Moreover, he doesn't have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen remained on track Wednesday to be elected Santa Clara County's next sheriff. Number of employees at Santa Clara County with job title Sheriff's Correctional Captain is 35. 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. But now people are returning back to work, returning to normal life and going on vacations, so folks are starting to take advantage of that.. And were here to provide it. Isnt that what Sheriff Laurie Smith had/has been saying? The $45,000 personal check, which Nielsen gave to Schumb -- the PSA's assistant treasurer -- represented more than half of the funds raised by the organization prior to the election that year. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. The next sheriff will havesignificant challenges, including the ongoing warehousing of mentally ill inmates in the jail system, increased political scrutiny of the Sheriffs Office and the constructionof a new jail. If you care about your Constitutional rights, vote for the person who UNDERSTANDS and actually WILL uphold the US Constitution and your unalienable rights! Schumbs attorney Joe Wall also filed a motion to remove the DAs office from the case, citing that Schumb has been a friend and fundraiser for District Attorney Jeff Rosen. MILPITAS, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain Amy Le got walked off the job at Elmwood Jail this past Friday in tears, her badge and county vehicle taken away. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. Occupation. Len Ramirez and Kiet Do contributed to this story. With Californias soaring mountains steep in snow, heres how to avoid an avalanche 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. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. The division commander is Captain Rich Urena, who serves as the Chief of Police for the Town of Los Altos Hills. He cited a internal solutions group he helped create inPalo Alto to address issues like morale and promotions. She is now on paid . Saturday and Sunday through Closed. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations," Rosen said. Smith has not filed papers for reelection or said publicly whether she intends to run. 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. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Your email address will not be published. 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. The Constitution for the United States of America and its capstone iBill of Rights is the Law of the Land; and all statutes and state constitutions repugnant to the Constitution for the United States of America are null and void. The 16-page indictment, which you can read here , lays out each defendant's alleged role in the scheme to secure a massive campaign contribution for Smith in exchange for concealed gun permits. 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. Whether applicants received a permit depended on which group they belonged to. Local News | Kristi Myllenbeck covers all things Cupertino, from crime and breaking news to education and development. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September.The association's members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. 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. We know Kevin Jensen as a person and we understand his leadership qualities, Ryan Elder, president of the association, told San Jos Spotlight. "I think as an elected official, she needs to come forward and tell the Jensen is also accused of signing off on seven permit recipients who did not complete mandatory firearms proficiency exams including a permit renewal for county Supervisor Mike Wasserman. Harry Stern, Jensens attorney, reiterated that Jensen did not have the power to grant the concealed-gun permits. it's safer than driving," said Marin County Fire Captain Matt Watson. She is a San Jose State University alumna and enjoys hiking and camping in her spare time. August 10, 2016 at 12:02 p.m. 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. "If you made a campaign donation and if Captain Jensen knew you to be a VIP, then you got special treatment and you got a CCW license," Rosen said. I feel the right person for the job is not the smoothest talking person that sounded good. Friday afternoon the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office told ABC7 News that Jensen was officially placed on administrative leave. In a statement, attorney Harry S. Stern said: "James is devastated by this development. So I can ask them about the SJ Search and Rescue team and how we can support the new sherriff. Santa Clara Sheriffs gun-permit process: public safety or politics? 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. Christian West, AS Solutions CEO at the time of the alleged scheme, was charged separately on two felony conspiracy counts. 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. We are not done.". Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. They could spend time in prison if they are convicted. The state attorney general is investigating possible civil rights violations in the jail system, and Smith is fighting a political corruption accusation brought by a civil grand jury that claims she granted concealed firearm licenses to political supporters. | All donations are tax-deductible. BY EMILY MIBACH. The DA's Office said it is continuing to investigate additional crimes and individuals in relation to the issuing of CCW licenses. She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. She has spent months fending off attacks from the Board of Supervisors, which voted no confidence in her leadership. CBS. And were here to provide it. Jonsen said he has experience overseeing crime reduction from his time as a coordinator of the Antelope Valley crime fighting initiative run by the LA Sheriffs Department. This DAs office has successfully prosecuted elected officials, correctional officers, sheriffs deputies, police officers, attorneys, business owners and other prominent residents, Rosen said in a statement to this news organization Monday. Law Enforcement. This is your newsroom. 