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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. Now, Long said he wants to a see a system that treats all applicants equally. Hiscampaign filings dont reflect a total amount raised to date, but Allen said hesraised $21,000. Allen, 51, has mostly worked in the jail system. 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. We also levy on wages, bank accounts, vehicles or any asset of the judgment debtor. He said its important to increase the offices transparency. "And it's very clear that that's not the case under Sheriff Smith and her office. That is what we are doing here.. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 5:45 p.m. Lake County sheriff declares a local emergency due to snow. Whether applicants received a permit depended on which group they belonged to. Urena has a wealth of patrol experience, he told the five-member city council. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. 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. There are some very strong advocates for changes in the jail system, and Im among them, Jensen said. 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 . Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. Hope Now we get a real sherriff elected. A veteran staff trainer, Allen wants to change how officers apply use of force, saying there need to be more alternatives for de-escalating situations and preventing harm to inmates. Allen also wants to address the homophobia and racial inequitieshe sees in the office. In Santa Clara County, there's only room for one sheriff in town. 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. Jensen started working as a deputy at Elmwood Correctional Facility in 1985. Earlier this year, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit analyzed five years' worth of data and found that donors to Smith's political campaigns were about 14 times more likely to get a concealed weapons permit than those who did not contribute. 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. 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. He wants to dismantle the system of nepotism that he claims took root in the Sheriffs Office during Smiths tenure. Undersheriff ensnared in Santa Clara County concealed guns corruption probe, Sheriffs office hit with corruption probe over concealed weapons permits, | Criminal Justice and Public Safety Reporter. Last . 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 charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. How the scandal-plagued Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office will operate in a post-Laurie Smith era will be determined by the vote of the people in the Nov. 8 election. ALL RIGHT K J!!!!! The division commander is Captain Rich Urena, who serves as the Chief of Police for the Town of Los Altos Hills. Daily Post Staff Writer. She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. Office of the Sheriff - Office of the Sheriff - County of Santa Clara 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. A sheriff sergeant with almost 30 years of service in the office, Sean Allen said his platform boils down to transparency, accountability and reform. He replaces Capt. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain and three others have been charged in connection with a gun permit bribery scheme, District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced Friday. We know hes the best candidate to address these issues (in the office).. Investigative Services - Office of the Sheriff - County of Santa Clara 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. After submitting seven concealed weapon permit applications to Jensen at a meeting, AS Solution manager Martin Nielsen donated $45,000 -- half of the agreed amount -- to the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance, an independent expenditure committee supporting Sheriff Smith. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office issued the following comment to ABC7 News. Le apparently ran into trouble when her superiors did not like her project, and when they learned she didn't have a building permit. The side of a Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office vehicle is pictured in this file photo. This is the organizations third time endorsing an opponent of incumbent Laurie Smith, who has served as head of the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office since 1998. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him.. 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. Love to know the next forum is. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. West, who Rosen said has given truthful testimony to date, similarly told the grand jury, with the number of CCWs that we were hoping to get, they believed that, $90,000 would be a reasonable donation, according to a July 31 transcript. Before that, he was chief of police in Menlo Park for five years. "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-TEAM: Santa Clara County Sheriff's captain Amy Le removed from job Saying yes, but doing NO. When I had asked him in one of those early conversations I got, like I dont remember the words it was, basically, Dont ask.'. 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. 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. 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. Jensen's attorney Harry S. Stern released the following statement to ABC7 News: James is devastated by this development. 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. End of an era: San Jose antique shops could disappear, Robes, candles and chants: South Bay official in hot water over religious ceremony, Proposed tax law threatens billions in San Jose funding. We were all stuck at home for COVID, and we didnt have really any kind of property crime because everyone was home. 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. "But then when it came time to renew, I was not allowed to renew and those reasons were never explained to me phone calls were not returned," explained Moore. In addition to bribery, the indictment accuses Jensen of conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. I will let people know this department is going to be run based on performance and rewards for performance.. The county has a similar program, but Jonsen wants to expand it to meet greater demand. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. "You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law.". So I can ask them about the SJ Search and Rescue team and how we can support the new sherriff. We are a bit troubled by the words overwhelmingly and unanimously (and others) when it comes to any voting. He got his start in the West Valley working as a patrol deputy and detective before he was assigned as the investigator for the county councils office. