Law Enforcement

RIVERSIDE - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrests of 52 individuals and the seizure of 67 firearms, including assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, $95,700 in currency, and methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana with a total street value of $1.6 million, as part of a bust of two gangs operating in Riverside County.

Today’s operation targeted criminal street gang Corona Varrio Locos and Mexican Mafia prison gang La Eme and involved more than 300 law enforcement officers.  The operation followed a joint investigation by the Corona Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force, and the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Unit (SOU) Southern California team. 

“Criminal gangs brazenly trafficking guns and drugs on our streets jeopardize public safety and will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Harris. “I thank our California Department of Justice Special Agents, as well as the Corona Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol for their brave efforts to dismantle criminal enterprises in our Inland Empire communities.”

In addition to today’s arrests of 32 individuals and seizures of 50 guns including assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, 314 rounds of ammunition, 1 stolen car, $48,700 in currency, 7 pounds of methamphetamine, 1 pound of marijuana, and 10 grams of cocaine, this investigation previously led to the arrests of 20 individuals for felony crimes including assault with a deadly weapon, extortion, and drug trafficking, and the seizure of 17 illegal firearms (handguns, assault rifles and shotguns), $47,000 in currency, 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and 10 pounds of cocaine.

These gangs traffic narcotics and illegal firearms, many of which were involved in crimes throughout Riverside County.

“Today’s joint operation and this entire investigation has been a great success due to the dedication and bravery of all the law enforcement agencies and personnel involved. The large amounts of narcotics, currency, and most importantly, the large cache of weapons seized, will no doubt disrupt the criminal gangs’ enterprise, thus making our communities that much safer,” said Corona Police Chief Michael Abel.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) also assisted with the investigation of the gangs’ trafficking in illegal firearms and narcotics, conducting cell searches within the California state prisons in coordination with the operation.

“Special Agents from the Special Services Unit of CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety spent months tracking intelligence on the suspects.  As a result of our agents’ work, and of the team effort of our law enforcement partners, a strong blow has been dealt to the Mexican Mafia that’s constantly working to extend their criminal enterprise in this region,” said Derrick Marion, Chief of the CDCR Office of Correctional Safety.  “I commend our agents, who worked anonymously, and all our partners for their dedication, bravery and hard work.”

The Corona Varrio Locos are a criminal street gang operating in the city of Corona and surrounding areas of the Inland Empire. Corona Varrio Locos gang members are affiliated with the Sureños, a Southern California regional street gang that shows allegiance to the Mexican Mafia. The Mexican Mafia is a highly organized criminal organization that operates throughout the California prison system and is known by its Spanish slang name ‘La Eme.’ The Mexican Mafia is allegedly involved with murders, theft, and other criminal activities and gang members may be punished or murdered for committing infractions, refusing orders, or failing tests of loyalty to the gang.

The Special Operations Unit (SOU) is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers.

In 2014, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow worked with the Legislature and Governor Brown’s administration to secure $9.4 million for California DOJ Bureau of Investigation’s SOU teams. 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. 

In 2015, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, Special Operations Unit arrested 329 individuals and seized over $249,000 in cash, eight stolen vehicles, 146 pounds of methamphetamine, 20 pounds of heroin, 12.2 pounds of cocaine, 131 pounds of marijuana and 196 firearms (126 handguns, 38 rifles, 15 shotguns and 17 assault weapons).

Photos are attached to the online version of this news release at oag.ca.gov/news. 

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, the L.A. IMPACT task force, led by the California Department of Justice, today seized 83 kilograms of cocaine, worth an estimated street value of $10 million, from a bus traveling across the U.S. border from Mexico. The cocaine was sent through the San Ysidro Port of Entry from Tijuana, Baja California.

Agents also arrested Victor Fainz Miranda, 33, Jaime Jimenez, 50, and Humberto Vazquez, 48, at 545 North Avalon Boulevard, Wilmington, CA.  The suspects are currently in custody. 

“Transnational criminal organizations terrorize our communities, traffic massive amounts of illegal drugs and guns into our neighborhoods, and undermine  public safety,” said Attorney General Harris.  “This operation shut down a multi-million dollar criminal enterprise  to traffic illegal narcotics across the border.  I want to thank our California Department of Justice Special Agents with L.A. IMPACT and our state, local, and federal partners for their tireless efforts to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”

L.A. IMPACT is comprised of numerous local, state, and federal agencies and led by the California Department of Justice. 

