Sacramento County today proclaimed a Local State of Emergency in the wake of civil unrest within the County and the deployment of National Guard troops in the area to assist with local law enforcement agencies.
The proclamation is primarily an administrative tool for the County to access state resources such as National Guard troop deployment as well as activate the State Emergency Services Act, which helps to facilitate coordinated response throughout the County.
The proclamation goes into effect retroactively on May 30, when dangerous civil unrest in Sacramento occurred. The Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting on June 4 at 9 a.m. to confirm and ratify the proclamation.
The County will review the need for continuing the local emergency at least every 60 days and will terminate it at the earliest possible date the conditions warrant.
PROCLAMATION BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OF THE COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, PROCLAIMING EXISTENCE OF
A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR CIVIL UNREST
WHEREAS, on May 25 th, 2020, George Floyd tragically died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, shortly after his detention and arrest by the
Minneapolis Police Department, resulting in nationwide demonstrations, and in some areas, civil unrest;
WHEREAS, the day after Mr. Floyd’s death, protestors began to assemble in Minneapolis demanding the officers involved be criminally
charged. The protests in Minneapolis continued over the course of the next several days, leading to confrontations with law enforcement, looting, vandalism and arson of businesses and government buildings. Protests have spread to many other cities in the United states, including Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco;
WHEREAS, on May 30th, 2020, a protest in Sacramento turned into dangerous civil unrest, with people blocking streets, shutting down traffic lanes, damaging storefronts and looting various businesses;
WHEREAS, protests are anticipated to continue within Sacramento County over the next several days;
WHEREAS, on May 30th, 2020, due to ongoing acts of civil unrest and limited local resources, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency for all of Los Angeles County in accordance with the California Emergency Services Act (in particular, Government Code section 8625), and directed all residents to heed the advice of local emergency officials with respect to the emergency existing by virtue of said civil unrest;
WHEREAS, in order to maintain the safety of residents and businesses within Sacramento County additional resources may be needed through mutual aid and coordinated through Emergency Services;
WHEREAS, these conditions are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of Sacramento County;
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sacramento is not in session and cannot immediately be called into session, and the aforementioned conditions of extreme threat to the public health and safety warrant and necessitate that the Director of Emergency Services proclaim the existence of a local emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Sacramento County Code under Chapter 2.46, authorizes the County Executive to proclaim the existence or threatened
existence of a local state of emergency when said County is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity and the County Board of Supervisors is not in session.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a local emergency now exists throughout Sacramento County; and As contemplated by the Emergency Services Act set forth in Government Code Section 8550 et seq., including Section 8558(c), the following condition
exists or is threatened to exist: civil unrest, including but not limited to acts of arson, looting, assaults, vandalism, and rioting.
The aforesaid condition commenced, or existence of said condition became threatened, on or about the 30th day of May 2020; and
The area of the County which is endangered/imperiled, or is anticipated to be endangered/imperiled, is throughout the entire County of Sacramento.
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that during the existence of said local emergency the powers, functions, and duties of the
emergency organization of this County shall be those prescribed by state law, by ordinance and resolution of Sacramento County, and; that this emergency proclamation shall expire in seven days after issuance unless confirmed and ratified by the governing body of the County of Sacramento.
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that said local emergency shall be deemed to continue to exist until its termination is
proclaimed by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sacramento, State of California. The County of Sacramento shall review the need for continuing this local emergency at least every 60 days and shall terminate it at the earliest possible date the condition(s) warrant.
Dated: June 2, 2020
Navdeep S. Gill, County Executive
County of Sacramento
