Yolo County Responds To Allegations Of Homeless Dumping From Mayor Steinberg
WOODLAND (CBS13) - Yolo County officials issued a statement Monday in response to Mayor Darrell Steinberg's questions about a video that surfaced last week showing Yolo County sheriff's deputies dropping off a homeless man in Sacramento.
The man was picked up in Clarksburg.
The incident sparked a scathing response from Steinberg who says he hears rumors of other areas busing people to Sacramento and are "doing more than our fair share" to tackle what he calls the "homeless challenge" and bring people indoors.
READ MORE: Darell Steinberg Upset Yolo County Sheriff's Deputies Dropped Off Homeless Man In Sacramento
On Monday, a Yolo County spokesperson issued the following statement about the incident, saying, in part, the two deputies were "acting in good faith.":
"The Yolo County Sheriff is reviewing the incident, including the drop-off of the individual in Sacramento. At this point, it appears that the deputies were acting in good faith to assist the individual by providing transportation late at night consistent with the individual's desires.
"Any incident like this is an opportunity to step back, evaluate and make improvements for the future. This incident highlights the fact that the challenges facing the homeless population are not confined to a single jurisdiction and require regional thinking and action. The Sheriff's Office and the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency are reviewing the incident and have already begun work to improve service provision and strengthen transfer options while continuing to serve all of Yolo County's communities. In addition, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and administrators will be working in the near future with counterparts in the City and County of Sacramento to strengthen regional partnerships in this area of shared concern.
Yolo County Sheriff Tom Lopez also issued a response to Steinberg. In it, he offers Chief Hahn the opportunity to review audio and video of his agency's handling of the case, which he says was done in a manner "consistent with his expectations. " Despite this, he says he will have discussions with The Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency about to handle its response to homeless-related issues.
Click or tap here to read Lopez's full statement.
On Monday night, Steinberg released a statement in response to the county's statement.
"This unfortunate incident reminds us that homelessness is a statewide problem, and it's crucial that cities and counties coordinate their responses so that each jurisdiction is doing its fair share to address it and to treat people on the street with the dignity and care they deserve. I look forward to sitting down with Yolo County and other regional leaders in the coming days to address both the specific incident and the procedures that allowed it."
