santa clara county sheriff captain

Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California. The race is between two candidates: Bob Jonsen and Kevin Jensen. He also plans to improve the treatment for mentally ill inmatesand overall conditions in the jail system. Christine Nagaye, Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen and sheriff Sgt. West, who Rosen said has given truthful testimony to date, similarly told the grand jury, with the number of CCWs that we were hoping to get, they believed that, $90,000 would be a reasonable donation, according to a July 31 transcript. If theres problems with speeding or people running stop signs, (these events) give them more direct access to us and assist them in a better way.. ", According to the indictment, the alleged criminal activity began in April 2018 with a text from Nichols to attorney Harpaul Nahal, saying, "I need you to meet my buddy that runs the Facebook Executive protection team, followed by: its a potential $50K. We believe that working with the community, together we achieve great things and Im hoping to carry on that tradition and continue to provide the city of Cupertino with the best law enforcement services that we can.. As the new captain assigned to the West Valley patrol division, Im committed to the legacy weve built here in the city of Cupertino, he said. Instead, the application would be filed away and forgotten. "On August 7, 2020, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office publicly announced that Captain James Jensen has been formally charged with felony bribery, conspiracy and falsifying public documents by a Grand Jury.". "I think people should be treated fairly and equally under this system," Long said. SAN JOSE The former CEO of an executive security firm charged in an alleged scheme to trade political donations for concealed-gun permits from the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office abruptly pleaded guilty in the case Monday, in what prosecutors called a significant development for a corruption probe that could threaten Sheriff Laurie Smiths two-decade tenure. He is unlikely to be any better than the current Sherriff. He previously reported in Washington, D.C., Salinas and the East Bay, and is a middling triathlete. He served various roles for the next three decades, including as an assistant chief in the department of corrections and as jail administration commander. The new sheriff of San Mateo County, Christina Corpus, has been assembling a command staff that includes a former Realtor who has little law enforcement experience, though he has volunteered with the Woodside Mounted Patrol. The side of a Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in this file photo. Capt. Click hereif you are having trouble viewing the slideshow on a mobile device. The second half of the agreed-upon donation amount wasstymied by the DA investigation, authorities said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. Jonsen said he also values transparency in law enforcement. Its a small town community I like interacting with.. She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. The recently released autopsy report of Thomas Phan, a 40-year-old homeless man shot and killed by deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station on Nov. 16, provided new details . Nagaye said she wants the Sheriffs Office to improve its relationship with diverse communities in Santa Clara County, and would set up a commission to jumpstart this process. He wants to dismantle the system of nepotism that he claims took root in the Sheriffs Office during Smiths tenure. Palo Alto police chief enters race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Santa Clara County sergeant steps into sheriffs race, Second challenger joins race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Former opponent challenges embattled Santa Clara County sheriff, https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf, Helen Chapman fights to save San Joses open space, Bejarano: Why I quit my East San Jose school board, Out of work: Beloved San Jose reverend faces uphill climb, Silicon Valley students stranded by shuttered schools, San Jose legislator wants to raise foster age. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. Christine Nagaye wants to transform theoffice into a national role model. And Captain Jenson will even wave the mandated gun testing at a gun range," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. I am the only candidate who has addressed these issues for 30 years, Allen said. "It's been something of an open secret within the firearms community," Long said. She also served in the offices operational standards and inspections unit and worked at both Elmwood and the main jail. We know hes the best candidate to address these issues (in the office).. The Civil Warrants Division serves Civil process in the manner prescribed by law. A contender for the top law enforcement job in Santa Clara County has won a coveted endorsement. Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. He spent the bulk of his career27 yearsin the LA County Sheriffs Department, retiring as captain of Lancaster Station. Earlier this year, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit analyzed five years' worth of data and found that donors to Smith's political campaigns were about 14 times more likely to get a concealed weapons permit than those who did not contribute. