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. A California sheriff was suspended after she had inmates at a jail in Santa Clara county make her a BBQ for a break space used by corrections staff, a report said Tuesday. Allen, 51, has mostly worked in the jail system. 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. The following month, Nielsen and AS Solution, Inc. CEO Christian West met with Nichols, Hahal, and attorney Christopher Scumb at the Sainte Claire Club in San Jose, where Schumb described his fundraising work for Sheriff Smith and told Nielsen to seek out then Sheriff's Lieutenant James Jensen at the Best in the West SWAT competition. Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_6" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); San Jos residents deserve a trusted source for unbiased, independent political news. 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. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. 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. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September. Daily Post Staff Writer. Sheriffs Capt. 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. I worked with S. Allen at Elmwood (I am nurse). The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. Office Hours. San Jos Spotlight is the citys first nonprofit, community-supported digital news organization. How safe is your neighborhood? The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office issued the following comment to ABC7 News. The Santa Clara County District Attorney said the defendants are expected to be arraigned on the charges August 31, 2020. at San Jose's Hall of Justice. Here are the five candidates running for sheriff in alphabetical order. If the Sheriff lacks a full understanding of the Constitution it would stand to reason that he is vulnerable to violation of his oath. Transcripts show the county supervisor blamed a chronically bad memory for his inability to recall whether he fulfilled the proficiency requirements. You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law. Nielsens cooperation with the DA was affirmed in the grand jury transcripts, in which he testified that he understood he was still subject to potential misdemeanor charges even if he helped the prosecution. We are not done.". "It's been something of an open secret within the firearms community," Long said. Allen also wants to address the homophobia and racial inequitieshe sees in the office. 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. At Best in the West, according to the indictment, Nichols introduced Nielsen to Jensen, where they agreed to a deal where AS Solution's agents would receive CCW permits in exchange for a large donation to the Sheriff's campaign. Jonsen said he also values transparency in law enforcement. We have seen such words used when the City Council has voted. Donors accounted for fewer than 4% of all CCW applicants over that time period, but constituted about 35% of those awarded permits, according to the records. 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. And Captain Jenson will even wave the mandated gun testing at a gun range," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. Besides sketching out the donation-for-permits plan, he surreptitiously recorded a conversation with Jensen using a DA-provided phone app, at a meeting just days before the corruption probe became public knowledge when search warrants were served at the sheriffs office. Detectives pursue all cases to conclusion from reports generated by patrol deputies, except those cases dealing with homicide, sex, or narcotics, which are . To avoid the perception of impropriety, Jensen said he wont take any financial contributions from employees. 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. 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. 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. "I know they used a lot of that money on social media, slamming me," he said. August 7, 2020 / 11:34 AM That is the County Sheriffs ultimate job duty. The department also said it's monitoring the situation and has no additional information to provide at this time. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Urena was promoted to the position Aug. 1. In Santa Clara County, there's only room for one sheriff in town. Were changing the face of journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering reliable, truthful news to the nations 10th largest city. 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. Santa Clara County Sheriffs Captain James Jensen among 4 people indicted by grand jury yesterday according to DA Jeff Jensen @nbcbayarea. The county has a similar program, but Jonsen wants to expand it to meet greater demand. The associations members voted overwhelmingly to support endorsing him. Were changing the face of journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering reliable, truthful news to the nations 10th largest city. 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. That is what we are doing here.. 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. 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. 1:45 p.m. Were partnering with you the readers to make it happen. 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. In an interview described in testimony from DA investigator Mike Montonye, Jensen said he received direction from Sung, the undersheriff, in brokering the illicit deal. 5:45 p.m. Lake County sheriff declares a local emergency due to snow. The culture of management can no longer be one of fear and intimidation.. Friday afternoon the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office told ABC7 News that Jensen was officially placed on administrative leave. A look at the best video roundup of snow falling across California, Has CA hit the all-time state snow record? Rick Sung as commander of the patrol division. Contact Eli Wolfe at[emailprotected]or@EliWolfe4on Twitter. If you care about your Constitutional rights, vote for the person who UNDERSTANDS and actually WILL uphold the US Constitution and your unalienable rights! From there, he was promoted to lieutenant and came back to Saratoga as the assistant commander of the West Valley Patrol Division. Allen was firm, fair and integrity was not an issue. I will not vote for him for Sheriff. 