Law Enforcement

BAKERSFIELD – As part of a statewide effort to address hate, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today was joined by Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh and local leaders for an anti-hate roundtable discussion. The roundtable in Bakersfield is the 11th in a series of meetings led by Attorney General Bonta across the state to bring together local elected officials, law enforcement officers, and community leaders to discuss best practices in addressing hate crime. The roundtables are broadly aimed at developing strategies to address bias and hate, increasing awareness around available resources for members of the public, and strengthening responses to hate crimes and incidents in California.

“There is no place for hate in California, and now more than ever, we must stand united against hate and extremism,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The community involvement and local support of cities across California aids in better understanding awareness of the issue to identify best practices to eliminate the staggering rise of hate and extremism. I want to thank Mayor Goh and local leaders in Bakersfield for their partnership and commitment to combating the rise of hate, fostering holistic, community-based responses, and providing resources where they are most needed. Every Californian deserves to feel safe in their cities and communities."

“Hatred of our brothers and sisters has no place in the City of Bakersfield,” said Mayor Karen Goh. “I thank the Attorney General for bringing the community together for this important discussion.”

In 2021, California experienced an alarming 32.6% overall increase in reported hate crimes, the highest number of reported hate crimes in the state since the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Although not captured in statewide hate crime statistics, it’s also important to remember that hate incidents — acts that do not rise to the level of a crime — are also incredibly harmful and can leave lasting, negative impacts on all our communities. The critical discussion held today focused on developing community-based solutions to protect residents and communities from harm.

Attorney General Bonta has issued a series of reports, guidance, and resources to help the public and law enforcement better understand and address hate crimes in California. Given the ongoing challenge presented by hate crime, the Attorney General urges leaders across the state and members of the public to review and make use of these important resources, which include a law enforcement bulletin summarizing applicable civil and criminal hate crime laws, guidance to prosecutors to help strengthen prosecution and enforcement, and brochures and fact sheets in more than two dozen languages to assist Californians in identifying and responding to hate crime events. In 2021, Attorney General Bonta also released a special report on anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, which offers important context and analysis regarding the recent increases in anti-Asian hate crime events.

Attorney General Bonta launched the Racial Justice Bureau, which, among other things, supports the California Department of Justice’s broader mandate to advance the civil rights of all Californians by assisting with new and ongoing efforts to combat hate and bias. In 2021, the Attorney General began proactively engaging with local city leaders in the 13 biggest cities in California through roundtables in San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, Riverside, Long Beach, Santa Ana, San Jose, Stockton, and Anaheim. 

More broadly, the Attorney General is deeply committed to responding to the needs of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities and, in July 2021, also launched the Office of Community Awareness, Response, and Engagement to work directly with community organizations and members of the public as part of the effort to advance justice for all Californians.

Members of the public can further explore hate crime data on OpenJustice.

If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate crime, notify local law enforcement and consider taking the following steps: 

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911 and if needed, seek medical attention.
• Write down the exact words that were used and take note of any other relevant facts.
• If safe to do so, save all evidence and take photos.
• Get contact information for other victims and witnesses.
• Reach out to community organizations in your area that deal with hate crimes or incidents.

Reports of hate incidents can also be made to the California Civil Rights Department CA v. Hate hotline and online portal at any time in 15 languages or by calling (833) 866-4283 or 833-8-NO-HATE, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and talking to a trained civil rights agent in over 200 languages. Outside of those hours, people can leave a voicemail or call 211 to report a hate incident and seek support from a professional trained in culturally competent communication and trauma-informed practices.

STOCKTON – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones, and San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar today announced the arrest of 50 individuals; the seizure of 42 firearms, including 8 assault weapons; and the seizure of approximately 25 pounds of drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine as part of a takedown of gang members in Stockton.

This operation targeted criminal activities by the Norteño street gang. The arrests are a result of a three-month long investigation that began in August 2019. The alleged criminal activities included attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and the possession and sale of firearms.

“At the California Department of Justice, protecting public safety in our neighborhoods and communities is our top priority,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Thanks to a collaborative effort with the Stockton Police Department and many other law enforcement agencies, Stockton’s streets are a little bit safer tonight. We will continue to work with our partners to bring criminal street gangs to justice.”

"By partnering with our allied law enforcement agencies, this type of collaborative response is an invaluable tool in our efforts to reduce crime in the city of Stockton," said Chief Jones. "I want to thank our State, and local law enforcement partners for their willingness to work alongside the men and women of the Stockton Police Department and together put countless hours of good, solid, police work that resulted in numerous arrests of violent gang members and the seizure of a great number of weapons and narcotics."

