SAN FRANCISCO ( KRON ) — Defendants will no longer be allowed to wear ankle monitors while awaiting trial, potentially driving up the city’s jail populations, San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto announced on Monday.
The program’s abrupt suspension comes four days after a U.S. District Judge ruled that the sheriff’s department violated a February court order , which barred sheriff officials from requiring participants in the ankle program to consent to searches without a warrant.
Sheriff Miyamoto disagrees with the court order, as he believes a warrantless search condition is “essential for public safety.”
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“The federal court’s decision is not in the interests of public safety…The unfortunate outcome of this decision will be an increase in the jail population and burdens on the defendants who otherwise would remain in the community,” he said.
The sheriff’s office believes searches such as “home checks”– an impromptu visit on defendants of domestic violence ensuring no weapons or illegal activity is taking place at the defendant’s residence — lose much of their value if search warrants were required before visits.