SLO County DA Office Accused of Fearmongering Over Anti-ICE Protest

Tribune claims memo warned staffers to avoid demonstration, but DA says it was just a safety advisory

Feb. 1, 2026 at 11:39pm

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The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office has been accused of fearmongering and attempting to villainize anti-ICE protesters after sending an internal email to staff advising them to avoid the area of an upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting where a large protest was expected. The Tribune editorial board claimed the memo painted demonstrators as violent, but the DA defended it as a routine safety advisory given the anticipated large crowd.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between law enforcement, local government, and activist groups over immigration enforcement and protests. The accusations of fearmongering raise questions about how public officials communicate about potential public safety concerns related to demonstrations.

The details

Prior to a Jan. 27 Board of Supervisors meeting where the sheriff was set to discuss the office's interactions with ICE, the head of the DA's Investigations Bureau sent an internal email advising staff to avoid the area and travel in pairs due to the expected large turnout. The Tribune accused the DA's office of painting protesters as dangerous, but the DA defended the email as a routine safety advisory, not a warning about the protesters themselves.

  • The Board of Supervisors meeting was scheduled for the afternoon of January 27, 2026.
  • The internal email from the DA's office was sent prior to the 1:30 p.m. meeting on January 27.

The players

Terry O'Farrell

Chief of the District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations, who sent the internal email to DA's office staff.

Dan Dow

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney, who questioned the Tribune editor's interpretation of the email.

Joe Tarica

The Tribune editor who stood by the newspaper's characterization of the DA's office email as fearmongering.

Ian Parkinson

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, who was set to explain his office's interactions with ICE at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

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What they’re saying

“The memo, signed by the head of the DA's Investigations Bureau, was a brilliant example of fearmongering couched as concern. Painting demonstrators as violent, even in a subtle way, implies they are the dangerous ones — not the masked ICE agents who have been terrorizing communities, wounding and even killing those who oppose them.”

— Tribune editorial staff

“Do you in reality think this below email is objectively inflammatory and fear mongering? If so, why did you not publish the email in its entirety and explain to the readers exactly how it is either of those things? Why not let the readers decide?”

— Dan Dow, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney

“Yes, we do believe that memo was fear-mongering because it raised unwarranted alarm and was unnecessary given the circumstances. Essentially, the message of caution did not match the level of risk on the street.”

— Joe Tarica, Tribune editor

What’s next

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will likely continue to be a forum for discussions around the sheriff's office's interactions with ICE and the community's response to immigration enforcement actions.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the delicate balance public officials must strike between addressing legitimate public safety concerns and avoiding the perception of unfairly targeting or vilifying protesters. Transparent communication and a willingness to engage with the community will be crucial as these debates continue.