The H.O.P.E. Team conducts outreach in Highland

Board of Supervisors | CountyWire | Office of Homeless Services | Sheriff's Department
A person is standing with hands behind their back next to a law enforcement officer in uniform. They are beside a white police vehicle parked on a dirt road.

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A person is standing with hands behind their back next to a law enforcement officer in uniform. They are beside a white police vehicle parked on a dirt road.
The Sheriff’s Department and its partners conducted Operation Shelter Me on Friday, Feb. 6 between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The Sheriff’s Community Service & Reentry Division’s Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) and deputies from the Highland Station Multiple Enforcement Team (MET) conducted Operation Shelter Me in the city of Highland and the surrounding areas. This operation aimed to connect staff with unhoused residents, offering them housing, medical and mental health treatment services while addressing community safety concerns.
 
On Nov. 5, 2024, California voters passed Proposition 36, titled The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act. The proposition took effect on Dec. 18, 2024, and reforms multiple laws from Proposition 47, which have been responsible for increasing homelessness, drug addiction and theft. Proposition 36 includes several new Penal and Health and Safety Code provisions that deputies can apply during arrests when appropriate. These latest charges can carry enhanced sentencing and prevent offenders from being cited and released before their court appearance.
 
During this operation, the H.O.P.E. Team and Highland deputies focused on individuals with significant mental illnesses to link them with restorative mental health pathways. The operation yielded the following results, with Proposition 36 applied where applicable:

  • 43 individuals currently experiencing homelessness were contacted by H.O.P.E. and Highland deputies
  • Seven individuals accepted referral information to assistance programs
  • Two individuals were arrested for their in-county felony warrants
  • Two individuals were arrested for their in-county misdemeanor warrants
  • Deputy Michael Castaneda arrested an individual for PC 29800 (a)(1)- felon in possession of a loaded firearm in California
  • Five individuals were arrested for HS 11377 (a)- possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor in California
  • Two individuals were arrested for HS 11364- possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor in California
  • One individual was arrested for PC 273.6- violation of restraining order
  • One individual was arrested for PC 1203.2- violation of probation terms
  • One individual was arrested for PC 4573- bringing a controlled substance into a jail facility

The H.O.P.E. Team and other aligned resources will continue similar operations throughout the county over the next year, thanks to special “Community Concerns” funding, approved by the Board of Supervisors. This funding allows the Sheriff’s Department to address topics of concern, such as homelessness, mental illness and community safety for county residents. All subjects arrested during the operation are contacted in the county jail by the Sheriff’s Transitional Assistance Reentry Team (S.T.A.R.T.) and are offered additional resources and reentry services.
 
If you know of individuals experiencing homelessness who need services, please contact the H.O.P.E. Team at 909-387-0623 or hope@sbcsd.org.

Additional County Update News – Feb. 12, 2026

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