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It's being mismanaged now because people in command-staff positions are without a degree in finance and economics," she said. Sgt. When elected, I will end this policy within the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office," she said. Instead, he chose a career in law enforcement so he could institute reforms while keeping the public safe, he said. He said he would also work to break the cycle of fear and intimidation in the jail, where inmates have created a self-governance culture. I would be there and listening," she said. From day one, I would be handing over all documents to the Board of Supervisors and (Independent Police Auditor) Michael Gennaco that they have asked for. 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[4], Two inmates escaped from custody in San Jose in November 2016. James Jensen, attorneys Harpaul Nahal and Christopher Schumb and gun dealer Michael Nichols go to trial on Nov. 2. Mountain View City Council kicks off process of identifying priority projects for next two years. Jonsen also said that as sheriff he would review the county jail management structure and work to implement the county's blue ribbon panel recommendations for reform. Jensen said he grew up in a dysfunctional household with a troubled father who ended up incarcerated. As sheriff, he would advocate for additional funding for mental health programs to help de-escalate crisis encounters. For years its been an open secret in Santa Clara County that political supporters of Smith received special treatment from her agency. The most important quality she wants in her deputies. The grand jury testimony gives the first inside look at the casual way the process worked: Jensen would make house calls to deliver VIPs their gun-permit paperwork, at least once to a judge, and in a few instances, to players for the San Jose Sharks. Your email address will not be published. According to Cooks, applications from prosecutors, judges, elected officials, San Jose Sharks players and other VIPs typically came through Capt. As sheriff, he would work to change the department's culture starting at the top through internal review and investigations and by improving training and evaluations. He rose to the rank of captain and held the post of assistant chief in the Department of Correction for two years.While at the sheriff's office, he was the Stanford Department of Public Safety liaison, county jail administration commander, court security division commander and administrative coroner. By showing our complete transparency, it's going to build trust in the community again. This forum recording is the property of the . He also supports the establishment of a civilian review board with subpoena power to investigate misconduct allegations. Even when he caught a red flag, such as out-of-county home addresses on applications handed off by Capt. Laurie Smith (born June 21, 1952) was the 28th Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California, serving from 1998 until her early retirement in 2022 when under indictment for corruption. Would you do a Live Scan? Braker asked, referring to a background check software. Why he says he's the best-qualified candidate. Jensen believes they have to get the idea that they are there to serve, even though emotions might sometimes want to get in the way. She supports appointing a civilian watchdog to audit law-enforcement practices and management. Nagaye supports having a civilian watchdog to audit law enforcement practices and the management of the county jails. ", RELATED: Researchers are honing in on potential Fentanyl vaccine amid national opioid crisis. If you are not honest and you lie on a report and you get caught, then it's hard for me to help somebody," she said. When I have my one-on ones, I lay it out very clearly. She enlisted in the U.S. Army at 19, became a medic and served five years of active duty. Crime and Public Safety | "Your job is never retribution," he said. For example, when he worked on the Polly Klaas murder case, Jensen said he needed to have self-control. Neither Sheriff Smith nor her PIOs are accused of any crimes. Become a Member And yet, Dr. Sussman says they are dying from drugs more than ever before. L.A. wants to evict families living in luxury hotel since botched 2021 fireworks detonation Like Glennon, Cooks described a CCW permitting system with no clear rules or set timelines. I'm a veteran, a woman and I married a man of color and I'm a LGBTQ ally. They declined to speak on camera, but they told us the fentanyl crisis is truly getting out of hand. During her training sessions, Nagaye said she focuses on getting deputies to stop thinking about "going hands on" with inmates as a first resort. Sue Dremann is a veteran journalist who joined the Palo Alto Weekly in 2001. [5] Two more inmates escaped from custody in Palo Alto in November 2017.[6]. The police auditor now reviews supervisory inquiry investigations, internal employee complaints of discrimination, harassment or retaliation and any use-of-force investigation where a baton, chemical agent, Taser, less-lethal projectile, canine or firearm is used, or when a subject's injuries as a result of a police use of force require treatment beyond minor medical care in the field, his website noted.Encryption of police-scanner communicationsJonsen notes that after fully encrypting radio communications, his department launched a "Calls for Service" interactive map that shows incidents to which officers have responded in the past 24 hours. Given how long this has been an issue, thats a problem.. Kevin Jensen said during a recent interview, prefacing his own of a tough upbringing. You can't take the Fifth. In alphabetical order, here's what they had to say. News It was the first prosecutors had heard of it, and they dug in. Courtesy photos. Voters in the June 7 primary will determine which two candidates move on to the general election in November.Under Smith, deputies murdered a mentally ill inmate, and others in custody have been injured, costing the county millions of dollars in settlements. "For 27 years, I worked for a sheriff's organization. On Aug. 31, on the first arraignment date for the case, West pleaded guilty as part of a deal to help the prosecution in exchange for charging and sentencing leniency. She now faces potential removal from office after being accused by a civil grand jury of corrupt misconduct. In 2015, the average daily population for the Santa Clara County Correctional facilities was . Home To qualify for a concealed gun permit in California, an applicant must have