On Monday, Dec. 1, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office will
begin a special month-long program in which individuals with
nonviolent misdemeanor criminal and traffic warrants can receive a
citation with a new court date, in lieu of being booked into the
County Jail.
Gilroy
On Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with all other Santa Clara County law enforcement agencies, will begin a special month-long program in which individuals with nonviolent misdemeanor criminal and traffic warrants can receive a citation with a new court date, in lieu of being booked into the County Jail.
“Operation Second Chance 2008” will begin Dec. 1 and run through Dec. 31. Individuals can go to any Santa Clara County law enforcement agency to receive their warrant citation, which will require a new “Promise to Appear” in court date.
The initiative is directed toward all misdemeanor warrants, no matter what the bail is, including those warrants stamped “No Cite and Release,” “No Walk-Over,” and “Post and Forfeit.”
The following warrants do not qualify for this program: felony warrants and any warrant involving violence. However, subjects with these types of warrants should take this opportunity to turn themselves in so they can have their day in court, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.
This program has been tremendously successful over the past three years. More than 1,000 people have taken advantage of the program and avoided spending the holidays in jail by self-surrendering, the press release states.
Last year alone, a total of 201 individuals took advantage of the program and turned themselves in on outstanding misdemeanor warrants. They were issued citations with a new court date released “on the spot.” Individuals with outstanding misdemeanor warrants can go to their local police and Sheriff’s stations and surrender themselves on the outstanding warrants and be released instead of going to jail.
South County offenders qualifying for “Operation Second Chance 2008” may turn themselves in starting Dec. 1 at the Morgan Hill Police Dept., 16200 Vineyard Blvd., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; Gilroy Police Dept., 7301 Hanna St., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday; or the South County Justice Center at 80 West Highland Ave., Building K in San Martin, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
For more information relating to this program, contact Sheriff’s Office Records at (408) 808-4717.