Attorney General Harris has called the trafficking of drugs by transnational criminal organizations, particularly methamphetamine, a growing threat to the state and a top priority for law enforcement in her 2014 report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which was the first comprehensive report analyzing the state of transnational criminal organizations in California.  The report also outlined recommendations to address the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, much of it through the San Diego Port of Entry, which include increased funding for state anti-narcotics trafficking task forces and additional coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in combatting transnational criminal organizations.

Following the release of the report, Attorney General Harris led a delegation of state attorneys general to Mexico to strengthen working relationships between the governments of both countries and enhance efforts to combat transnational crime. The delegation met with Mexican state attorneys general and federal officials to discuss the issues of drug, human and firearms trafficking, money laundering and high-tech crime. 

Photos from today's bust are available online at http://oag.ca.gov/news/photo-gallery/ca-doj-led-la-impact-task-force-seizes-83-kilograms-cocaine-major-bust. 

STOCKTON — Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the successful takedown of two criminal street gangs in the Stockton area, following a joint investigation and operation by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Unit (SOU) and the Stockton Police Department’s Gang Violence Suppression unit.

The joint operation, named Operation Bloodline, resulted in the seizure of 22 illegal firearms, $12,000 in currency, and 41 pounds of marijuana; as well as the arrests of 52 individuals on felony crimes.

The investigation found that ‘Westside Bloods’ and ‘Taliban’ gangs have been illegally purchasing firearms and are responsible for numerous armed robberies and shootings in the Stockton area, including a recent triple homicide. 

Several attempted murders and robberies were solved or circumvented as a result of the investigation.

“Members of these two street gangs have terrorized the Stockton community and escalated violence and the proliferation of illegal guns in the city.  Today, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol and the Stockton Police Department have made significant strides toward dismantling these groups and increasing safety in Stockton,” said Attorney General Harris. “I want to thank our DOJ Special Agents and the dedicated officers of the Stockton Police Department and the California Highway Patrol for their incredible efforts in this case.”

“We identified two groups, through an Operation Ceasefire analysis, who were significant security threats to our community based upon documented shootings, murders and attempted murders, in 2015,” said Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones. “I would like to thank everyone involved for assisting with the ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle criminal street gangs in and around the City of Stockton.”

Stockton and surrounding areas suffer from high rates of homicides and other gun crimes, with 44 homicides reported in Stockton in 2015 and 14 homicides to date in 2016.

The Special Operations Unit (SOU) is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers.

In 2014, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow worked with the Legislature and Governor Brown’s administration to secure $9.4 million for California DOJ Bureau of Investigation’s SOU teams. 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. 

In 2015, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, Special Operations Unit arrested 329 individuals and seized over $249,000 in cash, eight stolen vehicles, 146 pounds of methamphetamine, 20 pounds of heroin, 12.2 pounds of cocaine, 131 pounds of marijuana and 196 firearms (126 handguns, 38 rifles, 15 shotguns and 17 assault weapons).

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued an information bulletin to California law enforcement agencies to reinforce integral eviction procedures under the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. Under current California law, occupants of a foreclosed property who are not named in eviction documents - such as tenants - can present a “Claim of Right to Possession” form to temporarily stop the eviction process up to and including when the Sheriff comes to remove them from the property.

Following the 2012 national mortgage settlement, Attorney General Harris sponsored the landmark California Homeowner Bill of Rights (HBOR), which took effect on January 1, 2013. The legislation package included additional protections for homeowners and tenants facing foreclosure. Although HBOR has been in effect since 2013, advocacy groups have reported cases in which Sheriffs proceed with the eviction process despite being presented with a Claim of Right to Possession form. This bulletin provides guidance for Sheriffs performing evictions following a foreclosure. 

“This bulletin clarifies integral protections and due process available under the Homeowner Bill of Rights,” said Attorney General Harris.  “I sponsored this bill to provide a fair process for vulnerable Californians who are facing the loss of their homes. I thank the advocacy organizations for their tireless work on behalf of those affected by the foreclosure crisis."

Prior to HBOR, occupants who were not named in an Unlawful Detainer Complaint were required to respond to a “Prejudgment Claim of Right to Possession” within 10 days of service. This is no longer the case.  Under HBOR, certain post-foreclosure occupants, such as tenants, can temporarily stop the eviction process by presenting a Claim of Right to Possession, including at the time of the lockout, to the Sheriff at the property. Once a claim is presented, the Sheriff should take no further action until notified by the court.  The bulletin further instructs Sheriffs on how to respond when presented with a Claim of Right to Possession. 

