Community Service & Reentry Division's HOPE Team Conducts Outreach
February 26, 2026 – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials report that the Community Service & Reentry 
Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) conducted "Operation Shelter Me" in the unincorporated areas of Fontana and the surrounding areas. This operation aimed to connect staff with unhoused residents, offering them housing, medical, and mental health treatment services, while addressing community safety concerns.
On November 5, 2024, California voters passed Proposition 36, titled “The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act.” The proposition took effect on December 18, 2024, and reforms multiple laws from Proposition 47, which have been responsible for increasing homelessness, drug addiction, and theft. Proposition 36 includes several new Penal and Health and Safety Code provisions that deputies can apply during arrests when appropriate. These latest charges can carry enhanced sentencing and prevent offenders from being cited and released before their court appearance.
During this operation, the H.O.P.E. Team focused on individuals with significant mental illnesses to link them with restorative mental health pathways. The results of the operation are as follows, and where Proposition 36 is applied:
• 68 individuals currently experiencing homelessness were contacted by H.O.P.E.
• 20 individuals accepted referral information to assistance programs
• 1 individual was contacted by Deputies Bullag and Tristan who was found to be unresponsive and suffering from a medical emergency that was possibly drug related. The two deputies administered Narcan prior to the subject being transported to a local hospital. The subject was later placed on a Welfare and Institutions hold after being determined unable to care for himself. This hold was authorized under California Senate Bill 43, which expanded the criteria to include individuals who are unable to provide for their basic needs due to severe substance use disorders or co-occurring mental health disorders.
• 9 individuals were arrested for their in-county misdemeanor warrants
• 2 individuals were arrested for HS 11377 (a)- Possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor in the State of California
• 2 individuals were arrested for HS 11364- Possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor in the State of California
• 1 individual was arrested for HS 11395 (a) - Treatment Mandated Act, a felony in the State of California. This charge makes it possible for a subject with two previous drug possession convictions to opt for treatment instead of incarceration
• 1 individual was arrested for PC 602 - Trespassing on private property
• 1 stolen flatbed trailer was located and later returned to its registered owner, the City of Rancho Cucamonga.
The H.O.P.E. Team and other aligned resources will continue similar operations throughout the County over the next year, thanks to special "Community Concerns" funding, approved by the County Board of Supervisors. This funding allows the Sheriff's Department to address topics of concern, such as homelessness, mental illness, and community safety for county residents. All subjects arrested during the operation are contacted in the County jail by the Sheriff's Transitional Assistance Reentry Team (S.T.A.R.T.) and are offered additional resources and reentry services.
If you know of individuals experiencing homelessness who need services, please contact the H.O.P.E. Team at (909) 387-0623 or hope@sbcsd.org.
DATE/TIME: February 20, 2026, between 6:00 a.m., and 4:00 p.m.,
INCIDENT: Outreach Operation
LOCATION: Unincorporated areas of Fontana
Refer: The H.O.P.E. Team
Station: Community Service & Reentry Division
Phone No. (909) 387-0623
Case No. N/A
Source: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