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. He said after Friday's news, Sheriff Smith needs to go. Get San Jos Spotlight headlines delivered to your inbox. 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. If convicted could get 11 years in prison. | All donations are tax-deductible. Harry Stern, Jensens attorney, reiterated that Jensen did not have the power to grant the concealed-gun permits. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Attorney Harpaul Nahal, left, is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. Nahal was arraigned on conspiracy and bribery charges involving concealed weapon permits in Santa Clara County. Here's where we stand, Armed carjacking suspect leads police on dangerous chase. 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. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. If theres problems with speeding or people running stop signs, (these events) give them more direct access to us and assist them in a better way.. Capt. August 10, 2016 at 12:02 p.m. After Smith won that race, she promoted Le to captain. 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. 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. Jensen, 58, retired in 2013. "CCW licenses should not be given out in exchange for campaign donations. I will always remember my oath to protect and servethat will be my ultimate oath, and thats why Im running for sheriff.. Known for. He spent the bulk of his career27 yearsin the LA County Sheriffs Department, retiring as captain of Lancaster Station. 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. 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.. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. The Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office named Valenzuela the new commander of the West Valley Patrol Division last month. Five candidates are jockeying for Smiths seat. Palo Alto Police Chief Robert Jonsen remained on track Wednesday to be elected Santa Clara County's next sheriff. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. The Deputy Sheriffs' Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. Emergency Contact Information . Hes also interested in growing the jails mental health resources by potentially enlisting interns and clinicians in training from local universities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Jonsen couldnt even run Palo Alto PD. Jensen has picked up support from the main unions serving jail employees: the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County and the Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officers Association. document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_6" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); San Jos residents deserve a trusted source for unbiased, independent political news. NBC Bay Area called or emailed each of the four defendants in the case Friday, but so far, only Jensen's attorney has responded. My resolutions are not something Im just sayingits something Ive been doing my entire career.. The ABC7 News I-Team asked Le to provide a comment but she declined. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! She needs to leave and take the stench shes created with her. 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 . Your email address will not be published. SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) A retired captain for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office is joining the race to become the next sheriff, now the second opponent looking to unseat current. Ricardo "Rich" Urena has been tapped to replace . He supports the Board of Supervisors decision to build a new 500-person jail, and he favors adding more mental health resources for inmates. . He was promoted to captain and was assigned to Stanford University before requesting to come back to Saratoga and serve as the division commander. Whats next for the former Frys HQ in San Jose? Ive worked at other places with the Sheriffs Office here and there but I just like the community here, and I like the fact theres more community outreach that we do on this side, Valenzuela said. "I know a definitive link to Sheriff Smith has not been established based on these indictments, but I'm interested to see how things develop as this investigation continues into the future," said Chris Long, who applied for a CCW permit in 2019, but was denied after months of waiting. We were all stuck at home for COVID, and we didnt have really any kind of property crime because everyone was home. With all of the county's 754 precincts reporting as of 5 p.m. Wednesday,. (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. Palo Alto police are out-of-control and Palo Alto has lots of payouts to victims. I am the only candidate who has addressed these issues for 30 years, Allen said. Photo courtesy of Kevin Jensen. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The testimonies confirm an earlier report from this news organization that found CCW permits were most frequently granted to high-profile applicants, and that the most common condition for approvals was a reference or order from Smith or one of her top commanders. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. Its not clear if Colton qualifies for sheriff. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. Between 2014 and 2018, 749 Santa Clara County residents applied for a new CCW permit, according to records provided by the sheriffs department. 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. Occupation. These cameras capture vehicle license plates and compare them with Sheriffs Office databases to alert authorities when a plate matches a listing. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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