“HBOR provides critical protections for tenants in foreclosed properties.  Western Center on Law & Poverty is grateful to the Attorney General for providing guidance to the sheriffs who play a key role in implementing these protections and ensuring that innocent tenants will not be evicted without notice,” said Madeline S. Howard, Senior Staff Attorney at the Western Center on Law and Poverty. 

“Over 1 million California tenants suffered displacement after their landlords’ foreclosure from 2008-2012.  The tenant protections of HBOR helped address this crisis, and the Claim of Right to Possession gave tenants a new tool to assert their rights. However, many tenants have had difficulty using this procedure because it was new and education was limited.  Tenants Together believes that this Bulletin will significantly improve the use of the Claim of Right to Possession and ensure that Sheriffs across the state are able to properly follow the legal process,” said Leah Simon-Weisberg, Legal Director at Tenants Together. 

Western Center and Tenants Together have received calls asking for assistance with the prejudgment claim process and reports of post-foreclosure eviction abuse from tenants in the Central Valley, Inland Empire, and the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Attorney General Harris has worked to ensure that California’s homeowners are treated fairly and with consideration during the foreclosure process. In 2011, she created the Mortgage Fraud Strike Force, which was tasked with the responsibility to investigate and prosecute misconduct related to aspects of the mortgage process. In February 2012, Attorney General Harris secured more than $20 billion for struggling California homeowners from the nation’s five largest banks.

The Attorney General has also taken steps to improve relations between the public and law enforcement agencies. In 2015, she directed a review of her Division of Law Enforcement's policies on implicit bias and the use of force. Following the 90-day Review, Attorney General Harris created the first POST-certified course on Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias in the United States. In 2016, she sponsored legislation that would create a stand-alone course for peace officers on principled policing, procedural justice and implicit bias. She later formed the 21st Century Policing Working Group, which has convened several times to discuss its current progress and strategies to improve policing policies to fit the needs of today.   In addition, Attorney General Harris sent a bulletin to law enforcement making clear that federal immigration detainers are voluntary and that law enforcement agencies should direct resources in a manner that best serves their community.

FRESNO — Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced a takedown targeting the Dog Pound Gangsters, a Fresno-area criminal organization, following a year-long joint investigation by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Unit (SOU) and the Fresno Police Department. 

The investigation, Operation Dog Track, resulted in the arrests of 28 individuals who have been charged with a range of federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit murder, human trafficking, and fraud.  Those arrested are expected to be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of California.

“Street gangs must be held accountable for terrorizing our communities,” said Attorney General Kamala D. Harris. “I’m thankful for the bravery and diligence of our Special Agents, the Fresno Police Department, and the other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies working together to dismantle criminal organizations and protect victims of trafficking and fraud throughout the Central Valley.”

"The dismantling of the Dog Pound Gang's leadership will send a shockwave throughout the gang community and significantly reduce gang violence in Fresno for many years," said Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

The Special Operations Unit (SOU) is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers.

“A partnership like the California Department of Justice SOU, working with allied law enforcement agencies, was crucial to this important investigation,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said.  “I am proud the CHP was able to provide its expertise and thank everyone involved for their dedication and professionalism.”

The joint investigation found that the Fresno Dog Pound Gangsters have transported human trafficking victims across state lines, in violation of the federal Mann Act, primarily victimizing women to generate income that funds other criminal activities.

According to the affidavit, the Fresno Dog Pound Gangsters have also been involved in violent crimes, credit card fraud, and bank fraud. Several violent assaults, murders, and shootings were solved or circumvented as a result of this investigation.

Attorney General Harris released a 2014 report, Gangs Beyond Borders: California and the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime, which is the first comprehensive report analyzing the current state of transnational criminal organizations in California. The report identified human trafficking as an emerging aspect of these organizations’ criminal activities, and made recommendations to address this issue, including by funding state task forces to investigate and disrupt these organizations.

In 2014, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and California Highway Patrol Commissioner Joe Farrow worked with the Legislature and Governor Brown’s administration to secure $9.4 million for California DOJ Bureau of Investigation’s SOU teams. 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. 

