Riverside County Continues To Crack Down On Cockfighting

At a small gathering Friday, Sen. Bill Emmerson said the state budget issues should not be resolved by a tax hike on Californians.

He also mentioned his take on cockfighting; something that’s popped up in the news as recently as this past weekend.

Riverside and San Bernardino counties continue to crack down on cockfighting. Last weekend, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested a man who they say was running an operation in Good Hope in western Riverside County.

Deputies say when they arrived, about 100 people tried to run from the property, where they found cages as well as a wooden ring that was made for the fights.

Emmerson said cockfighting is a growing problem.

“If you look at the number of arrests, they have increased in a very big way and the current fine structure has not deterred anyone,” said Emmerson.

He is proposing a bill called SB 1145 to increase fines for people hosting the illegal, and inhumane fights and also for the spectators.

Under the current structure, an individual convicted of staging a cockfight has to pay a fine of $5,000. SB 1145 would double that fine.

For spectators, or those placing bets during cockfighting events, fines would jump from $1,000 to $5,000.

“Just in the Perris area, they had to euthanize over 300 chickens that were being used in this blood sport,” said Emmerson.

In 2008, there was a raid on a cockfighting ring in Coachella where deputies broke up the operation before any birds were hurt.

Then in 2010 another operation was busted near the Salton Sea. Three roosters were found dead and 37 others had to be euthanized.

During a cockfight, the birds have knives strapped to their feet with the purpose of cutting each other to death.

“We’re finding now that gangs are involved in this and it’s a huge economic issue…I’m confident we’re getting a lot of support and I’m confident we’ll be able to do something about it this year,” said Emmerson.

The San Bernardino County district attorney’s office and the Humane Society of the United States are supporting this legislation, which was introduced Tuesday and is set to be reviewed by the public safety committee in March.