For Immediate Release
October 10, and October 11, 2026
Sheriff's Public Affairs
909-387-3700
Sentenced to Service: Sheriff’s Work Release Program Provides Participants Opportunities to Complete Court Ordered Service
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department conducted a two-day Work Release Program (WRP) community cleanup event on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, 2026, along a several-mile stretch of Summit Valley Road, in the city of Hesperia. The event demonstrated a pilot program designed to make community service operations more flexible and responsive to local needs. The initiative focused on removing trash and debris from roadway shoulders while evaluating opportunities to expand the program to other areas of the county.
Authorized by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors as an alternative to incarceration, the Work Release Program provided participants with opportunities to complete court-ordered service while helping maintain and improve public facilities. The program also allowed participants to maintain employment, continue their education, and strengthen family ties. At the time of the event, approximately 375 participants were enrolled in WRP, with about 250 performing community service at sites throughout the county.
Summit Valley Road was selected because the cleanup area included both unincorporated county territory and incorporated areas of Hesperia, allowing the department to coordinate efforts with a community partner while addressing the area's cleanup needs. The Summit Valley Road cleanup successfully removed two 40-yard dumpsters worth of trash and 30 abandoned vehicle tires.
To protect participants and motorists, traffic was temporarily restricted to one direction at a time, with flaggers controlling alternating travel at each end of the work zone. The effective traffic control measures implemented during the cleanup operation helped prevent a reckless driver from causing a potential traffic collision. The driver was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
City of Hesperia leadership, city Public Information staff, and Sheriff’s Public Affairs staff also attended to share information about the program with the community. The event provided an opportunity to evaluate the pilot and identify lessons learned to improve future operations.
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
