Plumas County faces confusion over new rules for handling suspects accused of crimes. The changes, effective since late September, follow a California Supreme Court decision from April.
Judge William Abramson adopted the new bail and incarceration schedule to comply with state and federal law. The rules make pretrial detention rare, except for violent or sexual felonies or when a suspect poses a clear threat.
Abramson said releasing defendants after arrest should become standard practice.
Sheriff Chad Hermann disagrees. He worries the new system threatens public safety. Hermann delayed applying the regulations, fearing chaos if they were enforced fully.
District Attorney David Hollister also objects. He said the changes permit most arrested people to be released immediately without supervision. Hollister called the policy unsafe and asked Abramson to withdraw it.
The Supreme Court ruling grew from a 2021 case involving a man jailed six months over a $7 cheeseburger theft because he couldn’t afford bail. The court said judges must consider a defendant’s financial situation and avoid setting “unattainable bail” unless the charges involve violent or sexual crimes.
Abramson said the court now treats each arrested person with a step-by-step process, starting with the least restrictive measures. Courts can deny bail only in capital or violent felony cases.
Hermann and Hollister criticized how the new rules were implemented. They said the changes took effect immediately, with no chance for questions or training. Multiple agencies, including probation and highway patrol, must follow the new rules.
Frontline officers find the conflicting rules confusing. Hermann said the approach needed precision rather than a blunt change.
Abramson said the court had a duty to act quickly and has since adjusted the policy to Plumas County’s needs. He based the new schedule on Los Angeles County’s, viewing it as legally secure.
Hollister said Plumas County stands alone among nearby rural counties by adopting LA’s lenient pretrial release rules. He noted LA uses this policy to ease overcrowded jails, a problem Plumas does not face. Hermann agreed that Plumas should not copy LA’s approach.
Plumas has a pretrial release program assessing arrestees and setting tailored conditions. Hollister said this program works and could adapt to the new rules. Abramson argued that without court approval for each case, such programs violate state law.
Since the policy change, Abramson has talked with Hermann and Hollister and made some adjustments to the rules and timelines. All agree they must cooperate to meet legal requirements and
