What rules govern door-to-door salespeople in Sonoma County?

CrimeBeat Q&A is a weekly feature where police reporter Julie Johnson answers readers’ questions about local crimes and the law.

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It is 8 p.m. and some guy just came to my door wanting to reduce my electric bill. He was wearing a badge. I thought the whole thing was rather odd at this late hour. What type of ID should a solicitor have and aren’t there restrictions on when they can show up?

- Julia Landecker, Santa Rosa

Solicitors can knock on doors between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in Santa Rosa.

But each person must be registered with the city through a process that involves a criminal background check and fingerprinting, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. John Wolf said.

Legitimate peddlers must show a police-issued badge about the size of a driver’s license that includes the person’s photograph and company name. The back of the badge includes height, weight, birth date and the permit’s expiration date.

There are exceptions for legitimate charities, government agencies and newspaper delivery carriers. California labor laws restrict door-to-door sales by minors.

Currently, five people with four companies have active permits in Santa Rosa: Farm Fresh to you produce delivery service, Santa Rosa-based Gilco Distributors vacuum dealer, a Rohnert Park-based cleaning company called The Pinnacle of Napa and Vivint Solar.

Requirements vary by city. Rohnert Park Public Safety Commander Pat Strouse said that a peddler must get a business license with the city and then a solicitor permit with police. In Cloverdale, Police Chief Stephen Cramer said that peddlers must get a business license from the city but don’t need to be fingerprinted.

Signs that say no peddlers or solicitors do hold sway in some cities, like Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park. Exact rules vary by city.

Police officials said that door-to-door magazine sales are a classic scheme by ne’er-do-wells who truck in a van full of people from outside the area to spend all day knocking on doors, rarely with city permits.

Wolf said he was once called to a home after a resident let a peddler in and later discovered the person had taken knickknacks and jewelry from a bathroom. Wolf advised residents to be wary before letting a solicitor inside.

“Whenever these people come to your door, they are a stranger to you,” Wolf said. “Even if they have a permit, you don’t know anything about them. The photograph ensures a fingerprint and background check was done, but that’s all that ensures.”

Submit your questions about crime, safety and criminal justice to Staff Writer Julie Johnson at julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.