Settle Warrants without Jail through Operation Second Chance

Contributed by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office: 

On Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with all other Santa Clara County law enforcement agencies, will be implementing a special month-long program in which individuals with non-violent misdemeanor criminal and traffic warrants can receive a citation with a new court date, in lieu of being booked into the County Jail.

“Operation Second Chance” 2012 will begin on Dec. 1 and run through Dec. 31. Individuals can go to any Santa Clara County law enforcement agency to receive their warrant citation, which will require a new “Promise to Appear” in court date. Operation Second Chance 2012 is directed towards most misdemeanor warrants, no matter what the bail is, including those warrants stamped “No Cite and Release,” and “No Bail.”

Felony warrants and warrants involving violence do not qualify for the program. People with these types of warrants however, are urged to take this opportunity to turn themselves in so they can take care of their matter in court.

This program has been tremendously successful over the past seven years. More than 2,400 people have taken advantage of the program and avoided spending the holidays in jail by self-surrendering. They were issued citations with a new court date and released on the spot.

The program remains countywide with all law enforcement agencies participating. Individuals with outstanding misdemeanor warrants can go to their local police and sheriffs stations and surrender themselves on the outstanding warrants and be released instead of going to jail.