“I am grateful to Attorney General Becerra, the Department of Justice, and all of our local law enforcement partners for their important roles in removing from our streets those intent on creating harm in the community,” said District Attorney Verber Salazar. “Collectively, we have chosen to focus our efforts on those few among us bent on committing acts of serious violence and the enablers who assist them in doing so. Intelligence-driven prosecution and intelligence-driven policing allow us to focus on this small group of people who are responsible for the majority of the harm to our community. Collaborative and interdependent investigations like these are critical in our efforts to make our community safer and to communicate the message to those on the fence that if you pick up a gun and use it to commit a crime in our community, we’re coming for you.”

The operation was the product of a joint investigation by the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol, Special Operations Unit, the Stockton Police Department Gang Violence Suppression Unit, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. As a result of the investigation, agents were able to identify the suspects wanted in connection with the shooting of a ten-year-old who was shot while playing in a backyard. 

The Special Operations Unit is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. These unique and essential teams use the latest technology and advanced investigative techniques and work alongside local law enforcement to enhance investigations into violent criminals and organized crime throughout the state.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges that are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced charges against Adriana Pinnisi for grand theft and identity theft in a case of embezzlement from her employer. Pinnisi pled not guilty when she was arraigned on August 28.

Pinnisi was arrested on August 17 following an investigation by the California Department of Justice’s eCrime Unit, which found that she allegedly used an American Express corporate credit card from her employer, Signal Products, to make unauthorized purchases for her personal use. Over a 12 month periood – December 3, 2015 to November 12, 2016 – Pinnisi allegedly stole more than $1,015,350.88.

“Computer-related fraud threatens both businesses and consumers,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Unauthorized purchasing with a corporate credit card is stealing and is something no business owner should have to worry about.”

Pinnisi abused her position as Controller at Signal Products, where she would monitor, approve, and record business-related expenses. After discovering that Pinnisi had stolen from the company, Signal Products also discovered that the records and receipts of her expenses were missing.

The California Department of Justice filed a felony complaint in the LA Superior Court charging the defendant with the following three counts:

• Theft by False Pretenses;
• Grand Theft;
• Identity Theft, along with Special Allegations for Excessive Loss.

An arrest warrant was signed on May 11, 2017, and bail was set at $245,000. Pinnisi was residing in New York at the time, where she was seeking employment as a controller. The LAPD coordinated with the NYPD for her arrest.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint contains charges that are only allegations against a person. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

A copy of the complaint is attached to the electronic version of this release at oag.ca.gov.

MODESTO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued the following statement on the death of Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace, who died in the line of duty today:

"On behalf of the California Department of Justice, I extend my deepest condolences to the loved ones and colleagues of Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy Dennis Wallace, who bravely gave his life in the line of duty today. This tragedy is yet another solemn reminder of the sacrifice men and women in law enforcement make each and every day when they put on the uniform and badge, not knowing if they'll come home to their families at the end of their shift. Sheriff's Deputy Wallace's ultimate sacrifice in service of his community will never be forgotten by a grateful state and her people."

SACRAMENTO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that her office’s first-of-its-kind “Principled Policing: Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias” Train the Trainer course, designed to help law enforcement officers overcome barriers to neutral policing and rebuild the relationship of trust between law enforcement and the community, will be offered in Sacramento to California Highway Patrol (CHP) personnel on October 11 and 12.

“Every human being has implicit biases,” said Attorney General Harris. “We need to have an honest conversation that includes addressing the way implicit bias in policing undermines the public’s trust and has devastating effects on the safety and well-being of our communities. Through our principled policing course, we are bringing together law enforcement, community organizations, and leaders in academia to address bias, build trust and improve public safety.”

“For the CHP, public trust has been a cornerstone of our training since 1929.  As a statewide organization with jurisdiction in diverse communities across California, we look at every encounter we have with a member of the public as an opportunity to foster the public’s trust,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.  “We appreciate Attorney General Harris’ initiative to develop this training to enhance the public’s trust in us and to provide effective and impartial public safety services to the people of California and its visitors.”     

The training course is certified by California’s Peace Officers Standards Training (POST) Commission and was created last year in partnership with renowned social psychologist and Macarthur Genius, Dr. Jennifer Eberhardt of Stanford University.  It has previously been offered in both Los Angeles and Sacramento to command staff from 28 law enforcement agencies from across California. In response to the overwhelming demand following the November 2015 course for law enforcement command staff, last month, Attorney General Harris’ office led the first “train the trainer” version of the course for officers from 15 different California agencies, as well as community members from across the state.

