In a recent sweep named Operation Consequences, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, in partnership with multiple law enforcement agencies, has stepped up its efforts to address quality-of-life issues plaguing the county. From June 2 through June 8, the sheriff's department, alongside deputies from patrol stations and other partnering agencies, conducted targeted crime suppression initiatives across several locations, including the 3400 block of North E Street and the 100 block of West Victoria Street in San Bernardino, among others. The operations come in the wake of voter-approved Proposition 36, aimed at revising laws that previously led to increases in homelessness, drug addiction, and theft.
During the focused operation, as reported by the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department, authorities made contact with known gang members and individuals banned from possessing firearms. They confiscated a total of 17 firearms, with three being untraceable ghost guns, and seized quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin. The week-long effort concluded with 14 felony arrests and five misdemeanor arrests.
Among the arrests made, the newly enacted Proposition 36, also known as "The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act," was applied to two suspects. This proposition, which was passed by California voters on November 5, 2024, and took effect on December 18, 2024, introduces new Penal and Health and Safety Codes that enable enhanced sentencing and restrict cite releasing offenders prior to their court appearance.
The breadth of Operation Consequences, made possible through funding authorized by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, integrates personnel from the Sheriff’s Gangs/Narcotics Division, Specialized Enforcement Division, California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Police Department, County Probation, U.S. Marshals Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force, and Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Aiming to curb violent crime, the ongoing efforts dismantle criminal street gangs, alongside locating and arresting offenders dealing with illegal firearms possession, manufacturing, and trafficking.
For updates on Operation Consequences and its impact on the local community's safety, the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department's Public Affairs Division can be reached at (909) 387-3700.
