San Bernardino County law enforcement and outreach teams completed a targeted sweep in Rancho Cucamonga this week that contacted roughly 95 people living without stable housing, connected a subset to assistance programs and made 24 arrests, county officials said.
Multi-agency push to link people to services while enforcing warrants
The initiative — conducted by the county’s Community Service & Reentry Division Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) and Innovative Remote Onsite Assistance Delivery Teams (InnROADS) — worked side-by-side with the Rancho Cucamonga Sheriff's Station Multiple Enforcement Team, Solution Oriented Policing unit and the San Bernardino County Probation Department. The teams described the effort as a dual mission: offer housing, medical and mental health resources while addressing public-safety concerns.
Officials framed the work within the context of changes to state law following the November 2024 passage of Proposition 36, which amended statutes tied to homelessness, addiction and theft. The proposition took effect in December 2024 and created new Penal and Health and Safety Code provisions that deputies can use in some arrests; county officials said those provisions can allow for enhanced sentencing and limit the ability to cite-and-release offenders prior to court.
Numbers, referrals and arrests
During the operation in Rancho Cucamonga:
- 95 individuals experiencing homelessness were contacted;
- 10 accepted referral information to assistance programs;
- 61 refused referral information to assistance programs;
- 24 were arrested during the operation.
County reporting said the arrests included a mix of warrant arrests and charges under controlled-substance statutes. The breakdown provided by the sheriff’s office shows:
| Arrest category | Number |
|---|---|
| In-county misdemeanor warrants | 4 |
| In-county felony warrants | 2 |
| Possession charges (HS 11377(a) & HS 11350(a)) including fentanyl | 1 |
| Other arrests reported during operation | 17 |
"Operation Shelter Me"
Officials said the operation prioritized outreach to people identified as having significant mental illnesses, with an eye toward connecting them to restorative treatment pathways rather than only pursuing enforcement. That emphasis reflects the county’s stated goal of blending services and compliance tools when addressing encampments and related community issues.
Local consequences and questions for residents
For Rancho Cucamonga residents, the operation highlights several immediate dynamics: law enforcement is using new state-law tools when making arrests in homelessness-related incidents; outreach teams remain active in trying to persuade unhoused people to accept services; and a notable share of contacted individuals declined referrals. Community leaders and advocates are likely to scrutinize how the county balances enforcement and voluntary services going forward, particularly when Proposition 36 provisions can change the stakes of an arrest.
County officials did not provide additional detail on the 17 other arrests beyond the categories listed, nor did the released summary specify timelines for following up on the 10 people who accepted referrals. The sheriff’s office statement emphasized the operation’s dual focus on safety and treatment, as well as the role of the updated statutes in guiding enforcement decisions.
As outreach and enforcement efforts continue in Rancho Cucamonga and across San Bernardino County, residents can expect more operations of this type where deputies and specialized teams try to move people into services while also pursuing outstanding warrants and certain criminal charges under the newer legal framework.