“POST will infuse the tenets of Procedural Justice, Police Legitimacy and Implicit Bias throughout the entirety of the Regular Basic Course (Academy) and Field Training Program.  By weaving these concepts throughout the entry level peace officer training programs by means of a comprehensive service delivery model, POST hopes to enhance student learning outcomes, and reinforce the public service commitment that will serve as a catalyst for mutual trust and confidence between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” said POST Executive Director Manny Alvarez.

The “train the trainer” version of the course was developed by the Attorney General's office in partnership with the Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training, Stanford SPARQ (Social Psychological Answers to Real-world Questions), and the Oakland and Stockton Police Departments. The two-day (16-hour) course provides a “how-to” on teaching policing approaches that emphasize respect, listening, neutrality, and trust while also addressing the common implicit biases that can be barriers to these approaches.  The “train the trainer” curriculum was designed to enable officers from law enforcement agencies to gain the knowledge and skills to effectively teach the concepts of procedural justice and implicit bias to others within their departments and to tailor the training to their specific needs and community history.

The 2017 budget, signed by Governor Jerry Brown, allocates $5 million for POST to develop and offer the principled policing course in collaboration with the Attorney General’s office.  This funding will defray the cost for participating agencies, making it possible for many more officers throughout the state to be trained in procedural justice and implicit bias and fund opportunities for evaluation of the course.

As part of the course, all participants must complete a pre- and post-course survey, which Stanford University will compile and analyze in order to assess the effectiveness of the course. The evaluations of the first course showed that the training advanced police officers’ knowledge of procedural justice and implicit bias and the leaders who participated said they believed the training could help increase trust and decrease tension among police and members of the community.

The training is divided into five modules, recognizing the tenets of procedural justice: voice, neutrality, respect, and trustworthiness. Throughout the training participants learned by reviewing research findings, watching video clips and PowerPoint presentations illustrating key points, hearing from officers who shared personal experiences with community members, participating in group exercises, and engaging in frank and honest dialogue. The training also included discussions about the goals and motivations of police officers, the sources of stress and cynicism in policing, the historical and generational effects of policing, and finally, strategies for simultaneously enhancing police-community trust and improving the health and safety of police officers.

The training was first developed as part of the California Department of Justice’s 90-Day Review of its own special agent training programs on implicit bias and use of force which were announced in April 2015.

Since early last year, Attorney General Harris has taken several steps to strengthen the trust between law enforcement and California communities. These actions include:

• Convening and appointing members to the first-ever Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board to help address the issue of profiling by law enforcement.
• Directing the Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement to conduct a 90-Day Review of its special agent trainings on implicit bias and use of force.
• Instituting a body camera policy for all DOJ special agent personnel conducting field operations.
• Convening law enforcement, youth and community organizations to focus on trust and transparency.
• Creating the 21st Century Policing Working Group to foster discussion regarding implicit bias and building community trust.
• Launching OpenJustice, a first-of-its-kind criminal justice open data initiative that publishes unprecedented data in an interactive, easy to use way.  The tool spotlights key criminal justice indicators and embraces transparency in the criminal justice system to strengthen trust, enhance government accountability, and inform public policy.
• Releasing OpenJustice 1.1, which enriched the Web portal’s initial data sets with city, county, and state level context including population and demographic information, unemployment rates, poverty rates, and educational attainment levels.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Following last year’s launch of an unprecedented criminal justice open data initiative, OpenJustice, and the passage of Assembly Bill 71, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today launched a web-based tool that allows California law enforcement agencies to digitally report law enforcement or civilian uses of force. As part of the Attorney General’s commitment to promoting government adoption of technology, this tool was built as an open-source project and the software code will be made available free of charge to other law enforcement agencies around the country. A public demo of the tool is available at ursusdemo.doj.ca.gov.     

Previously, law enforcement officers in California reported on any death in custody on paper forms. No state in the country, including California, collected data on any non-lethal use of force.  Assembly Bill 71, authored by Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona), and supported by Attorney General Harris, created a new requirement for California law enforcement agencies to annually report to the California Department of Justice data on any incidents that occurred in the previous year involving use of force by a civilian or peace officer against the other that involves a firearm or results in serious bodily injury or death.