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. He became captain in 2004 and retired in 2013. As the I-Team reported last September, the man suffered brain damage and his parents are suing the county and the Sheriff's Department. To be fair, all candidates seem passionate about wanting to a good job as sheriff and the questions asked are valid questions for any managerial jobs. His career in law enforcement with the sheriffs office began in 2002, and since then he has worked a wide range of assignments, which include patrolling the West Valley cities, as well as performing law enforcement duties for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authoritys transit patrol division. She is now on paid . "People have often said the only way to obtain a permit in Santa Clara County is to make a donation to the sheriff's office.". Your email address will not be published. "I'm feeling very hopeful and optimistic, cautiously. The Santa Clara County District Attorney said the defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020. at San Jose's Hall of Justice. No other candidate mentioned the Constitution. Jonsen said he has experience stabilizing organizations bleeding staff, noting he helped staunch the flow of people leaving the Menlo Park and Palo Alto police departments, in part by raising salaries to a competitive level. The morale will get better, then the whole department, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. With Californias soaring mountains steep in snow, heres how to avoid an avalanche If convicted could get 11 years in prison. Law Enforcement. A grand jury has indicted Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung and added an additional indictment against a captain linked to a concealed weapons permit scandal that has rocked the Sheriff's . Stromgren recalled a conversation he had with Nielsen: I told him on a couple of occasions I didnt feel comfortable. Len Ramirez and Kiet Do contributed to this story. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Santa Clara County is getting a new sheriff for the first time in more than two decades, following Laurie Smiths decision to not run for a seventh term. 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The division commander is Captain Rich Urena, who serves as the Chief of Police for the Town of Los Altos Hills. "If she's doing something that's unfair and unjust, she owes it to this community to step down," said Moore. In addition to bribery, the indictment accuses Jensen of conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. 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. SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced Friday that four people -- including a Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain -- have been indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy charges in a scheme tied to Sheriff Laurie Smith's reelection campaign. This is your newsroom. Saratoga hosts LAW-tes and Coffee with a Cop events to keep the community engaged with the Sheriffs Office, Valenzuela said. I just want to do it within reason, getting mental health help we need on the front end, and also providing for those people who have to be in the jails.. Nichols, CEO of The Gun Co. based in Milpitas, reportedly knew Nielsen as a buddy, and eventually worked with Nahal and Schumb to get the alleged quid pro quo in motion. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. In addition to bribery, the indictment charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. Related Articles Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. Sheriff Robert Jonsen Sheriff's Office Facebook Page Sheriff's Office Twitter Feed Sheriff's Office Instagram Feed Contact Us 55 West Younger Avenue San Jose, CA 95110-1721 Phone: (408) 808-4400 Toll Free: (800) 211-2220 Fax: (408) 294-2467 Email: so.website@shf.sccgov.org Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. Kinda like if you are applying for a cook job and you are not aware that preparing meals is the basic part of your job then what is the point of continuing the job interview? FILE - Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith walks to a news conference in Cupertino, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011. Flood Advisory issued for Santa Clara Co. . Nate Gartrell covers crime and corruption in Contra Costa County. . hoped you would put name in hat .Thanks for running !! As NBC Bay Area first reported more than a week ago, a criminal grand jury has been looking into allegations of "pay to play" for concealed gun permits in the South Bay. Jensen's attorney Harry S. Stern released the following statement to ABC7 News: James is devastated by this development. However, if you are in the words of sheriff's Captain James Jenson a VIP, then he will meet you at Starbucks, personally review your application and help you fill it out. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. A retired Santa Clara County sheriffs captain who ran for office in 2014 and lost, Kevin Jensen believes he has the momentum to take the seat. Rosen said his office's probe was triggered by a San Jose Inside article focusing on a large 2018 contribution to Smith's campaign. We know Kevin Jensen as a person and we understand his leadership qualities, Ryan Elder, president of the association, told San Jos Spotlight. Jensen lost that election, but he believes the time is right for a new run and cites the support from the association. She has spent months fending off attacks from the Board of Supervisors, which voted no confidence in her leadership. While a captain, he was assigned to oversee various Custody Bureau Divisions, including the Main Jail, Elmwood, Jail Reforms, Support Services, and Administrative Services, as well as the Transportation and Internal Affairs Units. Rosen noted that any average member of the public applying for a CCW license in accordance with the instructions on the Sheriff's Office website would not have their application reviewed. Reverend Jeff Moore, the head of the NAACP Silicon Valley Chapter had a CCW permit, but it was never renewed for reasons unknown. The testimonies confirm an earlier report from this news organization that found CCW permits were most frequently granted to high-profile applicants, and that the most common condition for approvals was a reference or order from Smith or one of her top commanders. In response to a list of questions, Colton referred San Jos Spotlight to aquestionnaireshe filled out for a recent sheriff candidate forum. "It's a sad day for the Sheriff's department," said retired Undersheriff John Hirokawa, who was defeated in a runoff by Sheriff Smith in the election that year and wonders what role the money played. A sheriff's captain was among four people indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy charges as part of an election campaign scandal tied to Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, the District Attorney's Office said Friday. End of an era: San Jose antique shops could disappear, Robes, candles and chants: South Bay official in hot water over religious ceremony, Proposed tax law threatens billions in San Jose funding. After submitting 7 CCW