Sheriff Bianco criticizes inmate releases; says jail populations are ‘historically’ low

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco took to social media to provide the latest update on the department's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sheriff Bianco said that 71 employees have tested positive, but nine employees have recovered and have returned to work. He expects more employees to return to work over the next couple of weeks.

Bianco noted that most of the infected employees are from the corrections division.

News Channel 3 has requested a breakdown of cases in county jail, however the Sheriff's Department has not responded.

There are 107 inmates across the county that have tested positive. Bianco says 53 of those inmates have recovered and returned to general housing.

Bianco criticized the judicial system's decision to implement a zero-bail policy for misdemeanor and felony charges. The Sheriff said this means the department will no longer be able to hold certain criminals and could lead to the release of hundreds of inmates.

"This was extremely reckless in that it not only encourages criminal behavior, it also limits law enforcement's ability to keep you safe," Bianco said.

Bianco said the move to decrease the population in the jails. Overcrowded jails were listed as a major issue by prison advocates in a recent lawsuit against the county over jail healthcare during the pandemic.

More details: Judge says Sheriff's Dept. isn't doing enough to protect inmates from coronavirus

Prison Law Office noted that proper social distancing and even sometimes basic hygiene are impossible in crowded jails.

"These are people who are in these very small spaces, very crowded in together," said attorney Sara Norman.

After reviewing the Sheriff's Dept.'s plan, a federal judge said they haven't done enough to stop the spread of coronavirus. A judge ordered the Sheriff's Department to engage in mediation with the Prison Law Office and come up with a plan that meets the judge's requirements.

The hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Bianco did not directly acknowledge the judge's decision but he did say that the county's jail population is at historically low levels and healthcare inside is more than acceptable.

"We have more than enough space to isolate and quarantine infected inmates," Bianco said. "These inmates receive excellent treatment and have greater access to medical care more readily than most of you who are not in jail."

Bianco ended his update calling for residents to reach out to their local politicians and state lawmakers to demand a stop to the "reckless release" of inmates.

"The last thing we need is for this crisis to be used to further a political agenda of decriminalization, anti-incarceration, and regulations that undermine and compromise the safety of the public," Bianco said.