The online platform, nicknamed URSUS after the bear on the California flag, can be accessed by any law enforcement agency in the state to report use of force data in an all-digital format, rather than by using a lengthy paper form. Today’s launch is a beta release to the field in advance of the January 1, 2017 reporting deadline for data from 2016 so that law enforcement agencies may use the tool during the fall and provide feedback to our office, which may be incorporated to enhance the tool’s functionality.  

“As a country, we must engage in an honest, transparent, and data-driven conversation about police use of force,” said Attorney General Harris.  “I am proud that California continues to lead the nation in the adoption of technology and data to improve our criminal justice system and keep our streets safe.”

One of the objectives of the OpenJustice initiative is to modernize data infrastructure, and this reporting tool will dramatically improve the speed and quality of data submitted, allowing data from the most complex incidents to be entered by law enforcement in under five minutes. The application includes dynamic screening questions and intelligent error-checking to help agencies input more accurate data. In addition, the platform’s advanced security features and role-based review workflows improve data reliability and integrity. This tool also minimizes costs for law enforcement, as its web-based interface and cloud storage reduce the need for local investment in custom data collection systems.

“The California Police Chiefs Association was an early supporter of AB 71, relating to use of force data, and has been collaborating with the Department of Justice ever since the bill was signed by the Governor last year,” said CA Police Chiefs Association President Chief Ken Corney. “We believe it is a sound practice to gather and report use of force data and make this information available to the public.”

“I commend Attorney General Harris on her development and launch of URSUS,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow.  “URSUS will assist law enforcement in gathering critical data involving use of force by a peace office, or by a civilian against a peace officer, that results in serious injury or death or involves the use of a firearm in order to meet the requirements of Assembly Bill 71. I am confident the introduction of URSUS and the collection of this data and information will improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities that we serve.” 

“We are proud to participate in this very important program. This technology is crucial to providing accurate public data on incidents involving the use of force,” said Walnut Creek Police Chief Thomas Chaplin.  “We wholeheartedly support this approach to create additional transparency and ease of accessibility for use of force data.”  

In addition to facilitating statewide collection, this tool also provides a suite of analytical tools for local agencies to better monitor incidents in their own jurisdictions, including features such as a dashboard, interactive charts, and pivot tables. Smaller agencies that may not currently have their own tracking systems will particularly benefit from these tools. 

The reporting tool was built through a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the California Department of Justice and Bayes Impact, a technology-for-good non-profit organization. In her continuing efforts to bring civic technology to government, Attorney General Harris established this unique partnership combining the California Department of Justice’s knowledge and expertise in law enforcement with Bayes Impact’s expertise in agile software development. The application was developed in just over six months, in ongoing collaboration with 12 pilot law enforcement agencies.

As part of the Attorney General’s commitment to ensuring that government technology serves the public, this tool was built as an open-source project and the software code will be made available free of charge to other states and agencies. Its open-source nature will also reduce ongoing maintenance costs as compared to a proprietary solution. 

Yesterday, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the OpenJustice Data Act of 2016 (Assembly Bill 2524), which the California Legislature unanimously passed last month. This law, sponsored by Attorney General Harris and authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), will convert Crime in California and other annual reports published by the California Department of Justice into digital datasets, which will be published on the Attorney General’s OpenJustice Web portal. The data from AB 71 will be posted on OpenJustice in early 2017.

Attorney General Harris first launched the OpenJustice initiative in 2015 as a mechanism for improving trust between communities and law enforcement, enhancing government accountability, and informing public policy with data. 

Earlier this year, the Attorney General announced the release of OpenJustice 1.1, which enriched the web portal’s initial data sets with city and county level data exploration tools and contextual information including population and demographic information, unemployment rates, poverty rates, and educational attainment levels.  In addition to providing greater transparency, this information enables policymakers to craft more informed, data-driven public policy.

Attorney General Harris has also taken several steps to strengthen the relationship of trust between law enforcement and California communities.  She directed a 90-day Review of her Division of Law Enforcement’s policies on use of force and implicit bias, convened the state’s law enforcement leaders to share best practices through her 21st Century Policing Working Group, created the first POST-certified course on Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias in the U.S., and developed a pilot for body-worn cameras for DOJ Special Agents.

LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today released the following statement on the bombings in New York and New Jersey:

"The bombings in New Jersey and New York, which are being investigated as acts of terrorism, represent an attack on our most fundamental American values. I am thankful to the first responders and law enforcement officials who acted so swiftly to apprehend the suspect and prevent the loss of life. My thoughts and prayers are with all those injured and impacted by the explosions."