license applications to Jensen at a meeting, AS Solution manager Martin Nielsen donated the first half of that amount to the Santa Clara County. Most of those applicants did not donate to the Sheriffs political campaign over that time period and fewer than 6% of those non-donors were awarded a concealed gun permit, according to sheriffs office records and publicly available campaign contribution data. As we gather more evidence, we expect to file more charges against more individuals in the coming weeks. In a surprise turn, West used the defendants Monday arraignment to plead guilty. First published on August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM. DA Jeff Rosen alleged conspirators solicited $90,000 in campaign contributions for Sheriff Laurie Smiths political campaign in exchange for 10-12 concealed carry gun permits MORE @nbcbayarea. Long, who created a blog to document the CCW process in Santa Clara County, said he was unsurprised by the indictments. Reach him the low-tech way at 408-920-5002. BY EMILY MIBACH. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. Reggie Cooks said he couldn't disclose why that happened and offered the following official response: "In . Character is hugeif you dont have the ability to make decisions for the right reasons, it wont work, Jensen said. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. "However, if you are -- in the words of Sheriff's Captain James Jenson -- a 'VIP,' then he'll meet you at Starbucks, personally review your application and help you fill it out," said Rosen. As police chief in Palo Alto, Jonsen said hes helped the city implement a program that partners behavioral health workers with police officers to respond to psychiatric emergencies. The second installment was forestalled by the DA investigation. If the Sheriff lacks a full understanding of the Constitution it would stand to reason that he is vulnerable to violation of his oath. "This investigation revealed the sad reality that at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office there are 2 policies for those seeking CCW licenses. Your email address will not be published. Santa Clara County sheriff-elect Bob Jonsen will take office early after Board of Supervisors vote Jonsen, who was elected sheriff with 50.81% of the vote in November, will become the. Nagaye opposes the creation of a new jail, although she does support the creation of a new mental health facility to better meet the needs of mentally ill inmates. A sheriff sergeant with almost 30 years of service in the office, Sean Allen said his platform boils down to transparency, accountability and reform. The culture of management can no longer be one of fear and intimidation.. Before that, he was chief of police in Menlo Park for five years. In 2017, another captain had used inmate labor to build arbors and a storage shed. County Sheriff's Captain, Prominent Lawyer Charged with Gun Permit Bribery Scheme. In a statement, the sheriff's office said Jensen will be placed on administrative leave immediately. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. Occupation. Santa Clara County sheriff faces grand jury accusation, no plea yet, Former opponent challenges embattled Santa Clara County sheriff, UPDATE: Santa Clara County pursues investigation of sheriff, Helen Chapman fights to save San Joses open space, Bejarano: Why I quit my East San Jose school board, Out of work: Beloved San Jose reverend faces uphill climb, Silicon Valley students stranded by shuttered schools, San Jose legislator wants to raise foster age. By Bay City News Published July 16, 2013. I would make every attempt and work tirelessly with community leaders to let them know the Sheriffs Office, or law enforcement as a whole, is here for you.. The conflict is so real and so grave that fair treatment of Schumb is unlikely unless the district attorneys office is disqualified, Wall wrote in the motion. She is a San Jose State University alumna and enjoys hiking and camping in her spare time. He is my choice. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. I live in Palo Alto, am happy that Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonson is leaving his Palo Alto position. Ricardo Rich Urena has been tapped to replace Capt. If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters told San Jos Spotlight Colton is a registered voter in the county, and submitted a signed declaration swearing she meets the requirements of the position. If they dont get this then they are oblivious and are incapable of doing a good job if elected. So I can ask them about the SJ Search and Rescue team and how we can support the new sherriff. Jensen, 58, retired in 2013. Jail reform is one of the key issues in the Sheriff's race, pitting former Palo Alto Police Chief Bob Jonsen against former . 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nielsen testified at a grand jury hearing July 21 that he and West met with sheriff officials and discussed offering donations and other payments with the hopes of getting bulk CCW applications approved. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. Political action committees for the Deputy Sheriffs Association and the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers Association supported Jensens campaign when he ran against Smith in 2014. Rick Sung as commander of the patrol division. Jensen started working as a deputy at Elmwood Correctional Facility in 1985. The investigation found that weeks after the scheme was hatched, the conspirators settled on a $90,000 "donation" in exchange for 10 to 12 CCW licenses. we have been without one, https://www.kevinjensen4sheriff.com/endorsements. For the average member of the public, no matter how pressing or justified their need, if they follow the procedure laid out on the sheriff's website and mail in an application, it will will not be reviewed. And were here to provide it. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Jensen said hes concerned about the large number of mentally ill inmates in the jail system, butbelieves those with violent offenses need to be incarcerated. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Capt. Smith has not filed papers for reelection or said publicly whether she intends to run. Sheriff spokesman Sgt.

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