Since 2012, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation Special Operations Unit (SOU) has arrested 551 individuals and seized over one million dollars in cash, 20 pounds of heroin, 64 pounds of methamphetamine, 145 pounds of marijuana, 13 pounds of cocaine, and over 400 weapons.

LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that her office has filed six felony charges against Andrew Jordan, 36, in Los Angeles County Superior Court for allegedly committing human trafficking, pimping, pandering, domestic violence, assault, and a racially motivated hate crime.  He was held to answer on these charges on February 3, 2016, and Jordan pled not guilty as charged.  

“Human trafficking dehumanizes victims and will not be tolerated in California,” said Attorney General Harris.  “We must continue to support victims of human trafficking and help them seek justice.  I thank our California Department of Justice attorneys and Special Agents, as well as the Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and the Long Beach City Prosecutor’s Office for their commitment to fighting human trafficking.”

On August 26, 2015, detectives from the Long Beach Police Department’s Vice Investigations and Gang Enforcement Sections, with the assistance of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Custody Investigative Services, Operation Safe Jails, and the Los Angeles Human Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force, identified a 23-year-old human trafficking victim who was in custody on a prostitution charge.

At Jordan’s preliminary hearing on February 3, 2016, the victim testified that she was forced by the defendant to perform commercial sex acts with other men.  Jordan drove her to an area of Los Angeles she was unfamiliar with and forced her to solicit sex acts from cars passing by.  He monitored her whereabouts and ordered her to send him text messages every time she was picked up and every time she completed an act.  He collected the money in between and forced her to stay out until she met a quota that the defendant set.  She described how the defendant beat her severely when she broke his rules and called her racially degrading slurs to further punish and control her.  He coerced her into getting a tattoo of his name on her wrist.  The defendant also controlled all of her personal belongings.  She testified that she was scared to run away as he kept tabs on her by constantly driving up and down the street.  It was not until she was in custody that she was able to tell an officer that she was being abused. 

Human traffickers often use verbal and physical abuse to instill fear in their victims, break down their sense of self-worth, and maintain control.  This prevents victims from seeking help or running away.  Traffickers also often keep control of a victim’s personal belongings, identification, and keys and take victims to work in unfamiliar settings, to further isolate them.  Traffickers also force or coerce their victims into getting tattoos featuring the trafficker’s name or moniker to represent ownership. 

The defendant has remained in custody since his September 2015 arrest. The next court date is a pre-trial conference on April 27, 2016 and jury trial is set for May 19, 2016.

“This case is another great example of how our partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and non-profit victim advocacy groups protect and support victims of Human Trafficking,” said Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.  “We commend the proactive work of our detectives and will continue to dedicate resources in an effort to combat these violent acts and bring those responsible to justice.”  

“I want to commend Long Beach Police, the Sheriff’s Department, and the Attorney General’s Office for their quick work to apprehend and file charges on this extremely dangerous person,” stated Long Beach City Prosecutor Doug Haubert.  “Our office is proud to partner with these agencies to stop human trafficking and assist the survivors.”

Attorney General Harris has made fighting human trafficking a priority for the California Department of Justice, and has advocated for increased collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies during the investigation and prosecution of the crime of human trafficking.  

Earlier this month, Attorney General Harris announced her sponsorship of Assembly Bill 1731 by Assembly Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) to combat human trafficking.  The bill creates the Statewide Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force, which would be a permanent collaborative entity led by the California Department of Justice in partnership with other government agencies.  In addition to her sponsorship of AB 1731, Attorney General Harris also announced her support for AB 1730 by Speaker Emeritus Atkins, a bill to establish housing programs that provide trauma-informed mental health services for child sex trafficking victims.

Last year, the Office of the Attorney General released a resource guide to help companies comply with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act.  The law requires large retailers and manufacturers doing business in California to disclose on their websites their “efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from [their] direct supply chain for tangible goods offered for sale.”

In 2012, Attorney General Harris created a Human Trafficking Work Group and released a report, The State of Human Trafficking in California, which discussed the growth of human trafficking crimes statewide and the challenges with combatting them effectively.

SACRAMENTO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Assemblymembers Reggie Jones- Sawyer and Rob Bonta have introduced legislation to expand Principled Policing training to law enforcement agencies across the state to address issues of implicit bias and community trust.

The legislation, AB 2626, would require the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to create and offer a course for peace officers on procedural justice and implicit bias. The new law enforcement training would be modeled on the POST-certified course created by Attorney General Harris last year, the first of its kind in the country.

