Sheriff Chad Bianco oversees law enforcement in many areas of this populous county that lies just outside of Los Angeles. Riverside County has nearly 2.5 million residents and is one of 11 counties in a region ordered to stay-at-home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Gavin Newsom's order comes as hospitals in the block of counties had fewer than 15% remaining ICU capacity. Newsom contends there's a real risk that hospitals will become overwhelmed with seriously ill patients.
But Sheriff Bianco, in an official video released by his department, accuses Newsom of a "dictatorial attitude toward California residents while dining in luxury, traveling, keeping his business open" and asserts Newsom is "hypocritical." The sheriff goes on, "The metrics used for closures are unbelievably faulty and are not representative of true numbers - and are disastrous for Riverside County."
Sheriff Bianco expects residents to "act responsibly and do what they can to protect themselves and their families," including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing. But he declares, "The Riverside County Sheriff's Department will not be blackmailed, bullied, or used as muscle against Riverside County residents in the enforcement of the governor's orders."
(Note: this video was posted by the Placer County Cal. Deputies Facebook group)
