Public Information Unit
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Unit strives to streamline communication from our agency to the community in a timely and precise manner through various digital platforms, including News Media outlets, Social Media, and our Website.
Our public information officers handle all media inquiries, issue press releases, share information via digital storytelling, respond to public records requests, coordinate our agency’s social media posts and special internal events, and handle community event requests.
Jenn Kline
Custody
Public Information Officer
Andres Lopez
Deputy
Public Information Officer
Heather Brent
Public
Information Officer
Rita Long
Information Officer
Social Media
Our office prides itself on the information we porovide to the community and above all else, transparency.
We utilize the power of social media to share our news releases, department and community news, events, as well as to listen to what residents, business owners, and visitors have to say about crime, public safety, and our service.
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PIO Related Questions
My Child's Photo was placed on your social media when they went missing/ran away. How do I get this Removed?
Our standard procedure is to remove a juvenile’s photo as soon as the child has been located. However, if your child’s photo was not promptly removed from social media, you can contact the sheriff’s office Public Information Unit. You may need to provide documentation proving your relationship with the child and explaining the reasons for the request.
What are the laws regarding the use of Booking Photos on Social Media?
California Penal Code Section 13665 specifies the following:
(a) A police department or sheriff’s office shall not share, on social media, booking photos of an individual arrested on suspicion of committing a nonviolent crime unless any of the following circumstances exist:
(1) A police department or sheriff’s office has determined that the suspect is a fugitive or an imminent threat to an individual or to public safety and releasing or disseminating the suspect’s image will assist in locating or apprehending the suspect or reducing or eliminating the threat.
(2) A judge orders the release or dissemination of the suspect’s image based on a finding that the release or dissemination is in furtherance of a legitimate law enforcement interest.
(3) There is an exigent circumstance that necessitates the dissemination of the suspect’s image in furtherance of an urgent and legitimate law enforcement interest.
(b) With respect to an individual who has been arrested for any crime, including crimes defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, a police department or sheriff’s office that shares, on social media, an individual’s booking photo shall do both of the following:
(1) Use the name and pronouns given by the individual. A police department or sheriff’s office may include other legal names or known aliases of an individual if using the names or aliases will assist in locating or apprehending the individual or reducing or eliminating an imminent threat to an individual or to public safety or an exigent circumstance exists that necessitates the use of other legal names or known aliases of an individual due to an urgent and legitimate law enforcement interest.
(2) Remove the booking photo from its social media page within 14 days unless any of the circumstances described in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) exist.
(c) Subdivision (b) shall apply retroactively to any booking photo shared on social media.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Nonviolent crime” means a crime not identified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5.
(2) “Social media” has the same meaning as in Section 632.01, except that social media does not include an internet website or an electronic data system developed and administered by the police department or sheriff’s office.
Why did you take action against me on social media?
While we respect everyone’s right to free speech, as a law enforcement organization, we not only have the right, but the obligation, to make sure online conduct does not constitute a crime or have the potential to instigate a crime.
Additionally, we believe in providing a friendly, non-aggressive, non-confrontational environment to exchange information for the benefit of the community.
It is extremely rare that our organization will block someone on social media. If you have been blocked or have had action taken against you, it most likely occurred by the social media platform itself.
Please contact the individual platforms you have experienced an issues with to investigate further.
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