she can't talk freely, then she needs to step down," Hirokawa said. Emergency Contact Information . He supports the Board of Supervisors decision to build a new 500-person jail, and he favors adding more mental health resources for inmates. "Our concern is not whether the Sheriff grants many or few CCW licenses, but whether they are being granted or denied for the wrong reasons," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a press release. San Jos Spotlight was unable to find record of Colton serving in law enforcement. The ABC7 News I-Team asked Le to provide a comment but she declined. Besides sketching out the donation-for-permits plan, he surreptitiously recorded a conversation with Jensen using a DA-provided phone app, at a meeting just days before the corruption probe became public knowledge when search warrants were served at the sheriffs office. Urena will oversee a division that serves the communities of Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and unincorporated areas of the county, bringing 14 years of experience into the role. 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. Transcripts show the county supervisor blamed a chronically bad memory for his inability to recall whether he fulfilled the proficiency requirements. Le has been one of the most well-paid Santa Clara County employees for years. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. 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. These cameras capture vehicle license plates and compare them with Sheriffs Office databases to alert authorities when a plate matches a listing. There are some very strong advocates for changes in the jail system, and Im among them, Jensen said. The second half of the agreed-upon donation amount wasstymied by the DA investigation, authorities said. The activity took place in 2018 while Sheriff Laurie Smith -- who had the authority to grant the permits -- was in a tough battle race for reelection in both the primary and general elections. The race is between two candidates: Bob Jonsen and Kevin Jensen. Jail reform is one of the key issues in the Sheriff's race, pitting former Palo Alto Police Chief Bob Jonsen against former . In court Monday, he asked Judge Eric Geffon to re-seal the grand jury transcripts on the grounds that his clients trial rights will be prejudiced by their release.. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! He spent the bulk of his career27 yearsin the LA County Sheriffs Department, retiring as captain of Lancaster Station. Jonsen, 59, spent the last four years working as police chief in Palo Alto. When asked if Jensen was acting on his own or working with Sheriff Smith, Rosen said that because the investigation was ongoing, it was not appropriate for him to comment on the possible roles of other individuals. Reverend Jeff Moore, the head of the NAACP Silicon Valley Chapter had a CCW permit, but it was never renewed for reasons unknown. CBS. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A contender for the top law enforcement job in Santa Clara County has won a coveted endorsement. Rosen said the office has been cleared of any conflict by the state Office of the Attorney General, which will represent the DAs office in the motion hearing. 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? Hes also interested in growing the jails mental health resources by potentially enlisting interns and clinicians in training from local universities. 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. I think its a trend that were seeing, property crimes increasing, now that were going back to work, Valenzuela said. "The DA's office is continuing to investigate more crimes and more individuals related to Sheriff Smith's issuance of CCW licenses. Flood Advisory issued for Santa Clara Co. . Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. James Jensen, attorney Christopher Schumb, attorney Harpaul Nahal and business owner Michael Nichols allegedly conspired with the CEO and a middle manager of an international security company to offer a $90,000 bribe in exchange for concealed weapons permits, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. The side of a Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in this file photo. A gun parts manufacturer and two South Bay lawyers were the other three individuals named in the indictment. From there, he was promoted to lieutenant and came back to Saratoga as the assistant commander of the West Valley Patrol Division. 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. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Custody Division is the fifth largest jail system in California, and among the 20 largest systems in the United States. Urena has a wealth of patrol experience, he told the five-member city council. He plans to implement greater civilian oversight in the jail systeman outstanding concern among county officials. "This investigation revealed the sad reality that at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office there are 2 policies for those seeking CCW licenses. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) A retired captain for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office is joining the race to become the next sheriff, now the second opponent looking to unseat current. Were changing the face of journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering reliable, truthful news to the nations 10th largest city. "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.". Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. August 10, 2016 at 12:02 p.m. 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 . If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. Provides investigative services for all of the North/West Santa Clara County unincorporated areas and the contract cities of Saratoga, Cupertino, and Los Altos Hills. 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. There is only ONE job in the United States that has the job description of defending the US Constitution and protecting We the People. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. We are not done.". "It's very unusual for a captain to be walked off in that manner for a project that wasn't for personal gain, on jail property. He wants to prioritize building morale in the office, which he said has been low for many years, and to rebuild relationships with the San Jose Police Departmenthe claims Smith neglected. 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. