Sonora, CA — During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Tuolumne County Sheriff David Vasquez delivered a wide-ranging update on department operations, public safety concerns, and community initiatives.
Sheriff Vasquez reported that call volume has remained high heading into the fall. He highlighted a concerning rise in violent incidents—including shootings, stabbings, and domestic violence—and expressed particular alarm over youth accessing firearms. Following a recent incident within the last 96 hours where a juvenile accidentally discharged a firearm and sustained injuries, Vasquez urged residents to practice responsible gun ownership. While reiterating support for Second Amendment rights and recreational marksmanship, he stressed the urgent necessity of properly securing firearms in safes to prevent accidental or intentional shootings involving children.
He stated, “Make sure that you are locking up your firearms. Make sure that you are being responsible with your gun ownership. Make sure that if you have small children in the home, that you are doing your due diligence to keep everybody safe.”
On a positive note, Vasquez highlighted a collaborative initiative with the Public Works Department in which supervised jail inmates utilize equipment to repair county potholes. The department is working with Mother Lode Job Training and exploring grant opportunities that could help program participants secure meaningful employment upon release.
Vasquez also took time to detail the transition of the Office of Emergency Services into the sheriff’s office, a recent fundraiser hosted by members of the SWAT team to fund things like additional training, a Community Services Unit Awards dinner last weekend, and a criminal justice program at Belleview Elementary that he recently visited and spoke with students.