“Bias in policing undermines the public’s trust and has devastating effects on the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Attorney General Harris. “AB 2626 will establish a critical new law enforcement training that leads with the community policing principles of respect and dialogue, and directly addresses the crisis of confidence between peace officers and the communities we are sworn to protect.”  

"As Chair of the Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color in California, I was proud to introduce AB 2626 with Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer to address implicit bias," said Assemblymember Bonta. "AB 2626 will strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the community and help ensure better outcomes during police-community interactions. We know that working with the community, and truly understanding the community’s experiences, can reduce crime and promote respect for the rule of law. AB 2626 will help rebuild community trust in law enforcement, stop the disproportionate flow of boys and men of color in to our criminal justice system, and ensure that every Californian experiences real, unfettered justice."

Procedural justice is an approach to policing that emphasizes the importance of treating everyone equally and with respect. Implicit bias, which is thoughts or feelings about social groups that can influence decisions or actions, can be a barrier to procedural justice. The training proposed in AB 2626 would work to create statewide awareness of both procedural justice and implicit bias in order to build trust and improve public and officer safety.

In addition, AB 2626 would require POST to develop guidelines and trainings enabling peace officers to teach the course to other officers in their agencies. If passed, the bill will require POST to offer the basic principled policing course and the trainer course beginning in June 2017.

“It is undeniable that racial profiling continues to exist within policing and the criminal justice system,” said Assembly Member Reginald Jones-Sawyer. “In order to reduce incidents of police brutality it is critical that law enforcement receive training on how  to overcome implicit racial bias.”

“On behalf of POST, we are proud to join Attorney General Harris in offering this innovative course on Principled Policing.” said Bob Stresak, Executive Director of POST.  “The high enrollment in this course is a testament to California's law enforcement leaders recognizing that California's communities deserve the highest levels of professional service and that they are  committed to making every effort to accomplish this goal.”

In November 2015, the California Department of Justice held the first trainings of its POST-certified course, Principled Policing:  Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias. The trainings were conducted in partnership with the Stanford University Center for Social Psychology Answers to Real World Questions (SPARQ), Stanford Professor Jennifer Eberhardt, Reverend Ben McBride from the Empower Initiative, the Oakland and Stockton Police Departments, and the community organization California Partnership for Safe Communities.

A white paper evaluating the Principled Policing training, published jointly by the Department of Justice and Stanford University Center for SPARQ, assessed the effectiveness of the course in educating police officers about procedural justice and implicit bias, as well as shifts in perceptions about police-community relations. According to this evaluation, the course unearthed tremendous hidden potential for the principled policing training to build greater understanding between law enforcement and communities.

This training was 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 January 2015, Attorney General Harris has taken several steps to strengthen the trust between law enforcement and California communities. These actions include:

• 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.
• 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 will release unprecedented data while being interactive and easy to use. 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.
• Creating a POST-Certified Training on Implicit Bias and Procedural Justice.

SACRAMENTO – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced her sponsorship of two bills which will improve statewide tracking of forensic evidence through the adoption of technology.  The legislative package directs law enforcement to take advantage of two secure databases operated by the California Department of Justice: the CODIS Hit Outcome Project (CHOP), which enables agencies to share confidential information about the outcomes of DNA matches; and the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Tracking (SAFE-T) database, which will enable the state to track the collection and processing of sexual assault evidence kits.

“DNA evidence is a tool that provides law enforcement with critical evidence to bring justice to sexual assault victims,” said Attorney General Harris.  “By taking full advantage of the state’s existing forensic tracking technologies, these bills will bolster and modernize law enforcement efforts to solve sexual assault crimes.”

AB 1848 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) will direct all local law enforcement agencies to use a second tracking system within the California Department of Justice, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Tracking (SAFE-T) tool.  This database was specifically designed by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Forensic Services to allow local law enforcement agencies to log and track the status of all so-called “rape kits” collected from victims of sexual assault.  The bill will include annual reporting to the state on metrics relating to how many kits were collected and how many kits were indeed analyzed by a DNA lab.  In cases where local agencies decide not to test a kit, they will be required to provide a reason.

“Survivors of sexual assault who are submitting sexual assault evidence kits aren’t getting the answers they need and deserve,” said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco). “To get at the crux of the backlog problem, we need to know how many kits are collected each year, and if they’re not analyzed, we need to know why.  This data will help shed a light on what areas of law enforcement need to change and whether or not they need more resources to get the job done. I look forward to working with Attorney General Harris on this crucial effort.”

