New County Bail Policy Takes Effect

SAN DIEGO — A new law enforcement policy could land anyone caught committing a petty crime in San Diego County in jail.

The new policy started this week and it means anyone from drivers caught speeding to petty thieves will likely wind up in a jail cell. The policy is in place because another new policy freed the jails up.

Since the beginning of 2010, bailing out of jail has become cheaper because inmates now only have to pay for one of their crimes regardless of how many they were arrested for. It makes bailing out of jail more affordable.

“Doesn’t this make it easier for someone who committed all these crimes to bail out of jail?” asked 10News I-Team reporter Mitch Blacher.

“The amount to bail out would be less, yes,” answered San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.

“Will decreasing the amount of bail affect public safety?” Blacher asked

“I don’t think so,” Gore responded.

Gore said he sees this as an opportunity to better police the county since more people bailing out means more room in the jails.

Gore sent a letter to every police chief in the county on Monday saying in part: “Recently, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department inmate population has decreased significantly, resulting in an opportunity to reevaluate and broaden the current booking acceptance criteria.”

“So you’re saying, ‘Let’s charge for some more crimes?’” Blacher asked “Oh, absolutely. I don’t want to have empty beds in my jail,” Gore said.

Law enforcement officers will now start arresting people more often for 32 specific crimes including, giving an officer a fake ID, excessive speeding and disturbing the peace.

Violent, repeat and serious offenders can’t get out on reduced bail, law enforcement officials said.

Suspect in home invasions commits suicide in Central Jail

SAN DIEGO – A man linked by DNA evidence to a series of home invasions and sexual assaults killed himself in jail, police officials said Friday.

The body of Thomas James Parker, 39, was discovered at about early Friday at the San Diego Central Jail, police officials said. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, which runs the jail, confirmed that deputies found an inmate hanging in his cell when they made a security check at 7 a.m. Sheriff’s officials refused to identify the inmate until family members had been notified.

Parker was arrested Wednesday. Police said he attacked a woman in the garage of her Mission Valley apartment, but she was able to fight him off. The woman, a long distance runner, chased after her attacker until several bystanders, including and off-duty Border Patrol officer, caught him and held him for police.

Investigators said that Parker matched the description of a serial rapist being sought in connection with attacks on six women in the San Diego area over the last year. The assaults occurred in Carmel Valley, Tierrasanta, the College area and near UC San Diego, as well as Mission Valley. On Thursday, police announced that Parker’s DNA matched evidence collected in three of those attacks.

Parker was a married father of two young children and co-owner of It’s a Grind Coffee House in Little Italy.