A California hair salon that was raided by enforcement division officers with the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs on Dec. 23 will not be charged with violations relating to coronavirus restrictions.
The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office said on Monday that it will not pursue any charges against Vicki Kirk and Dino Ballin, the owners of Stockton’s Pomp Hair Salon.
“The Department of Consumer Affairs took it upon their own initiative to do a surprise raid on Pomp Salon in Lincoln Center on December 23rd,” read a statement from the district attorney’s office.
The district attorney’s office said neither it nor local law enforcement had prior knowledge of the visit, which Kirk described similar to a “drug raid,” and that as such, the office will not pursue charges against the owners.
Pomp Hair Salon was open in violation of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, which prompted the visit from enforcement officers.
“I just want to earn a living, and we all want to do it safely,” Kirk said. “We have strict safety protocols here, and we will continue to do so.”
The state’s Board of Barbering and Cosmetology issued a statement following the visit threatening to remove the license of salons and barbershops that do not close in accordance with California’s restrictions.
“We don’t want to be doing this, any of this,” Ballin told KTXL. “We don’t want to be doing this interview today. We just want to open and work. We just want our rights.”
