H.O.P.E. Team Conducts “Operation Shelter Me” Outreach in Hesperia, Contacts 54 Unhoused Residents

HESPERIA, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Community Service & Reentry Division conducted a homeless outreach operation in Hesperia on March 6, 2026, contacting dozens of unhoused residents and making several arrests, authorities said.

The Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement (H.O.P.E.) Team carried out “Operation Shelter Me” from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the city of Hesperia, aiming to connect unhoused individuals with housing, medical and mental health services while also addressing community safety concerns, according to a written statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies contacted 54 individuals currently experiencing homelessness during the operation. Of those contacted, 10 individuals accepted referral information for assistance programs, according to the department.

Authorities also made several arrests during the outreach effort. According to the department, six individuals were arrested on in-county misdemeanor warrants.

Additional arrests included:

• Three individuals arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia (HS 11364), a misdemeanor in California.
• One individual arrested for possession of a narcotic drug — fentanyl (HS 11350(a)), a misdemeanor.
• One individual arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance (HS 11550(a)).

The outreach effort also incorporated provisions under Proposition 36, titled “The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act,” which California voters approved on Nov. 5, 2024. The law took effect Dec. 18, 2024, and reformed several laws associated with Proposition 47.

According to the department, Proposition 36 created additional Penal Code and Health and Safety Code provisions deputies can apply when appropriate during arrests. The enhanced charges may carry stronger sentencing and can prevent offenders from being cited and released before appearing in court.

During the operation, the H.O.P.E. Team placed particular focus on contacting individuals experiencing significant mental illness in order to connect them with restorative mental health services and pathways to treatment.

Officials said similar outreach operations will continue throughout San Bernardino County over the next year with the help of special “Community Concerns” funding approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

According to the department, individuals arrested during the operation are contacted in county jail by the Sheriff’s Transitional Assistance Reentry Team (S.T.A.R.T.), where they are offered additional resources and reentry services.

Anyone who knows of individuals experiencing homelessness who may need assistance is encouraged to contact the H.O.P.E. Team at (909) 387-0623 or by email at hope@sbcsd.org.

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