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. West Valley: Rich Urena is new captain of, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, West Valley: Rich Urena is new captain of sheriff offices West Valley division. The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. The exact terms of the deal were hammered out later that month, according to the indictment, when Nielsen and West met with Jensen, Nahal, and Nichols at a San Jose Jamba Juice and agreed upon an exchange of 10-to-12 CCW licenses for a $90,000 donation to Smith's campaign. Palo Alto police are out-of-control and Palo Alto has lots of payouts to victims. Moreover, he doesn't have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. 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.. An inquiry from the Metro Silicon Valley weekly about executive security licensing and an extremely large campaign donation -- which was reported in public filings -- spurred the DA to start an investigation shortly after the general election in 2018. Jensen has picked up support from the main unions serving jail employees: the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers Association. 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. She is also a veteran, having served for five years as a combat medic and training officer in the army. "My concern is not whether the sheriff grants many or few CCW licenses, but whether they are being granted or denied for the wrong reasons," said Rosen. Civil process includes restraining orders, bench warrants, arrest warrants, evictions and any other notice or order from the courts. Jonsen, who filed his papers to run in January, has received endorsements from former state Sen.Jim Bell, the Democratic Asian Pacific American Club and the Sunnyvale Democratic Club. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain James Jensen is photographed outside of the Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Jensen was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. Were changing the face of journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering reliable, truthful news to the nations 10th largest city. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Law Enforcement. All Rights Reserved. And its not because I can give them any promotions or instantly solve their problemsits because Ive earned their trust over a long period of time.. Colton is a latecomer to the race, having filed her nomination papers in March. I havent been provided any evidence at this point, but broadly speaking I believe that all of the folks involved were legally able to obtain the permits. Ricardo "Rich" Urena has been tapped to replace . In addition to bribery, the indictment charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. If they dont get this then they are oblivious and are incapable of doing a good job if elected. He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. Sung is now the assistant sheriff for the administrative division. Woman found fatally shot on I-580 off-ramp Comment Policy (updated 11/1/2021): We reserve the right to delete comments or ban users who engage in personal attacks, hate speech, excess profanity or make verifiably false statements. He also plans to improve the treatment for mentally ill inmatesand overall conditions in the jail system. Sources tell the I-Team that Le was a supervisor at the Main Jail's sally port when a mentally ill inmate was beating his head against a post inside a transport van. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? In Santa Clara County, there's only room for one sheriff in town. 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.. In addition to bribery, the indictment accuses Jensen of conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. With all of the county's 754 precincts reporting as of 5 p.m. Wednesday,. 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. Ex-CEO of security firm pleads guilty in Santa, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Los Gatos: Hundreds still without power as Black Road repair project finishes early, Ex-CEO of security firm pleads guilty in Santa Clara County gun-permit bribery case, Sheriff and undersheriff plead the Fifth, supervisor blames bad memory in Santa Clara County gun-permit probe, Ex-CEO of security firm charged in Santa Clara County sheriff concealed-gun permit bribery case, Four indicted in Santa Clara County Sheriff concealed gun permit scandal, Big donor to Santa Clara County sheriffs campaign was issued rare concealed gun permit. I haven't been provided any evidence at this point, but broadly speaking I believe that all of the folks involved were legally able to obtain the permits. We have seen such words used when the City Council has voted. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Long, who created a blog to document the CCW process in Santa Clara County, said he was unsurprised by the indictments. Per a plea agreement, his charges will be downgraded to misdemeanors and a maximum 18-month jail sentence in exchange for his cooperation with the district attorney. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Christine Nagaye wants to transform theoffice into a national role model. SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain James Jensen is photographed outside of the Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Jensen was. He said after Friday's news, Sheriff Smith needs to go. Among the charges he faces, Jensen, along with AS Solution program manager Jack Stromgren, is accused of instructing AS Solution security employees to falsify their home addresses or employer to meet in-county residency requirements for the sheriffs CCW permits. 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. Office Hours. The DA's Office said it is continuing to investigate additional crimes and individuals in relation to the issuing of CCW licenses. The division commander is Captain Rich Urena, who serves as the Chief of Police for the Town of Los Altos Hills. She is now on paid administrative leave. 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. Christian West, AS Solutions CEO at the time of the alleged scheme, was charged separately on two felony conspiracy counts. In a lawsuit filed Nov. 13 in Santa Clara County Superior Court, Amy Le says the Sheriff's Office effectively forced her to resign in retaliation for alerting higher-ups about a female lieutenant's sexual harassment complaint against a high-ranking officer. Sheriff Bob Jonsen has been in law enforcement since 1986. 