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. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 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. Rich Urena, who will head the Sheriffs Offices Detective Division. Stromgren, who oversaw the security firms Facebook protection team, has not been charged, and testified to the grand jury that he was uneasy about the arrangement. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. 38 reviews of Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department "Thankfully, my only experience with the Santa Clara County Sheriffs has been getting fingerprinted at this station in San Jose. Essentially, just be out there for the community to ask us questions and get suggestions from the community about where the problems are, he added. 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. Reggie Cooks said he couldn't disclose why that happened and offered the following official response: "In . He touts his experience working as a correctional officer at Elmwood Correctional Facility, starting in the mid-1980s. When I had asked him in one of those early conversations I got, like I dont remember the words it was, basically, Dont ask.'. He plans to implement greater civilian oversight in the jail systeman outstanding concern among county officials. The department also said it's monitoring the situation and has no additional information to provide at this time. 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. And were here to provide it. 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. He said after Friday's news, Sheriff Smith needs to go. Amy Le, who led the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers' Association (CPOA) and went to bat for Sheriff Laurie Smith in her last election, was served a letter charging her with wrongdoing, stripped of her badge and escorted off the job Friday. "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," Rosen said. Jensen later instructed AS Solutions Inc. to have their executive protection agents falsify the names of their employer on their CCW applications, and for those agents living outside the county, to falsify their addresses as well, according to the indictment. In addition to conspiracy and bribery charges, Jensen is accused of falsifying public records. The second installment was forestalled by the DA investigation. Law Enforcement. As a detective he was assigned to the West Valley division, he was also one of our tactical flight observers up in our sheriffs helicopter, a field training officer and recruit training officer at the academy.. 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. Emergency: 9-1-1; Emergency and Non-Emergency Number from all phones: (408) 299 - 2311; General Information from cellular phone: (408) 808 - 4400 James Jensen, Christopher Schumb, Harpaul Nahal and Michael Nichols were indicted in the alleged pay-to-play plot, in which they are accused of brokering a deal for the executive security firm AS Solution to receive up to a dozen concealed-carry weapon permits in exchange for $90,000 in campaign donations to committees supporting Smiths 2018 re-election bid. He spent the bulk of his career27 yearsin the LA County Sheriffs Department, retiring as captain of Lancaster Station. The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. Moreover, he doesnt have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. 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 . Neil Valenzuela takes over Sheriffs West, 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, Capt. "The DA's office is continuing to investigate more crimes and more individuals related to Sheriff Smith's issuance of CCW licenses. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations. He became captain in 2004 and retired in 2013. Ricardo Rich Urena has been tapped to replace Capt. 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. 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. 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. 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. As a lieutenant, Le was the first female president of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Correctional Peace Officers Association, and steered the union's endorsement to Sheriff Laurie Smith this past election. To avoid the perception of impropriety, Jensen said he wont take any financial contributions from employees. 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 . The defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. A retired Santa Clara County sheriff's captain who ran for office in 2014 and lost, Kevin Jensen believes he has the momentum to take the seat. And if she feels that All of these people do not feel safe, and they feel threatened, Nagaye told San Jos Spotlight. She also served in the offices operational standards and inspections unit and worked at both Elmwood and the main jail. The ABC7 News I-Team asked Le to provide a comment but she declined. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is your newsroom. "I think people should be treated fairly and equally under this system," Long said. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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. NIchols owns a company called The Gun Co., which manufactures firearms parts. The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. Whats next for the former Frys HQ in San Jose? 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. Hope Now we get a real sherriff elected. Then I suggest you educate other voters so more people are aware. "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. 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. Jonsen said the county should offer more skill-based programs in the jails for inmates so they can find employment upon release. Flood Advisory issued for Santa Clara Co. . Its not clear if Colton qualifies for sheriff. There has been a changing of the guard at the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office West Valley Division. She resigned as sheriff on . 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. The morale will get better, then the whole department, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. Nagayes major endorsement is from the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, and she says she has strong support among deputies and residents. Like his opponents, Jensen said hes concerned about the lack of transparency in the office, which he blames on Smiths managerial style. None of the PIOs who testified could recall an instance where they personally witnessed Smith signing an approved permit, according to the transcripts. Transcripts show the county supervisor blamed a chronically bad memory for his inability to recall whether he fulfilled the proficiency requirements. (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. We are not done, he said. Public Safety Alliance ("PSA"), an independent expenditure committee supporting Sheriff Smith. 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. 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. 1:45 p.m. Local News | The investigation is active and ongoing," said Rosen. 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. She is also facing a civil grand jury accusation for corrupt misconduct and a state attorney general investigation into possible civil rights violations in the county jail. They should not be for sale.". That is the County Sheriffs ultimate job duty. Christine Nagaye wants to transform theoffice into a national role model. There were 44 reported burglaries from January to October of 2021, while 59 burglaries were reported in the same time period in 2022. Allowing her team to continually bully and brutalize mentally challenged inmates is disgusting. Sources close to the case tell the I-Team's Dan Noyes the removal stems from an unpermitted arbor and barbecue grill Le built at the jail with her own money, but using inmate labor. 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. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. They could spend time in prison if they are convicted. 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. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Michael Nichols, right, is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Nichols was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. 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.. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Office Hours. 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. You do the math. Stromgren recalled a conversation he had with Nielsen: I told him on a couple of occasions I didnt feel comfortable. In 2017, another captain had used inmate labor to build arbors and a storage shed. 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. 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. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? Allen says he stands out from his opponents because hes spent much of his career openly criticizing the office. First published on August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM. "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. 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? She is now on paid . In Santa Clara County, there's only room for one sheriff in town. Rosen reiterated Monday that his offices investigation is still active, but declined to comment on whether prosecutors are any closer to implicating the sheriff. "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. Nagaye, 51, has served in the Sheriffs Office for 20 years, with the last seven as a supervising sergeant. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Hiscampaign filings dont reflect a total amount raised to date, but Allen said hesraised $21,000. 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. Capt. We are a bit troubled by the words overwhelmingly and unanimously (and others) when it comes to any voting.