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. Jensen said he is also proud to have the support of former county Supervisor Blanca Alvarado. The Deputy Sheriffs' Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. A Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain, a gun parts manufacturer, and two local lawyers - one a prominent political backer - have been indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and conspiracy . I was at the sheriff forum and only one candidate said she would uphold the US Constitution. Rosen said there were two paths when it came to the issuing of concealed gun permits by the sheriff's office: One for average citizens and one for campaign donors and VIPs. 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. Character is hugeif you dont have the ability to make decisions for the right reasons, it wont work, Jensen said. Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. He started his law enforcement career with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in 1989. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. He became captain in 2004 and retired in 2013. Allen, 51, has mostly worked in the jail system. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Urena has a wealth of patrol experience, he told the five-member city council. Allen also wants to address the homophobia and racial inequitieshe sees in the office. Im the only candidate who has experience from a large sheriff organization as well as municipalities, and that diversity will serve me well, Jonsen told San Jos Spotlight, adding that his great-great uncle served as sheriff in Santa Clara County in 1870. 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. How safe is your neighborhood? Saratoga hosts LAW-tes and Coffee with a Cop events to keep the community engaged with the Sheriffs Office, Valenzuela said. If elected, Jensen said he will focus on addressing staffing and morale decline in the sheriffs office, including the correctional facilities. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. 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. You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law. Hiscampaign filings dont reflect a total amount raised to date, but Allen said hesraised $21,000. 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. Hes worked in every area of sheriffs office jurisdiction. Comments are moderated and approved by administrators. Rosen said his office's probe was triggered by a San Jose Inside article focusing on a large 2018 contribution to Smith's campaign. The ABC7 News I-Team asked Le to provide a comment but she declined. Monday through Friday through 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. She would combat this by setting up a retention program. Between 2014 and 2019, only about 150 permits were issued or renewed in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara County Sherif 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. She has been working for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers since 2015. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. we have been without one, https://www.kevinjensen4sheriff.com/endorsements. I will let people know this department is going to be run based on performance and rewards for performance.. 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. If convicted, the defendants could receive prison time. Santa Clara County Salaries - Sheriff's Correctional Captain Highest salary at Santa Clara County in year 2021 was $472,633. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. Smiths tenure as sheriff has been marred by scandals and political investigations. Stromgren recalled a conversation he had with Nielsen: I told him on a couple of occasions I didnt feel comfortable. 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. Like his opponents, Jensen said hes concerned about the lack of transparency in the office, which he blames on Smiths managerial style. A Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain, a gun parts manufacturer, and two local lawyers - one a prominent political backer - have been indicted by a grand jury on felony bribery and. 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. Rich Urena, who will head the Sheriffs Offices Detective Division. 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. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. public and her constituents and say what's going on. ", #Breaking Four people including SantaClara Co Sheriffs Captain indicted in concealed carry pay to play scheme MORE @nbcbayarea. West Valley Detectives. 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. | All donations are tax-deductible. She resigned as sheriff on . His command experience includes serving as the assistant director of the protective services department at Valley Medical Center, the assistant division commander of the investigations division and the division commander of the court security division. 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. 2 brothers found guilty of murdering groom at California wedding party The complete transcript of the grand jury's findings will be released in the coming weeks. 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. Thankfully, SJS usually gives the names of those who voted against a proposal. Reverend Jeff Moore, the head of the NAACP Silicon Valley Chapter had a CCW permit, but it was never renewed for reasons unknown. Capt. Jail reform is one of the key issues in the Sheriff's race, pitting former Palo Alto Police Chief Bob Jonsen against former . NBC Bay Area called or emailed each of the four defendants in the case Friday, but so far, only Jensen's attorney has responded. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Santa Clara County Sheriffs Captain James Jensen among 4 people indicted by grand jury yesterday according to DA Jeff Jensen @nbcbayarea. "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. The citys residential burglary rate is up 34%. Saratoga installed an Automatic License Plate Reader system at several intersections last spring to track cars coming in and out of the city and deter crime. I am the only candidate who has addressed these issues for 30 years, Allen said. I would love to serve in that role.. 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. The morale will get better, then the whole department, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. That was the first step in a conspiracy to "help AS Solution, Inc. manager Martin Nielsen procure hard-to-obtain CCW licenses for his company's executive protection agents," according to the indictment.