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. The morale will get better, then the whole department, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. Monday through Friday through 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Santa Clara Sheriffs gun-permit process: public safety or politics? All Rights Reserved. A contender for the top law enforcement job in Santa Clara County has won a coveted endorsement. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen remained on track Wednesday to be elected Santa Clara County's next sheriff. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. Rosen reiterated Monday that his offices investigation is still active, but declined to comment on whether prosecutors are any closer to implicating the sheriff. "You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law.". Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. "If she's doing something that's unfair and unjust, she owes it to this community to step down," said Moore. 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Shes concerned about declining morale in the office,notingstaffing levels are lowwhich means many employees work mandatory overtime, separating them from their families. The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. In 2017, another captain had used inmate labor to build arbors and a storage shed. Rick Sung as commander of the patrol division. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. He was promoted to captain and was assigned to Stanford University before requesting to come back to Saratoga and serve as the division commander. This all took place in 2018, while Sheriff Laurie Smith, who had the authority to grant the CCW licenses, was in a race for reelection, both in the primary and general elections. Neither Smith, who has the sole authority in her agency to grant the gun permits, nor Martin Nielsen an AS Solution manager who provided security for Facebook executives has been charged. Allen has received endorsements fromReverend Jeff Moore, former president of the Silicon Valley NAACP, and several retired sheriff employees. Capt. Prosecutors allege that Nielsen and West were connected to Jensen by Schumb, Nahal and Nichols to get $90,000 split between the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance whose assistant treasurer was Schumb, a veteran South Bay litigator and the Sheriffs Advisory Board. He wants to dismantle the system of nepotism that he claims took root in the Sheriffs Office during Smiths tenure. I worked with S. Allen at Elmwood (I am nurse). The second half of the payment was forestalled by the DA investigation. The I-Team also reached out to Reggie Cooks, a public affairs officer for the sheriff's department, and he has not responded at the time this story was reported. 2007-03-13 12:18:00 PDT SAN JOSE -- Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators expect to go to prosecutors this week with their case against De Anza College baseball players suspected of having . We are a bit troubled by the words overwhelmingly and unanimously (and others) when it comes to any voting. He also notedhes implemented community advisory groups in every command position hes held. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen said he wants to apply his experience working in the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to fix some of the long-time issues in Santa Clara Countys office. Between 2014 and 2019, only about 150 permits were issued or renewed in Santa Clara County. To address the offices transparency, Nagaye said she would provide the Board of Supervisors and Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring with all materials that have been requested. The $45,000 personal check, which Nielsen handed to the PSA's assistant treasurer, Schumb, represented more than half of the funds raised by the PSA before the election that year. I will always remember my oath to protect and servethat will be my ultimate oath, and thats why Im running for sheriff.. The public information officers sergeants Richard Glennon, Reginald Cooks and Michael Low also testified that Jensen was still heavily involved in shepherding the CCW application process despite being promoted out of the PIO office, in a rapid ascendance from sergeant to lieutenant and then captain in just a few years. 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. You do the math. Local News | An experienced set of fresh eyes is going to help pave the way toward putting an appropriate spotlight on transparency, and building trust within the community, Elder said. Reggie Cooks said he couldn't disclose why that happened and offered the following official response: "In . The following month, Nielsen and AS Solution, Inc. CEO Christian West met with Nichols, Hahal, and attorney Christopher Scumb at the Sainte Claire Club in San Jose, where Schumb described his fundraising work for Sheriff Smith and told Nielsen to seek out then Sheriff's Lieutenant James Jensen at the Best in the West SWAT competition. Local News | It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. 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. To do it right you have to first know what is the requirement of the job then figure out if the candidates understand those requirements. Three other AS Solution security employees at the time who got permits Leonard Lawrence, Rachael Paskvan and Jonathan Taunton were also described as listing home addresses or non-AS employers on their applications, and have not been charged. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. He replaces Capt. The transcripts also contain testimony from three former and current sheriffs public information officers outlining a haphazard process with inconsistent criteria on who got the rarely-issued weapons permits. Our jail is among the 100 systems nationwide with an inmate population of more than 1,000. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. 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. But the sheriff position is not just any typical management job. She resigned as sheriff on . 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. Before that, he was chief of police in Menlo Park for five years. 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. it's safer than driving," said Marin County Fire Captain Matt Watson. Election 2022 candidates for Santa Clara County Sheriff: retired Palo Alto police chief Bob Jonsen (left) and retired sheriff's captain Kevin Jensen. hickory, nc mugshots, lucius cary son of linda purl, characteristics of traditional music,
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