Newsroom - County of Santa Clara Jonsen edging out Jensen in Santa Clara County sheriff's race "The earliest memory I have is of people bringing food," he said. At that point, in accordance with California law, its ultimately up to the sheriff in each jurisdiction to decide whether to grant it. "I know where the bad apples are. The sheriff should hold his or herself to the same standards as the public. 3 dead, 1 hospitalized in Santa Clara Co. suspected fentanyl overdoses [2], On August 27, 2015, mentally-ill inmate Michael Tyree was beaten to death[3] by three jail guards. He wouldn't tolerate misconduct among any personnel, regardless of rank. That's why I'm great for this position.". As the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office remains embroiled in controversy, five candidates vying for Sheriff Laurie Smith's seat will be tasked with proving they can restore public confidence in the law enforcement agency. Researchers are honing in on potential Fentanyl vaccine amid national opioid crisis, 'Injecting Hope' | Watch documentary on innovative program tackling drug overdose, fentanyl epidemic. Instead, he chose a career in law enforcement so he could institute reforms while keeping the public safe, he said. "Between enforcement and custody, there are 1,200 deputies, but it's rare to see someone in an executive position come down and talk to the people. On July 21, 2019, DA investigators pulled over Nielsens car and served him with a search warrant for his home. As coordinator of the Antelope Valley Crime Fighting Initiative, his programs reduced crime by 29%, and the initiative received the statewide James Q. Wilson Award for Community Policing in 2010, he said.Jonsen moved north to become Menlo Park's police chief in 2013, and then he became Palo Alto's chief in 2018. 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. While favoring "true transparency and information sharing," he also warned that there won't be enough staffing in the near future to accommodate separate encrypted communications about searches of databases for protected personal information. Jensen specifically characterized their deal as a quid pro quo as he cautioned Nielsen against mentioning concealed-gun permits to advisory board president Joseph Ziegler, Hyland testified. Become a member today. When people can't get information from the news and the sheriff is not responsive, it creates distrust in the community, she said. "We rewrote and reworked the policy to make sense for this day and age. Of more than 700 people who applied for a CCW permit in Santa Clara County in the past six years, records show that fewer than 150 ever received one. I understand the complexities," he said. Follow her on Twitter at @jennwadsworth. Crime and Public Safety | I would be there and listening," she said. Sean Allen He's experienced both sides of law enforcementWhen 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. She would retrain more deputies who are on patrol in these skills and add more mental health services onto PERT teams.TransparencyShe supports appointing a civilian watchdog to audit law-enforcement practices and management. That was on top of Jensens unofficial duties. We have made meaningful change. David Sanders, the CEO of a Santa Clara computer services firm and a campaign contributor to Sheriff Laurie Smith, opened the trunk of his car and pointed to his handgun. Express / Weekend Express Kevin Jensen said during a recent interview, prefacing his own of a tough upbringing. So Nielsen said he contacted his friend Nichols, CEO of Milpitas firearms dealer The Gun Co. Nichols then introduced Nielsen to Jensen, and they agreed in principle to exchange political donations for concealed-carry permits. He openly criticized the department's RedMan training of deputies, who spar with a proctor who wears a fully protective padded suit, after the 2020 death of a recruit during an intensive defensive-tactics-training session.Jail reform and use of forceAllen said he has seen an increase in the number of inmates with mental illness during his career. He would tell his deputies: "Follow the mission. Email: publicin formation@dao.sccgov.org. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office was founded in 1850, making it one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the State of California. "Law enforcement has always had a problem with that. She now faces potential removal from office after being accused by a civil grand jury of corrupt misconduct. She would hold instructors accountable for the end results if employees are not properly trained, she said.Regarding the office's use of its budget, Nagaye said that if elected, "I would hire a forensic accountant to find out where the pitfalls are with money. Smith invoked her Fifth Amendment rightagainst self-incrimination and refused to testify to the grand jury. 70 West Hedding Street. But, she says the next step is preventing overdoses before they happen. In most agencies that use a 10 code, the common term is '103' to go to a different channel for confidential information. 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. "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. I had no discretion whether or not somebody were to get a permit. "Management is the first place you have to start to change the culture," Allen said. Before arriving in California, she was an investigative/enterprise reporter for Fresh Take Florida, a news service offered by UF. The grand jury convened July 20 of this year and handed down its indictments Aug. 6. 