Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Smiths office granted concealed gun permits to 22 of those 28 applicants, an approval rate of about 79%. 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. "CCW licenses should not be given out in exchange for campaign donations. While a captain, he was assigned to oversee various Custody Bureau Divisions, including the Main Jail, Elmwood, Jail Reforms, Support Services, and Administrative Services, as well as the Transportation and Internal Affairs Units. As we gather more evidence, we expect to file more charges against more individuals in the coming weeks. 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. Between 2014 and 2019, only about 150 permits were issued or renewed in Santa Clara County. She is now on paid administrative leave. Sheriff of Santa Clara County, California. I worked with S. Allen at Elmwood (I am nurse). In a statement, attorney Harry S. Stern said: "James is devastated by this development. Star witness testifies at California sheriff's civil trial 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? it's safer than driving," said Marin County Fire Captain Matt Watson. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. Character is hugeif you dont have the ability to make decisions for the right reasons, it wont work, Jensen said. . Smith has not filed papers for reelection or said publicly whether she intends to run. Kevin Jensen, who announced his run for sheriff last September. She is also a veteran, having served for five years as a combat medic and training officer in the army. He also notedhes implemented community advisory groups in every command position hes held. In response to a list of questions, Colton referred San Jos Spotlight to aquestionnaireshe filled out for a recent sheriff candidate forum. He said after Friday's news, Sheriff Smith needs to go. The remaining four defendants, who were indicted on conspiracy and bribery charges, put off entering pleas until Sept. 21. By comparison, Sacramento County has more than 5,000 active permits. We were all stuck at home for COVID, and we didnt have really any kind of property crime because everyone was home. "We will follow the evidence where it leads. In addition to bribery, the indictment charges Jensen with conspiring with AS Solution employees to put false information in their CCW license applications. 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. When it comes to enforcing the law, which is to say enforcing the Constitution for the United States of America, the Sheriff, being the Chief Law Enforcement Officer, answers to We the People The County Sheriff is a Constitutional Officer elected by the People and bound by oath as guardian of the Peoples unalienable rights secured by the Constitution. Public Safety Alliance ("PSA"), an independent expenditure committee supporting Sheriff Smith. County Sheriff's Captain, Prominent Lawyer Charged with Gun Permit Bribery Scheme. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), SAN JOSE, CA - AUGUST 31: Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen is photographed outside of the San Jose Hall of Justice on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in San Jose, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group). ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The conflict is so real and so grave that fair treatment of Schumb is unlikely unless the district attorneys office is disqualified, Wall wrote in the motion. 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. 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. He supports the Board of Supervisors decision to build a new 500-person jail, and he favors adding more mental health resources for inmates. Allen has been in the trenches for bit and dont think he is a good ol boy either. This is my favorite place to work. Rosen did say that his office had reviewed phone and computer records and interviewed dozens of witnesses to determine whether there had been communication between Jensen and the Sheriff regarding the bribery scheme. 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. 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. Photo courtesy of Kevin Jensen. Robert Salonga is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers criminal justice and public safety for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Hope Now we get a real sherriff elected. In 2017, she received $449,767.49 with overtime and benefits, on a $142,530.12 base salary. Capt. (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. Civil process includes restraining orders, bench warrants, arrest warrants, evictions and any other notice or order from the courts. ", #Breaking Four people including SantaClara Co Sheriffs Captain indicted in concealed carry pay to play scheme MORE @nbcbayarea. 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. Law Enforcement. Rosen reiterated Monday that his offices investigation is still active, but declined to comment on whether prosecutors are any closer to implicating the sheriff. 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.. 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. You do the math. Whether applicants received a permit depended on which group they belonged to. The second half of the payment was forestalled by the DA investigation. 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.. 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. 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. 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. Captain James Jensen, attorney Christopher Schumb, attorney Harpaul Nahal, and business owner Michael Nichols are accused of conspiring with the CEO and a middle manager of AS Solution, Inc., an international security company, to offer a $90,000 bribe to obtain concealed firearms permits (CCW licenses) for the company's executive protection agents. 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.. . 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. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Captain to Run Against Incumbent Sheriff She was the first female County Sheriff in the history of the state. But the sheriff position is not just any typical management job. 