SB 1079 by Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) will achieve universal use the state’s CODIS Hit Outcome Project (CHOP) database.  This advanced technological database helps streamline criminal casework and enables law enforcement agencies to confidentially share information on the outcomes of DNA matches when their own evidence comes back with a positive match to the same known perpetrator.  The database also features a tracking system that assists local agencies in tracking the progress of a DNA hit once crime scene forensic evidence has been matched against a sample in the national database.  Universal adoption of CHOP will ensure that California’s law enforcement agencies are able to fully leverage this technology to promote public safety.

“My bill ensures that local agencies use cold hit information to its full potential for case investigations. Proper use of a statewide system will mean investigations will be more efficient, repeat offenders will be found in the system, and rape kits will be accurately tracked, among other benefits,” said State Senator Glazer (D-Orinda).

Both CHOP and SAFE-T are secure, web-based databases made available to local law enforcement agencies free of charge.  The California Department of Justice, which manages the state’s DNA Data Bank Program, created CHOP in 2009.  SAFE-T was created in 2015 in part as a response to recommendations from a report by the State Auditor.  When evidence taken from a sexual assault kit is analyzed and matched to a sample in CODIS, the SAFE-T profile is automatically linked to a database entry in CHOP. 

In California, law enforcement collects DNA samples from all felony offenders and arrestees, which are submitted into the CODIS database.  When a DNA sample is taken from a crime scene involving an unidentified suspect, the database is checked for possible matches.  In January 2012, Attorney General Harris announced that, for the first time ever, the backlog of untested DNA evidence in state labs had been eliminated. Since that time, the Department’s Bureau of Forensic Services has assisted counties in clearing their own backlogs.

In April 2014, the Attorney General’s innovative RADS program received the United States Department of Justice’s Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services, and in 2015 the program was awarded a $1.6 million grant to test sexual assault evidence kits at local laboratories.

LOS ANGELES - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the release of OpenJustice v1.1, the next version of her criminal justice transparency initiative, which seeks to make public an unprecedented amount of data in easy-to-use and digestible ways so that we can hold ourselves accountable and improve public policy to make California safer. The OpenJustice v1.1 rollout includes new features focused on allowing Californians to better understand how the criminal justice system is working in their specific communities.

Now at a city, county, and state level, the OpenJustice Dashboard shows crime, clearance, and arrest rates, as well as arrest-related deaths, deaths in custody, and law enforcement officers killed or assaulted. Because public safety is also impacted by many societal factors outside of law enforcement, the Dashboard incorporates important contextual data such as population and demographic information, unemployment rates, poverty rates, and educational attainment levels. Through interactive maps, charts and tools, everyone – from communities to law enforcement to policymakers – will be able to identify where our system is doing well to promote public safety and equity in the justice system, and in what areas we must continue to improve.

“OpenJustice adds accountability and transparency to California’s criminal justice system – helping to rebuild the trust between law enforcement and the communities we are sworn to protect,” said Attorney General Harris. “This data helps clarify a simple truth: too many boys and young men of color are being arrested and killed by police. By releasing vast amounts of criminal justice data, OpenJustice v1.1 adds numbers and facts to the national debate on police-community relations. Law enforcement agencies across the nation should embrace data-driven policy changes to improve our criminal justice system and make our streets safer.”

In September 2015, Attorney General Harris launched OpenJustice by publishing three data sets at a statewide level, and committing to continue to release additional criminal justice data collected by the California Department of Justice. OpenJustice v1.1 delivers on that promise by releasing new data and at a more detailed level.

For each data set, anyone can use the Dashboard to look at overall trends, and also sort by race, gender, and age to better understand how different demographic groups are impacted by the justice system. The updated site also enables users to see the types of crimes (violent and property) and arrests (felonies and misdemeanors) across jurisdictions, compared to the California and national averages, and over time. In addition, the site continues to highlight the real danger that law enforcement personnel face everyday to keep our communities safe.

The OpenJustice initiative builds on Attorney General Kamala D. Harris’s leadership by deploying 21st century “Smart on Crime” approaches to improve public safety.  As California’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Harris has worked to introduce new technology to the Department of Justice and law enforcement agencies across the state.  She has also championed the use of data to measure outcomes in public education and understand their impact on the criminal justice system.

In addition to OpenJustice, Attorney General Harris has also taken several steps to strengthen the 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 program to test body-worn cameras within the Department of Justice.