EL CAJON – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris is attending and will speak at the memorial service for San Diego Police Officer Jonathan “JD” DeGuzman, who was killed in the line of duty on July 28th.

WHEN:

Tomorrow, August 5, 2016

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

WHERE:

Shadow Mountain Community Church

2100 Greenfield Drive

El Cajon, CA 92019

Kevin Manz Allegedly Embezzled over $1 Million from Local Charitable Organizations

SACRAMENTO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of Kevin Manz, 59, on felony charges of grand theft for embezzling money from multiple charitable organizations in the Sacramento area. According to the criminal complaint, filed today in Sacramento Superior Court, Manz illegally directed funds from Cathedral Pioneer Church Homes Inc., Cathedral Pioneer Church Homes Foundation, and the Pioneer Foundation to personal bank and business accounts and used the funds for personal expenses such as jewelry and cars.

“Preying on charities that benefit senior citizens is despicable behavior that will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Harris. “My office will continue to prosecute those who embezzle and misuse charitable funds for personal gain. I thank the California Department of Justice Special Agents for their diligent investigative efforts in this case.” 

Manz is a licensed attorney in Kansas who gained the trust of charity boards and church congregations in the Sacramento area.  He convinced multiple charitable organizations, including foundations that provide housing for seniors, to allow him to manage their financial accounts.  According to the criminal complaint, he then embezzled over $1 million from three charitable organizations.

The arrest came after a 5-month investigation by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation and the Tax Recovery and Criminal Enforcement Task Force.  The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section.

A copy of the felony complaint is attached to the online version of this press release at oag.ca.gov/news.

Six Defendants Indicted on 135 Felony Counts For Scam That Cost Vulnerable Homeowners $4 Million

SAN DIEGO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that six individuals were indicted and arrested on 135 felony charges for operating a mortgage fraud scheme throughout Southern California and the Inland Empire, preying on homeowners facing foreclosure.  The case is being prosecuted by attorneys in the Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Strike Force, created by Harris in 2011 to prosecute mortgage fraud at every step of the process.

Jacob Orona, Aide Orona, John Contreras, Prakashumar ("Kash") Bhakta, Marcus Robinson, and David Boyd were indicted by a grand jury on 135 felony charges, including conspiracy, grand theft, filing false or forged documents, and identity theft.  All six defendants were arrested last week and one defendant, Marcus Robinson, was arraigned yesterday, Monday, July 11, in San Diego Superior Court.

"I created the Mortgage Fraud Task Force in 2011 to ensure that we tirelessly protect Californians struggling to stay in their homes from those who would prey upon them for profit.  This indictment is result of a joint effort to remain vigilant in the investigation and prosecution of those who attempt to defraud homeowners through the mortgage process," said Attorney General Harris. "I thank our Mortgage Fraud Strike Force and California Department of Justice Special Agents, as well as our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, for their efforts on this case."

The scam artists promised homeowners who were underwater on their mortgages that they could provide legal remedies to avoid foreclosure, convincing homeowners to stop making mortgage payments and instead pay them $3,500 to start with an “administrative process,” plus $1,000 every month and separate amounts to allegedly file legal documents.  The defendants filed bogus petitions and court pleadings and recorded false deeds in county recorders’ offices, causing over $4 million in loses while failing to halt any foreclosures.  The fraud stretched through San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.

The indictment was delivered following a two-week special statewide grand jury convened in San Diego County.  If convicted, Jacob and Aide Orona face over 90 years in prison; Contreras and Prakashkumar face over 70 years in prison; Robinson faces over 28 years in prison, and Boyd faces over 18 years in prison.

The arrests and arraignments are the culmination of a joint investigation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFAOIG), the Attorney General’s Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Section (FFSPS), the California Department of Justice Bureau of Investigation, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, Real Estate Fraud Unit.

Attorney General Harris created the Mortgage Fraud Strike Force within the California Department of Justice in May 2011.  Composed of both civil and criminal enforcement teams, the Mortgage Fraud Strike Force monitors and prosecutes violations at every step of the mortgage process, from the origination of mortgage loans to the marketing of mortgage-backed securities to the investing public. 

Attorney General Harris has long been dedicated to prosecuting mortgage fraud.  She secured approximately $20 billion for California in the National Mortgage Settlement and sponsored the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, a package of laws instituting permanent mortgage-related reforms.  In 2009, as District Attorney of San Francisco, she launched the first stand-alone district attorney’s mortgage fraud unit in California.