SJPD Partners with Mission Street Recovery Station for DUI Arrests

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

Beginning October 16, 2023, SJPD Officers will partner with the County of Santa Clara on a pilot program that gives SJPD officers the option of taking first time misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrestees to the Mission Street Recovery Station (MSRS) in lieu of booking them into Santa Clara County Jail.

The Mission Street Recovery Station is a non-secured facility operated by the County of Santa Clara that provides a voluntary, short-term stay for individuals who are not safe to remain in the community due to intoxication. Since late 2018, the San José Police Department has used the MSRS as an alternative to incarceration for eligible inebriated individuals, allowing them to regain functionality in a safe place as the effects of alcohol intoxication subside.

The preliminary DUI pilot program will be limited to arrestees who are non-violent, first-time misdemeanor DUI arrestees to avoid spending time in jail, while receiving alcohol-related support services. This will save arresting Officers significant amounts of time by allowing them to avoid the often lengthy booking process at jail and enable officers to return to their assigned beats in a timely manner. 

Arrestee that are not eligible for MSRS in lieu of booking: 

• Arrestees who have additional charges;
• Arrestees who are non-compliant;
• Arrestees who have warrants for their arrest that are not eligible for cite and release;
• Arrestees who are charged with a Felony DUI;
• Arrestees who cannot be properly identified;
• Arrestees who request to be booked;
• Arrestees who have prior DUI cases within the last 10 years; and
• Arrestees who are on the MSRS prohibited list.

The decision of whether or not to offer placement at the MSRS in lieu of booking is at the discretion of the Officer and should be made on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, Officers can choose the booking alternative any time they feel that booking the arrestee into jail is in the best interest of the arrestee or the public.

Officers will follow all the same investigative procedures when placing the arrestee into the MSRS, exactly similar to when they book arrestees at jail. Officers will issue the arrestee a criminal citation, and follow up instructions along with service referrals will be provided by MSRS staff onsite. 

"This partnership between the County of Santa Clara and the San José Police Department to assist individuals in a community setting serves to improve the health and safety of all residents," said Javier Aguirre, Director of the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services. "We value this collaboration with SJPD Officers as it provides us all another alternative to incarceration and an effective tool to enhance an individual’s ability to recover and seek help."

"This process will greatly benefit the community by providing a social service based approach for eligible candidates as an alternative to incarceration," said Chief of Police Anthony Mata. "This program will hold offenders accountable, while also providing them services in the hopes of helping them change their behaviors while enabling recovery."