good character, a valid reason and live in the county where its issued. The department is also documenting microaggressions to track hate-incident patterns to proactively intervene before they escalate to crimes. On December 15, 1998, Laurie Smith became the 28th person to hold the position of sheriff in Santa Clara County, California and the first woman law enforcement officer to hold the office of sheriff in the history of California. . She is a breaking news and general assignment reporter who also covers the regional environmental, health and crime beats. "Don't be afraid to bring someone else in," she said, to help de-escalate or assess the situation.She supports California legislative bill SB 2, which creates a statewide system to revoke the license of a police officer who commits serious misconduct, and SB 16, which requires disclosure of a sustained finding of excessive use of force if an officer failed to intervene when another officer used unreasonable or excessive force.She would also make sure that all officers rotate among enforcement and custody positions so they have a well-rounded view of inmates and a broad range of experiences.Nagaye supports funding a mental health wellness center over building a new jail. 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General Contact Information: Main Number: (408) 299-5151 Media Line: (408) 299-5119 Office of the County Executive Jonsen and his wife, a doctor, have two sons and a young grandson. I just kind of tried to figure it out on my own, Low said. The more honest you are, the easier we can approach it. A San Jose native, he graduated from UCLA with a BA degree in history and from the University of Maryland with a MA degree in journalism. As sheriff, he said, he would continue community policing and engage in outreach to help all areas of the community. Jonsen has been criticized, however, for a lack of transparency, including his January 2021 decision to encrypt all police radio communications, without warning, which prevents the media and other members of the public from monitoring and independently verifying incidents and police activity. Who better to have in place to find where this money is going? Can the candidates straighten out the sheriff's office, restore the public's confidence in its transparency and accountability and reform its jail system? He would tell his deputies: "Follow the mission. Could you look into that? In November 2022, Bob Jonsen was elected to succeed Smith. Finally, it would be interest to know if the application of official scrutiny would ever actually fix the corruption or just stop for awhile while they are being scrutinized but will go back to oppressing individuals rights under the law. "They immediately applied life-saving measures and applied Narcan to every individual in that household," Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office PIO Sgt. The DOJ doesn't require blanket encryption and allows for workarounds, but Jonsen did not create any, community critics have said.The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office also encrypts its radio communications.The city has also faced a number of lawsuits during Jonsen's tenure, alleging excessive use of force by Palo Alto officers. The incident was a brazen riff on Californias carefully crafted concealed-gun permit law, but it emerges as typical of Santa Clara Countys freewheeling, pay-to-play version of the process, as alleged in testimony detailed in 900 pages of grand jury transcripts released late last month. "A lot of people are duck-and-cover and think they have to be blindly loyal to get ahead," he said.He would also work to build trust in the community between deputies and residents so they will feel more comfortable reporting crimes.Jail reform and use of forceJensen is "100% for front-end mental health services" that help keep people safe and out of jail. From day one, I would be handing over all documents to the Board of Supervisors and (Independent Police Auditor) Michael Gennaco that they have asked for. All rights reserved. After the murder of mentally ill jail inmate Michael Tyree by three guards, who were later convicted, Nagaye helped develop new policies. When he was 19 years old, Sean Allen was wrongfully accused, briefly incarcerated and ultimately exonerated in Santa Clara County for a crime he didn't commit. To support the entire operation, the Department employs 223 non-sworn, civilian staff. The sheriff has come under attack after allegations of abuse and mismanagement in the countys jails. In a Silicon Valley Public Accountability Foundation questionnaire of the candidates, Colton framed her responses in Constitutional terms: The sheriff protects the citizens and upholds their Constitutional rights. With election day less than a week away, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's race is down to two candidates: Bob Jonsen and Kevin Jensen. Crime and Public Safety | Ending this policy, which has been adopted by many agencies around the state, is one of the first steps to regaining public trust through transparency, not to mention to support the freedom of the press as protected in the First Amendment," she said. If someone is getting into the job so they can chase a person, they aren't right for the job, he said. Thursday, Judge Eric Geffon. He has instituted mindfulness strategies to improve officers' well-being.Jonsen has been criticized, however, for a lack of transparency, including his January 2021 decision to encrypt all police radio communications, without warning, which prevents the media and other members of the public from monitoring and independently verifying incidents and police activity.He took the action due to a 2020 Department of Justice directive that prohibits the public dissemination of personally identifiable information such as names and driver's license numbers. "Putting mentally ill people in jail with a bunch of cops (is a bad idea). Community Calendar Another man, Julio Arevalo, filed a $10 million federal lawsuit after an officer slammed him to the ground and shattered his eye-socket bone in 2019. The grand jury convened July 20 of this year and handed down its indictments Aug. 6. Last week, two members of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors called for an investigation into Smith and the Sheriffs Office after the injuries and deaths of jail inmates. But a short time later, their cover was blown although it would take months more before the sheriffs office realized it. 12k Followers, 456 Following, 1,322 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office (@santaclarasheriff) santaclarasheriff. During his more than three-decade career, Jonsen has taken on a number of law enforcement roles, both professional and fictional: He once held an intergalactic position as a stormtrooper in the original Star Wars movie, according to his candidate webpage. