We have made meaningful change. However, in 2019, Jonsen and City Manager Ed Shikada pushed to remove "complaints and investigations of internal personnel or human resources matters" from review by the city's Independent Police Auditor. The grand jury convened July 20 of this year and handed down its indictments Aug. 6. He said Smiths alleged mismanagement as the longest-serving elected sheriff in Santa Clara County has destroyed lives and violated the most basic of civil rights of inmates and created a dystopian place of horrible suffering., Smith did not directly address Liccardos call for her resignation, but when asked whether she intended to step down, she said, At this time, no.. Nagaye said she would invest in much more training and in a training unit. He announced his retirement this year and plans to step down in mid-June.Under Jonsen, the department banned neck holds and advocated for the new public safety building, which is under construction. "One of the first things he would do is work on changing the culture in law enforcement toward being forthcoming about bad players and incidents they see while on the job. Allen said he would be a hands-on sheriff. With no formal guidance on how to handle gun permits, he simply watched and learned as he went. Richard Glennon. Jonsen launched the Palo Alto Police Department's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) last November, which pairs an officer with a licensed mental health clinician from the Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services Department to provide rapid intervention to people in a mental health crisis. He is a former Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers' Association board member and a lifelong martial artist and instructor. "Putting mentally ill people in jail with a bunch of cops (is a bad idea). TheSixFifty.com Did you come up with that explanation on your own or is that something that Capt. https://www.sccgov.org/sites/sheriff/Pages/ccw.aspx: The Sheriff may issue a license to any person residing within Santa Clara County. He has instituted mindfulness strategies to improve officers' well-being.Jonsen has been criticized, however, for a lack of transparency, including his January 2021 decision to encrypt all police radio communications, without warning, which prevents the media and other members of the public from monitoring and independently verifying incidents and police activity.He took the action due to a 2020 Department of Justice directive that prohibits the public dissemination of personally identifiable information such as names and driver's license numbers. 456 following. Given how long this has been an issue, thats a problem.. Smiths close aide, Capt. Who better to have in place to find where this money is going? The grand jury convened July 20 of this year and handed down its indictments Aug. 6. Mayor Sam Liccardos call comes days after two Board of Supervisors members called for an investigation after injuries and deaths at the countys jails. In alphabetical order, here's what they had to say. News He was also the risk and information-sharing program manager for the Urban Area Security Initiative and was tasked with terrorism prevention, mitigation, response and recovery for the 12-county Bay Area region. His department began recording hate incidents after local hate crimes and incidents increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm not going to get my feelings hurt. He looks for people who are willing to do the right thing even if it's not popular, he said. Her top brass faces charges of corruption and bribery, and the state attorney general is investigating her office for civil rights violations. I can bring together diverse groups of people. Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith speaks during a news conference May 26. She said she would have an ongoing "meet the deputies" program to improve the agency's relationship with the community.Can the candidates straighten out the sheriff's office, restore the public's confidence in its transparency and accountability and reform its jail system?In alphabetical order, here's what they had to say. Jensen said reform depends on the right leadership.He would increase contracts with service providers and faith-based organizations to provide mental health assistance.He said he would also work to break the cycle of fear and intimidation in the jail, where inmates have created a self-governance culture. The Starbucks on Coleman Avenue and Taylor Street in San Jose, a five-minute drive from sheriffs headquarters, was practically a satellite office for preferred gun permits, although one meeting, involving the alleged deal at the heart of the current indictment, happened on outdoor tables at the Jamba Juice next door the Starbucks was closed. The more honest you are, the easier we can approach it. Smith said during a news conference that an in-depth review is necessary to get the true facts.. Linda Wallace testified that she was secretary in the sheriff's office. The investigation found that Christian West, then CEO of the Seattle-based executive security firm AS Solution, and AS executive projects manager Martin Nielsen had begun discussing how they could get permits for their security employees after a frightening April 2018 shooting at the YouTube campus in San Bruno. The incident was a brazen riff on Californias carefully crafted concealed-gun permit law, but it emerges as typical of Santa Clara Countys freewheeling, pay-to-play version of the process, as alleged in testimony detailed in 900 pages of grand jury transcripts released late last month. Four of the contenders for her seat are law-enforcement veterans, a requirement for the office: Sean Allen, Kevin Jensen, Bob Jonsen and Christine Nagaye. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. If the board of supervisors says 'Why are you doing this?' to avoid being attacked, she said. She would provide social workers and inmate education to help address issues that cause recidivism.There's also a need to get more money for social services, she said. From day one, I would be handing over all documents to the Board of Supervisors and (Independent Police Auditor) Michael Gennaco that they have asked for. Could you look into that? During the campaign events, he was the one at the door collecting the money., When prosecutor Chase asked Glennon what Jensen told him to do with typical applications, those that didnt come from Smiths political supporters, he replied, They were basically put in a drawer and left in the drawer.. Other agencies use cellphones, Nextel, or computers," he said. Embarcadero Media When an application would come in, Cooks said hed notify Glennon or one of their superiors and that was usually the extent of his involvement. That was the process before I started, Glennon answered. Again going by Jensens instructions, he said hed typically blame the delays on something out of his control. Jensen, you would just stick it in a filing cabinet?. Jonsen also said that as sheriff he would review the county jail management structure and work to implement the county's blue ribbon panel recommendations for reform. Did you feel a little awkward pulling out a gun at Starbucks and showing it to Captain Jensen? Deputy District Attorney John