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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. It is extremely painful to have his integrity questioned after spending years dedicated to serving the people of Santa Clara County. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! If you care about your Constitutional rights, vote for the person who UNDERSTANDS and actually WILL uphold the US Constitution and your unalienable rights! Allen, 51, has mostly worked in the jail system. A sheriff sergeant with almost 30 years of service in the office, Sean Allen said his platform boils down to transparency, accountability and reform. 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. By Bay City News Published July 16, 2013. The non-donor approval rate plummets even further for applicants who most would consider average citizens. Among the 40 non-donors to be granted concealed gun permits between 2014 and 2018 are three sitting judges, two current members of the San Jose Sharks hockey team, at least one employee of the sheriffs office, and five people who appear to be Santa Clara County reserve deputies. 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. James Jensen, attorney Christopher Schumb, attorney Harpaul Nahal and business owner Michael Nichols allegedly conspired with the CEO and a middle manager of an international security company to offer a $90,000 bribe in exchange for concealed weapons permits, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. The race is between two candidates: Bob Jonsen and Kevin Jensen. / CBS San Francisco. My resolutions are not something Im just sayingits something Ive been doing my entire career.. 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.. 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. NBC Bay Area called or emailed each of the four defendants in the case Friday, but so far, only Jensen's attorney has responded. San Jos Spotlight is a project of the San Jos News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. 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. Valenzuela said Saratogas spike in residential burglaries is on his radar. If convicted could get 11 years in prison. I think its important to know the men and women who have this difficult job in difficult times are this much behind a candidate, Jensen told San Jos Spotlight. And were here to provide it. Capt. Sheriff Smith has consistently declined to comment on year-and-a-half-long probe. 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. Instead, it will be tossed in a filing cabinet and forgotten. Hiscampaign filings do not reflect a total amount raised to date, but the candidate himself says hes raised about $50,000. 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. The investigation found that weeks after the scheme was hatched, the conspirators settled on a $90,000 "donation" in exchange for 10 to 12 CCW licenses. 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. But the approval rate skyrockets for the 28 applicants who either gave campaign cash to Sheriff Laurie Smith directly or where a family member or employer donated. Le reportedly wanted to create a break space for correctional staff. He plans to implement greater civilian oversight in the jail systeman outstanding concern among county officials. He also plans to improve the treatment for mentally ill inmatesand overall conditions in the jail system. San Jos Spotlight is the citys first nonprofit, community-supported digital news organization. The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Santa Clara County is throwing its support behind retired sheriff Capt. Permits to carry a concealed weapon can be difficult to obtain in Santa Clara County, as they are in most of the Bay Area. Moreover, he doesn't have the authority to grant permits nor did he receive anything for processing them. That is the County Sheriffs ultimate job duty. His career in law enforcement with the sheriffs office began in 2002, and since then he has worked a wide range of assignments, which include patrolling the West Valley cities, as well as performing law enforcement duties for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authoritys transit patrol division. I think its a trend that were seeing, property crimes increasing, now that were going back to work, Valenzuela said. If the Sheriff lacks a full understanding of the Constitution it would stand to reason that he is vulnerable to violation of his oath. Im the candidate that brings the fresh perspective and greatest opportunity for change.. Both Smith and Undersheriff Rick Sung invoked their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination when they appeared before a criminal grand jury Aug. 3, and refused to answer any questions about the scandal, according to transcripts of the proceedings. Christine Nagaye wants to transform theoffice into a national role model. The Civil Warrants Division serves Civil process in the manner prescribed by law. We have seen such words used when the City Council has voted. 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. Jensen lost that election, but he believes the time is right for a new run and cites the support from the association. Santa Clara County Corrections Capt. Amy Le Put on Paid Leave 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. 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. 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. This is your newsroom. "I know they used a lot of that money on social media, slamming me," he said. Source: https://nationallibertyalliance.org/files/sheriffmemo/Power%20and%20Authority%20of%20The%20County%20Sheriff.pdf. You don't even need to live in the county, which is required by law. ", According to the indictment, the alleged criminal activity began in April 2018 with a text from Nichols to attorney Harpaul Nahal, saying, "I need you to meet my buddy that runs the Facebook Executive protection team, followed by: its a potential $50K. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Love to know the next forum is. 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 is only ONE job in the United States that has the job description of defending the US Constitution and protecting We the People. Were changing the face of journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering reliable, truthful news to the nations 10th largest city.
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