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. Grand jurors were told that Jensen said in an interview with a DA investigator that it was Sung who told him to direct the first $45,000 to Schumb. Jonsen said he worked hard during the pandemic to retain a dedicated public information officer to address media . 2,995 were here. There's already a common practice in law enforcement to switch to a different channel for private conversations. The guards were convicted of second-degree murder in 2017. A high number of mentally ill and the unhoused need more access to social services, education, treatment and housing, she said. | About Us | Comments Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Contact Us | Facebook | Twitter, A look inside San Jose politics and culture. She would provide social workers and inmate education to help address issues that cause recidivism. The conundrum she faces, is that either she knew which suggests a corrupt decision-making process or she didnt know, which suggests an ineffective management practice, said Ann Skeet, senior director of leadership ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Wed, Mar 01, 2023 . Jensen said he grew up in a dysfunctional household with a troubled father who ended up incarcerated. Currently, the Sheriff's Office has 586 full-time sworn staff. In November 2022, Bob Jonsen was elected to succeed Smith. It's being mismanaged now because people in command-staff positions are without a degree in finance and economics," she said. Thats how it reportedly worked for the average Joe. These positions are broken down as follows: In addition to the full-time sworn staff, the Sheriff's Office has 65 Reserve Deputy Sheriffs. The number one change she would make as sheriff is increasing transparency. Tehama County Sheriffs Office resuming daytime patrols Sunday They are obviously at best negligent, at worst corrupt. While favoring "true transparency and information sharing," he also warned that there won't be enough staffing in the near future to accommodate separate encrypted communications about searches of databases for protected personal information. He supports more mental health care facilities for inmates with psychiatric conditions. He would also work to instill an ethic of maturity and patience in correctional facility officers, who often face trying circumstances with defiant inmates, he said.He said that the sheriff's office should still run the jail, but he is willing to listen to members of the Board of Supervisors who think it should go back to the way it was before Smith took control. "Putting mentally ill people in jail with a bunch of cops (is a bad idea). About Us - Office of Emergency Management - County of Santa Clara When elected, I will end this policy within the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office," she said. Allen said he has seen an increase in the number of inmates with mental illness during his career. Can California's power grid handle a 15-fold increase in electric cars? The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office early Tuesday evening released dramatic body camera video from deputies who first responded to the mass shooting at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation . Even after a finding of innocence, his arrest haunted him each time he applied for a job, he said. Nowhere in the transcripts is there testimony that explicitly links Smith to the alleged scheme, beyond her statutory authority as the only person in her office who can approve CCW permits. Sheriff Campaign Scandal: 4 Indicted in Concealed Carry 'Pay to Play When asked about SB 1000, Sen. Josh Becker's bill to limit radio encryption, Jensen expressed caution. To support the entire operation, the Department employs 223 non-sworn, civilian staff. As sheriff, he would work to instill a culture and ethic that is "beyond a warrior mentality." Did you come up with that explanation on your own or is that something that Capt. "It's so lacking. "They immediately applied life-saving measures and applied Narcan to every individual in that household," Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office PIO Sgt. Former Pleasanton cop found not guilty of murder in DUI crash Jonsen acknowledged that excessive-force incidents have occurred, but he said they have been thoroughly reviewed and the involved officers were held accountable, including the departure of officers who were found culpable. Davis said. But convenience was just one of the perks sheriffs aides offered the VIPs. Become a Member There needs to be accurate information, not conjecture., On Monday, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo called on Smith who was first elected in 1998 to resign. All rights reserved. "I think we just need to not just work on the reactive piece, that means getting Narcan into people's hands, but really work on the preventive piece of reducing supply and demand and make sure that people have access to treatment if they developed an addiction," Sussman said. 456 following. While she fights the charges against her, Smith, 69, has decided not to run for reelection in the 2022 race after 24 years at the helm. Stay informed on important crime news. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority also contracted with the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement service. He has served in patrol, the gang unit, as a reserve training officer, administrative training officer, emergency response team leader and training officer, housing unit training officer in the jails and academy instructor. He has attended city Human Relations Commission meetings and other community meetings to discuss concerns in a transparent manner and started the community advisory committee, which meets with him in private, to also address citizens' concerns.