The OpenJustice Dashboard will continue to spotlight metrics from across the justice system and a broad array of data sets will be released to foster accountability and trust. This tool will enable researchers, civic coders, journalists, and policymakers to help tackle seemingly intractable problems in the criminal justice system. 

To view all of the data released today, visit OpenJustice (http://openjustice.doj.ca.gov).

SANTA BARBARA - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that the California Department of Justice and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department have completed a two-day sweep to remove firearms from individuals legally barred from possessing them, including persons determined to be mentally unstable and those with active restraining orders against them. The joint operation resulted in the seizure of 83 firearms, 6,326 rounds of ammunition, 52 ammunition magazines and 10 arrests, targeting individuals on the Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS). The seized firearms included three assault weapons.

This operation, as well as ongoing and day-to-day investigations, reduced the number of individuals in APPS to a historic low. During the past 30 months, the Bureau of Firearms has conducted over 18,608 APPS cases, and has taken 335 assault weapons, 4,549 handguns, 4,848 long-guns, and 43,246 rounds of ammunition off the streets from those who illegally possessed them.

As of February 11, 2016, the number of subjects on the APPS list is 12,334, the lowest it’s been since August 2008.

“Removing firearms from dangerous and violent individuals makes our communities safer,” said Attorney General Harris. “I thank our Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms Special Agents and the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department for taking on this dangerous work and their steadfast commitment to keeping our streets safe.”

"I thank the Attorney General’s Office for providing the resources to help confiscate illegally-possessed firearms in Santa Barbara County. Good people can and do differ in their viewpoints on how guns should be controlled, but I think we can all agree that firearms should not be in the hands of felons, violent offenders or persons suffering from severe mental illness. Removing weapons from those on the Armed and Prohibited Persons list targets law breakers and makes our community a safer place," said Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown. 

“I commend Attorney General Kamala Harris, the Department of Justice and the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department for their tremendous efforts getting guns and ammunition out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them in the first place,” said Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara). “Unfortunately, we are a community that knows too painfully well about the costs and devastation of gun violence. These efforts help prevent potential tragedies while showing that the APPs system is a powerful tool for law enforcement to use to keep our communities safe.”

“I want to highlight the work of the California Department of Justice’s Office of the Attorney General, as well as the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, who worked together tirelessly to ensure that this illegal firearm sweep was a success. The primary goal of these sweeps is compliance, and getting guns out of the hands of prohibited individuals means safer communities and less illegal firearms throughout the County. By acting with professionalism and excellent coordination, over 80 firearms and 6000 rounds of ammunition were successfully seized with a minimal number of arrests. Locating and seizing illegal firearms is dangerous and demanding work, so on behalf of Santa Barbara County I thank all those who were involved," said Assemblymember Das Williams.

The APPS sweep, which began on February 9, was completed over two days and closed 79 cases.

Thanks to the dedication of our special agents and local law enforcement, the California Department of Justice has doubled the average number of guns seized per year and increased the number of investigations per month by nearly 300% over the past two years.

In November 2015, the California Department of Justice and the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department conducted a joint APPS operation, resulting in 150 investigations and the seizure of 82 firearms, and 10 arrests.

In May of last year, an APPS collaboration between L.A. County local law enforcement and California Department of Justice Special Agents resulted in the arrest of 26 individuals, the seizure of 254 firearms, 48,000 rounds of ammunition, and 18 illegal high capacity magazines.

The APPS database was completed in November 2006, and instantly created a backlog of thousands of investigations. APPS identifies individuals who purchased firearms, but later became prohibited from legally owning them because they were convicted of a felony or a violent misdemeanor, placed under a domestic violence restraining order, or suffer from serious mental illness.

California is the first and only state in the nation to establish an automated system for tracking handgun and assault weapon owners who might fall into a prohibited status.

In 2011, Attorney General Harris sponsored SB 819 (Leno) to allow the Department of Justice to use existing regulatory fees collected by gun dealers (“DROS fees”) for purposes of regulatory and enforcement activities related to firearms, including management of APPS.  This went into effect January 2012.  In 2013, Attorney General Harris sponsored SB 140 (Leno) to appropriate $24 million in funding from the DROS Account to help support the APPS program; this urgency legislation went into effect immediately in May 2013. In 2015, Attorney General Harris submitted a letter urging the legislature to make funding to the APPS program permanent.