Chase asked Sanders when he testified later before a criminal grand jury. James Jensen, took a glance. Endorsements: The Rev. If we don't have a seat at the table, we don't deserve the trust," he said.As sheriff, he would provide education to the public on how to better protect their neighborhoods, and he would work collaboratively with law enforcement throughout the county.He would establish school-outreach programs to educate children on crime prevention, gang activity, substance abuse, internet crimes and other offenses to which they can become prey.The most important quality he wants in his deputiesWhether on the street or in the jail, officers need to act with integrity, Jensen said. Christine Nagaye A reformer who supports 'full transparency'Christine Nagaye has used challenges throughout her life to achieve her goals. Based upon recent changes to the law and changes to standards and practices promulgated by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, the Sheriff's Office has been undergoing a comprehensive revision of its Law Enforcement and Custodial General Orders and the Sheriff's Policy Manual. The grand jury testimony gives the first inside look at the casual way the process worked: Jensen would make house calls to deliver VIPs their gun-permit paperwork, at least once to a judge, and in a few instances, to players for the San Jose Sharks. As sheriff, he would work to instill a culture and ethic that is "beyond a warrior mentality." It became his lifelong career, taking him through nearly every opportunity the profession had to offer, he said. Can California's power grid handle a 15-fold increase in electric cars? Sussman says the Fentanyl Working Group has made strides in reactionary measures like having Narcan more readily available. Jethro Moore, chaplain of Buffalo Soldiers Silicon Valley Chapter and the Silicon Valley NAACP immediate past president; Eric Taylor, retired assistant sheriff; and multiple retired sheriff's deputies. Jensen believes they have to get the idea that they are there to serve, even though emotions might sometimes want to get in the way.For example, when he worked on the Polly Klaas murder case, Jensen said he needed to have self-control. Our jail is among the 100 systems nationwide with an inmate population of more than 1,000. Jennifer Wadsworth is the former news editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley. In Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties, the sheriffs offices grant the permits at twice the rate of Santa Clara County and typically have twice as many active licenses at any given moment. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live, A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? Jensen faces the most serious charges in the case in large part because grand jury testimony painted him as the trusted linchpin of the operation. 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 On July 21, 2019, DA investigators pulled over Nielsens car and served him with a search warrant for his home. She said she is concerned about hate crimes, which have dramatically increased in the Bay Area. "Law enforcement has always had a problem with that. Kevin Jensen said during a recent interview, prefacing his own of a tough upbringing. 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. Even when he caught a red flag, such as out-of-county home addresses on applications handed off by Capt. You have to stand up to the standards to which you took an oath," he said.He also supports the establishment of a civilian review board with subpoena power to investigate misconduct allegations.Encryption of police-scanner communicationsWhen asked for his stance on whether full encryption of radio communications is necessary, Allen said: "Radio encryption is just another way to prevent being transparent by law-enforcement agencies. He is the only candidate who has been at the helm of a law-enforcement agency, he noted. Robert was a member of the Bay Area News Group reporting team awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for East Bay Times coverage of the fatal "Ghost Ship" fire. There have been twenty-eight persons serving in the capacity of Sheriff since 1850. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office. Jonsen said he worked hard during the pandemic to retain a dedicated public information officer to address media . PR MediaRelease "Jail reform and use of forceNagaye supports having a civilian watchdog to audit law enforcement practices and the management of the county jails. It goes a long way. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Mountain View Online To support the entire operation, the Department employs 223 non-sworn, civilian staff. Nagaye, 50, has been with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department for 20 years and has been a supervising sergeant for six years. Provide setup and assist runners at Santa Cruz Island Eco Half Marathon, a race organized to raise funds for the Sheriff's Search and Rescue charity (October 2011-Present) Licenses & Certifications 12. Jensen worked in the sheriff's office for more than 29 years, retiring in 2013. "I'm 100% in favor of full transparency. We can do training and have verbal discussions. He previously reported in Washington, D.C., Salinas and the East Bay, and is a middling triathlete. He would also work to build trust in the community between deputies and residents so they will feel more comfortable reporting crimes. Santa Clara County leaders on the Fentanyl Working Group, like Santa Clara County Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine's Dr. Rachel Sussman, agrees, especially when it comes to youth drug use. But she has been able to do that before. Uploaded: Fri, Apr 29, 2022, 12:04 pm As sheriff, he would make mental health treatment a priority and would work collaboratively with other police agencies and county and state agencies to address issues that lead to incarceration, including homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness. Emergency: 9-1-1; Emergency and Non-Emergency Number from all phones: (408) 299 - 2311; General Information from cellular phone: (408) 808 - 4400 Reginald Cooks, the first PIO from the sheriffs custody division, assumed the role in 2017 and worked over the ensuing couple of years alongside Glennon at first and later with then-Deputy Michael Low. I'm the only candidate working the line. The Sheriff's Office has been dogged by allegations of corruption. If elected, he would be a different kind of sheriff from Smith, who had once been his professional partner. If you have any questions about the videos posted on here, please contact the Public Information Officer at 408-808 . He has extensive experience working in corrections and as a trainer and isn't shy about standing up for what he believes in and speaking out about the improvements he believes are needed. He rose to the rank of captain and held the post of assistant chief in the Department of Correction for two years.While at the sheriff's office, he was the Stanford Department of Public Safety liaison, county jail administration commander, court security division commander and administrative coroner. For example, when he worked on the Polly Klaas murder case, Jensen said he needed to have self-control.