S.D. Police Taking Misdemeanor Suspects to Vista

After a quiet weekend, officials at the County Jail in Vista reported an increase in the number of misdemeanor suspects being brought in by San Diego police officers Sunday night and Monday after they had been turned away at the central jail.

“It was a busy 24-hour period” from 3:30 p.m. Sunday through 3:30 p.m. Monday, said Sgt. Sean Gerrity of the County Jail in Vista. He said the flood of suspects was brought in “primarily by the San Diego Police Department.”

By 9:30 p.m Monday, San Diego police had taken 50 men suspected of misdemeanors since Saturday and National City police had transferred one to the County Jail in Vista, Gerrity said. Many of those booked at the jail were transients who were “too inebriated” and nonviolent misdemeanor suspects, Gerrity said.

After an agreement Friday between the American Civil Liberties Union and county counsel, Superior Court Judge James A. Malkus issued a temporary order allowing the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department to exceed the court-ordered limit of 750 inmates at the central County Jail by accepting men arrested on serious misdemeanors. The order will last until April 23, when it is expected to be reviewed.

As of late Monday, the population of the jail was 785, Sgt. Liz Foster said.

San Diego police and the Sheriff’s Department had anticipated a troublesome weekend after Sheriff John Duffy last week informed law enforcement agencies in East County and South Bay that the downtown jail would not accept any misdemeanor suspects after 3:30 p.m. Friday.

San Diego Police Chief Bill Kolender said it was too early to determine the effect spring vacationers would have on the number of misdemeanors.

“It’s not as bad” as police had anticipated, Kolender said. But, he added, “the traffic at the beaches is just getting going.”

San Diego City Manager John Lockwood said discussions between the Sheriff’s Department and the City of San Diego about the use of temporary structures for jail cells are continuing.

“They’re available,” Lock wood said. “The question is where do you put them and the costs of putting them.”