhere to related State Public Health Orders and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance to minimize the spread of COVID-19. All staff REFER ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: SACRAMENTO SHERIFF'S OFFICE • 4500 ORANGE GROVE AVENUE • SACRAMENTO, CA 95841-4205 Hon. Michael Bowman June 9, 2022 are/were required to adhere to various County and State orders, including patrol officers, and other many essential positions within the Sheriff's Office that were required to work throughout the pandemic. As for public enforcement, from the inception of the pandemic the Sheriff adopted a role of education rather than enforcement, confident that criminal enforcement from peace officers would neither be necessary nor appropriate in most instances. Additionally, the Sheriff spearheaded a uniform response by ALL law enforcement within the county, to prepare consistent enforcement mechanisms should they be required. The Sheriff had weekly meetings or conversations with ALL chiefs of police in the county to ensure a unified, consistent response to COVID-19, both in messaging and enforcement. In furtherance and in preparation, a warning letter was developed for each agency with identical language, outlining legal responsibilities and consequences for failure to abide by the various orders, including criminal enforcement. That notice, which is attached, was issued by some agencies (under their own seal), and not others as the situation warranted. It was never necessary for the Sheriff's Office to issue any such warnings. Finally, the Sheriff never saw the need to activate any criminal enforcement within the unincorporated County for the various changing mandates that were promulgated by the Governor, appointed heath officials, various bureaucrats and others. <b>Recommendation 6.</b> The Board of Supervisors and OPH should immediately begin discussions with the County Sheriff and other County law enforcement entities. These discussions should result in a County ordinance directing local law enforcement to enforce public health emergency orders. The Board of Supervisors should enact this ordinance by December 2022. Response to Recommendation 6. The Sheriff and the Sheriff's Office remain open to any such discussions, remaining mindful of the Sheriff's discretion as a Constitutionally elected officer. Very truly yours, SCOTT R. JONES, SHERIFF Copy: Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder's Office Sacramento County Grand Jury