Volume #1, Issue #20
WELCOME TO THE NEWSLETTER
SHOWCASED POLICE STATIONS
FROM THE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
LINK: CLICK ON STATION NAME
( Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department )
Agency / Formed: Los Gatos Police Department / 1887
Type / Category / Size: Police Department / Town / Small to Medium
Address: 110 Main Street
Website: losgatosca.gov
Sworn Officers: 64
Population: 33,600
Size: 11.4 Square Miles
Interesting Fact: Chief of Police: Jamie Field
Interesting Fact: The Department is known by both above listed titles > Los Gatos PD and Los Gatos Monte Sereno PD
Interesting Facts: The Department serves the Town of Monte Sereno (MS) under a contract. MS was incorporated in 1957, Size: 1.6 Square Miles, Population, 3,500, Size: 1.5 Square Miles
Picture Taken By: Rosalie Whitlock
Agency / Formed: Marysville police Department / 1851
Type / Category / Size: Police Department / Town / Small
Address: 316 6th Steet
Website: marysvillepd.org
Sworn Officers: 19 Sworn Full Time / 10 Reserve
Population: 13,100
Size: 3.58 Square Miles
Interesting Fact: Oldest settled Town in North California. at one time in the 1840s it was the second largest town/city in California.
Interesting Fact: It was the nib of the Gold Rush activity in California
Interesting Fact: During the Gold Rush it had the largest Chinese population in California
Picture Taken By: Rosalie Whitlock
Agency / Formed: Menlo Park Police Department
Type / Category / Size: Police Department / Town / Small
Address: 701 Laurel Street
Website: menlopark.org
Sworn Officers: 47
Population: 33,700
Size: 17.42 Square Miles
Interesting Fact: First Police Chief sworn-in on January 24, 1925
Interesting Fact: The top employer in Menlo Park is META with 18,500 employees
Picture Taken By: Rosalie Whitlock
CALL BOX
Judicial
> California Supreme Court Reverses Lower Court Ruling By Using The “Concurrent Intent” Theory
Definition of “Concurrent Intent” theory: An attack is directed at killing a particular victim, but the “nature and scope” of the attack lead to a reasonable conclusion that the attacker concurrently intended to kill everyone in the immediate vicinity of that victim
SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA ruling, THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. AHMED MUMIN, Defendant and Appellant, number S271049
Legislative
> Human / Sex Trafficking Added to Three Strike List’
On July 11, 2023, the California Legislative “Assembly Public Safety Committee’ voted down Senate Bill 14. The Bill was sponsored by Republican Senator Shannon Grove on the 12th Senate District. The Bill was proposed to be added to the Three Strike List ‘Sex Trafficking’ of Minors” to the list of Criminal Felonies for designated to place on the Three Strikes Law.
California Three Strike Law general details: If a person is convicted of three or more violent or serious felonies that your prison could be sentenced to 25 years to life. Felonies falling under the Three Strike Law are: Murder, Robbery, Rape and Assault with a Firearm.
After much thought and reconsideration by the ‘Assembly Safety Committee’ SB 14 was passed. In September 2023 SB 14 was signed into law and signed by the Governor.
Law Enforcement
> California Assembly Bill 89, Modern Policing Degree Task Force Report
The main purpose of AB 89 is the changing of the starting employment of a sworn officer from 18 to 21.
RECOMMENDATIONS ( from article – see Read More )
The information in italics are specific references to the Assembly Bill 89 legislation, which is included in applicable sections of the recommendations developed to demonstrate the task force’s completion of legislative requirements.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT AS A PEACE OFFICER
Include both the modern policing degree program and bachelor’s degree in the discipline of their choosing as minimum education requirements for employment as a peace officer referenced in subdivision (a) of Section 1031.4 of the Government Code.
Establish a Modern Policing Degree (AA or AS in Policing) that is foundational to and prepares students for a career as a Peace Officer, which shall be completed prior to obtaining a POST Basic Certificate or within 24 months of initial appointment as a Peace Officer.
- The 24 months is in recognition of California Penal Code 832.4 regarding POST standards for employment as a Peace Officer:
- The California Community Colleges should develop the Modern Policing Degree with transferability into a baccalaureate degree in mind.
- The California Community Colleges should develop a baccalaureate degree in Policing.
Professionalism
> Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy
From California Government Website –
Procedural justice and police legitimacy have increasingly converged, becoming a focal point of discussion for law enforcement throughout the United States. The topic has become so galvanized that President Obama stated, “the most important issue in America today is police having trust in different communities.”
The four tenets of Procedural Justice include:
- Voice (Listen)
- Neutrality (Be fair)
- Respectful treatment (Be respectful)
- Trustworthiness (Trying to do what’s best for the people)
The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing
Procedural justice and police legitimacy concepts developed over several decades. Pragmatic approaches, along with contemporary information, combine to build upon the understanding of these principles. Various approaches have been created and utilized over many years of collaboratively working in partnership with law enforcement stakeholders interacting with many projects across a very diverse set of industries and sectors.
Procedural Justice
Fundamentally, procedural justice concerns the fairness and the transparency of the processes by which decisions are made, and may be contrasted with distributive justice (fairness in the distribution of rights or resources), and retributive justice (fairness in the punishment of wrongs). Hearing all parties before a decision is made is one step which would be considered appropriate to be taken in order that a process may then be characterized as procedurally fair.
Some theories of procedural justice hold that fair procedure leads to equitable outcomes, even if the requirements of distributive or restorative justice are not met. It has been suggested that this is the outcome of the higher-quality interpersonal interactions often found in the procedural justice process, which has shown to be stronger in affecting the perception of fairness during conflict resolution.
Police Legitimacy
Police legitimacy reflects the belief that the police ought to be allowed to exercise their authority to maintain social order, manage conflicts, and solve problems in their communities. Legitimacy is reflected in three judgments. The first is public trust and confidence in the police. Such confidence involves the belief that the police are honest, that they try to do their jobs well, and that they are trying to protect the community against crime and violence. Second, legitimacy reflects the willingness of residents to defer to the law and to police authority, i.e. their sense of obligation and responsibility to accept police authority. Finally, legitimacy involves the belief that police actions are morally justified and appropriate to the circumstances.
Research consistently shows that minorities are more likely than whites to view law enforcement with suspicion and distrust. Minorities frequently report that the police disproportionately single them out because of their race or ethnicity. This perception about the lawfulness and legitimacy of law enforcement are an important criterion for judging policing in a democratic society. Lawfulness means that police comply with constitutional, statutory, and professional norms. Legitimacy is linked to the public’s belief about the police and its willingness to recognize police authority.
Racial and ethnic minority perceptions that the police lack lawfulness and legitimacy, based largely on their interactions with the police, can lead to distrust of the police. Distrust of police has serious consequences. Most importantly, it undermines the legitimacy of law enforcement. Without legitimacy, police lose their ability and authority to function effectively.