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. 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. In 2017, another captain had used inmate labor to build arbors and a storage shed. Reggie Cooks said he couldn't disclose why that happened and offered the following official response: "In . we have been without one, https://www.kevinjensen4sheriff.com/endorsements. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Number of employees at Santa Clara County with job title Sheriff's Correctional Captain is 35. 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. Emergency Contact Information . Jensen advised Nielsen to instruct AS Solution employees who were not residents of Santa Clara County to use local corporate addresses as their residence addresses in their applications. As of January, shes raised $8,400. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. 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. She is also a veteran, having served for five years as a combat medic and training officer in the army. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. 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. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. Thats why his chances a slim. She previously worked as a reporter for PhillyVoice in Philadelphia and freelanced for The Seattle Times and The Whiskey Wash. She grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated with a BA degree from the University of Oregon where she majored in journalism and minored in political science. To be fair, all candidates seem passionate about wanting to a good job as sheriff and the questions asked are valid questions for any managerial jobs. 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. Known for. 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. Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. 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. Jensen lost that election, but he believes the time is right for a new run and cites the support from the association. Rick Sung as commander of the patrol division. "CCW licenses should not be given in exchange for campaign donations," Rosen said. Luis later supervised the Santa Clara County Specialized Enforcement Team working regional investigations with local, county, state and federal public safety partners. Colton is a latecomer to the race, having filed her nomination papers in March. 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 charges. Sources have told this news organization that Nielsen a central figure in the scheme, who wrote the $45,000 check that touched off the investigation after Smith was re-elected in 2018 cooperated with investigators early on. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. From there, he was promoted to lieutenant and came back to Saratoga as the assistant commander of the West Valley Patrol Division. Prior to being elected as the 29th Sheriff of Santa Clara County, he was the Chief of Police for Palo Alto Police Department (2018-2022). For a look at more stories and videos by the ABC7 News I-Team go here. 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. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. I will always remember my oath to protect and servethat will be my ultimate oath, and thats why Im running for sheriff.. There may have been policies or procedures broken with regard to that project, but there must be more to the story," said Retired Undersheriff and Chief of Correction, John Hirokawa who in the past oversaw the jails. He also plans to improve the treatment for mentally ill inmatesand overall conditions in the jail system. Then I suggest you educate other voters so more people are aware. 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. 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. In addition Robert Johnson has done his best to avoid transparency. Every captain thats worked on this side of town has made an impact with the community. County Sheriff's Captain, Prominent Lawyer - County of Santa Clara Moreover, he doesnt have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. Im the candidate that brings the fresh perspective and greatest opportunity for change.. Local News | And were here to provide it. 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. Rosen said his office's probe was triggered by a San Jose Inside article focusing on a large 2018 contribution to Smith's campaign. He supports the Board of Supervisors decision to build a new 500-person jail, and he favors adding more mental health resources for inmates. Im the only candidate who has called out the bad behavior and served all the major functions in the Sheriffs Office.. As of January, he has raised $72,398. 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. We are not done, he said. They should not be for sale.". "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.". Schumb is a prominent political backer of the Sheriff and served as Assistant Treasurer for the Santa Clara County Public Safety Alliance, an independent expenditure committee that supported Smith's election bid. Ex-Jail Captain Sues Santa Clara Co. Sheriff's Office for Alleged Palo Alto police chief enters race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Santa Clara County sergeant steps into sheriffs race, Second challenger joins race for Santa Clara County sheriff, Former opponent challenges embattled Santa Clara County sheriff, https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf, 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. No other candidate mentioned the Constitution. First published on August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM. Local News | The other three members of her command staff including former Mountain View . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Santa Clara County is getting a new sheriff for the first time in more than two decades, following Laurie Smiths decision to not run for a seventh term. Its going to be an easy election for voters to choosetheyre either going to choose somebody in the organization, or theyre going to choose for change, Jonsen said. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. 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. 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. 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. 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. Santa Clara County Sheriff Race - NBC Bay Area Kristi Myllenbeck covers all things Cupertino, from crime and breaking news to education and development. Monday through Friday through 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.