Santa Ana council wants police to arrest people intoxicated in public, sleeping on sidewalks

Santa Ana City Councilmembers want the Police Department to begin detaining people who are found passed out or intoxicated in public, such as on sidewalks or in parks, taking them to the city jail where they can be connected with rehabilitation services.

Councilmember Phil Bacerra introduced the idea, saying the city needs to take action to address substance abuse issues in Santa Ana and that existing state laws allow for detaining individuals who are publicly intoxicated. He shared stories of seeing people unresponsive, laying on the ground alongside roads or appearing highly intoxicated sitting on bus and park benches.

Continue reading: https://www.ocregister.com/2023/07/24/santa-ana-council-wants-police-to-be-arresting-people-intoxicated-in-public-sleeping-on-sidewalks/