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority also contracted with the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement service. Advertising Info Jensen, whose wife is Hispanic, said he would sit down with members of the public, particularly the underserved, to work on problems and gain trust. He is a former president of the California Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates. She said she would have an ongoing "meet the deputies" program to improve the agency's relationship with the community. I was essentially doing clerical work.. "Training matters, and it influences the outcome," he said.Jonsen also said that as sheriff he would review the county jail management structure and work to implement the county's blue ribbon panel recommendations for reform.He also wants to restructure the jails to become educational facilities to help people develop skills so that they can get jobs and not offend again.TransparencyJonsen said he worked hard during the pandemic to retain a dedicated public information officer to address media inquiries, but budget cuts eliminated the position.Instead, he implemented an online system by which members of the media and the public submit a form and wait for a callback rather than talk immediately to a watch commander.Despite these changes, and the full encryption of radio communications, Jonsen said he recognizes that the media "is crucial in building trust with the community. Become a member today. In his testimony to the grand jury, Wasserman insisted he simply didnt remember how he fulfilled the firearms safety requirement to carry two concealed pistols. In fact, none of the PIOs who testified ever recalled actually witnessing Smith sign one. Again going by Jensens instructions, he said hed typically blame the delays on something out of his control. He would tell his deputies: "Follow the mission. When people can't get information from the news and the sheriff is not responsive, it creates distrust in the community, she said. If you've had an incident, be honest and let me know. "We rewrote and reworked the policy to make sense for this day and age. I understand the complexities," he said.He is the only candidate who has been at the helm of a law-enforcement agency, he noted.Some of his initiatives in Palo Alto include forming a community advisory committee, which helped inform his relationship with residents and to understand their concerns. He would basically bring me the applications that she had approved to move forward, Glennon testified. Calls friendship with Christopher Schumb a fatal conflict that cannot be ignored and impediment to fair trial. The incidents are listed only after officers have left the scene, however, and do not show the exact locations of the calls.Communities of colorEquity "is the primary issue of this election carrying the momentum of the last two years where we have done so much around race and equality," Jonsen said.His department began recording hate incidents after local hate crimes and incidents increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are honing in on potential Fentanyl vaccine amid national opioid crisis, 'Injecting Hope' | Watch documentary on innovative program tackling drug overdose, fentanyl epidemic. Kevin Jensen A well-rounded retiree who wants to rebuild trust"Everyone has a story," retired Santa Clara County Sheriff's Capt. As sheriff, he would provide education to the public on how to better protect their neighborhoods, and he would work collaboratively with law enforcement throughout the county. Jonsen pointed to his years of experience as a chief and leader of law enforcement organizations that depend on professional experience to thrive. Jensen is "100% for front-end mental health services" that help keep people safe and out of jail. "Compassion, respect and integrity. The city of Palo Alto, under Jonsen,. PR MediaRelease Mayor Sam Liccardos call comes days after two Board of Supervisors members called for an investigation after injuries and deaths at the countys jails. Jonsen, 59, a Palo Alto resident, has worked in law enforcement for 36 years. to avoid being attacked, she said. Robert was a member of the Bay Area News Group reporting team awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for East Bay Times coverage of the fatal "Ghost Ship" fire. Santa Clara County has paid out at least $20 million in settlements for the serious injury and deaths of mentally ill inmates under Sheriff Smith. "We rewrote and reworked the policy to make sense for this day and age. Twitter Facebook. When he took the job, there was no formal training on how to handle the applications, so he followed the process inherited by Glennon. "The California Highway Patrol and LAPD have shown that there are ways to work around the issues that have been brought up. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! "Your job is never retribution," he said. Back-room beatings make people afraid to go against the shot-callers, he said. In the 20 years I've been in this agency I only used pepper spray one time and I was ordered to use it," she said. Otherwise, your forms go into a filing cabinet on the fourth floor of the sheriffs Younger Avenue office, never to be looked at again. Both required discipline and commitment, attributes she said are important to achieve success and to lead. He is a former Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers' Association board member and a lifelong martial artist and instructor. Smith was speaking ahead of a Board of Supervisors meeting, where members were set to discuss a potential investigation of the incident in which Hogan was injured. Shortly after Smiths 2018 re-election her most competitive contest to date the Metro newspaper asked the DAs office about the $45,000 donation. This is the official Youtube channel of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. As the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office remains embroiled in controversy over alleged corruption and mismanagement, five candidates vying for Sheriff Laurie Smith's seat will be tasked with proving they can restore public confidence in the law enforcement agency. He has worked for a sizable chunk of his career in the same jail where he was once incarcerated as a scared teenager.Allen, 51, is a 32-year veteran and sergeant of the sheriff's office.