Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco blamed the release of a man said to have weapons illegally outside former President Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, on “bad law enforcement policy.”
Trump has faced two attempted assassinations, one at a rally in Pennsylvania and another at his golf course in Florida, ahead of the November election. As the Republican nominee, Trump has been campaigning around the country to rally the vote despite the seemingly large target on his back.
“Those crimes that we arrested him for were misdemeanors. And we do not hold misdemeanors in custody, so he was given a citation to appear at a later date,” Bianco said on Fox News’s Fox and Friends Monday. “So we have been dealing with bad law enforcement policy for decades in California, and unfortunately, the whole world sees it now.”
The suspect, Vem Miller, was detained for four to six hours before he was released on $5,000 bail. Miller, 49, is next due in court on Jan. 2, months after the election and days before the election will be certified.
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“I’m telling you that, you know, unfortunately, or fortunately for him and unfortunately for us, in California, that’s all we can hold him for is the weapons charges. And it’s a misdemeanor,” Bianco said. “It is a sad fact that we can’t hold misdemeanors in jail. They’re released with citations.”
Bianco endorsed Trump earlier this summer. The sheriff has long criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the state legislature for changing and upholding new laws that are soft on crime. He has served as sheriff for five years and worked in law enforcement for 30 years. His next election will be in 2026.