By Ed Rast
Did you know that the San Jose budget is one of the most perplexing documents in the world?
Administrations of different cities use significantly different but easily understood language, performance metrics, and comparisons in documents presented to their Council as the basis for final budget decisions. The idea being that the average citizen shouldn’t have too much trouble following the flow of money from revenue to expenditure in their city’s budget documents.
Budget documents prepared by San Jose city staff omit important revenue, staffing, and expenditure details. Performance information is not compared to other cities with regard to population or geography. This makes it hard for both the City Council and residents to understand the difficult decisions faced by the nation’s 10th largest city in its 8th consecutive year of deficits. What this all means is that San Jose’s budget is exceedingly difficult to understand, even for CPA’s and MBA’s.
Let’s take a look at the budgets for three California cities so you can get a better idea...
Los Angeles is California’s largest city with a population of 3.8 million and the second-largest police force in the United States. It’s budget contains detailed information on revenue, staffing, expenditures, and performance:
• Go to the City of Los Angeles Proposed Budget 2009-2010 and flip through the pages concerned with police funding: p. 37, 41, 143-146.
• While you’re on page 41, have a look at the simple math: police operations ($1.2 billion) + pensions & benefits = $ 1,98 billion. Now go to pages 143-146 and read through the Police Department budget, complete with sources of funds, expenditures, and cost programs.
• Still with me? Okay. Open up the Los Angeles Blue Book 2008-09. This budget addendum is a detail of departmental programs. Flip to the page 507 to read about the Police Department’s indicators of workload. Here, you’ll find hard numbers of crimes, cases, violations, and investigations taken on by the LAPD since 2002-03.
• You can complete your tour with the Blue Book 2009-10. Simple charts and graphs on pages 525-528 (pdf pages 55-58) compare the 2009-10 proposed police budget to the actual 2008-09 budget as well as valuable metrics for technological and operational support. Pages 525-555 (pdf pages 55-85) detail the entire police budget all the way down to cabinet makers (p. 548).
Sunnyvale is the second-largest city in Santa Clara County with a population of 137,538 and is internationally recognized for its comprehensive approach to managing performance budgeting outcomes.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget said Sunnyvale is “the single best example of a comprehensive approach to performance measurement in the United States... allocating funding for tasks rather than for personnel, equipment, and supplies, with quantified objectives that are expected to be achieved with the funding." For examples, see the following documents:
• Operating Budget Guide: A glossary of terms, which comes in rather handy.
• Sunnyvale 2009-10 Recommended Budget and Resource Allocation Plan
• General Fund Revenues by Source: See pages 11-13 for police and fire sources.
• Law Enforcement Goals, Policies and Action Statements: See pdf pages 1-6.
I wish things were that clear in our neck of the woods...
San Jose is California’s 4th largest city with a population of right around 1 million (or 939,890, according to census data from 2007). We have just risen to the status of 2nd Safest Large City in the U.S. (pop 500,000+) with lowest police officer per resident ratio (1.48) of 23 cities with populations from 500K-1M.
Yet here are the documents our leaders use to determine the city budget:
• San Jose Proposed Operating Budget 2009-10
• Public Safety Budget and Performance Metrics: See pdf pages 3, 4, 10-16 and 53-76.
With a mess like this to sort through, is it any wonder the City Council has such a difficult time balancing the budget?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Cheap Shot
By Bobby Lopez
A recent posting on another website is the perfect example of the need for a place where we can speak our minds.
Someone is attempting to smear Lieutenant Jose Salcido just in time for his 2010 campaign for Sheriff to get underway. Lt. Salcido has not yet committed to running, but a deputy named Joe Charvez has stepped into the race to throw around baseless accusations about Salcido.
As I write this, I hold in my hand a decision by The Honorable James Emerson stating that Lt. Salcido committed no civil wrongdoing. The fact is that no criminal action has ever been taken because the investigation was laughable and filled with bias.
They really had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find Mr. Charvez, who has made the same accusations over the years with the obvious belief that if you repeat something enough people will believe it.
Who is Jose Salcido? First and foremost, he is an extremely religious and devoted family man who has worked and volunteered in the community for many years. He has worked for charities like Sacred Heart and been a major fundraiser in the community. The Hispanic community has acknowledged him for his years of tireless work as a citizen and a law enforcement leader. The Sheriff’s Department command staff have done nothing but place road blocks in his way as he reaches out to the community.
Lt. Salcido is currently President of the Central Coast Chapter of PORAC (Peace Officer Research Association of California). He sits on the PORAC Executive Committee and serves as the state Secretary. He was elected to all of those positions. That means almost 60,000 law enforcement officers trust Lt. Salcido! The article failed to mention that. I wonder why.
I truly believe that Lt. Salcido has suffered because of his union activity. While president of the DSA, he had to stand up to the Sheriff on many occasions, something that I’ve been told she does not forget. He demonstrated true leadership as President of the DSA and continues to shine at the state level. He has willingly provided help and advice to many of the union presidents in the area. I have known him for almost thirty years, and he is one of the most honorable men in public service.
And since I don’t want to be accused of not giving the full story, I’ll let you know that Lt. Salcido has been endorsed for Sheriff by the SJPOA.
Stay safe.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.
A recent posting on another website is the perfect example of the need for a place where we can speak our minds.
Someone is attempting to smear Lieutenant Jose Salcido just in time for his 2010 campaign for Sheriff to get underway. Lt. Salcido has not yet committed to running, but a deputy named Joe Charvez has stepped into the race to throw around baseless accusations about Salcido.
As I write this, I hold in my hand a decision by The Honorable James Emerson stating that Lt. Salcido committed no civil wrongdoing. The fact is that no criminal action has ever been taken because the investigation was laughable and filled with bias.
They really had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find Mr. Charvez, who has made the same accusations over the years with the obvious belief that if you repeat something enough people will believe it.
Who is Jose Salcido? First and foremost, he is an extremely religious and devoted family man who has worked and volunteered in the community for many years. He has worked for charities like Sacred Heart and been a major fundraiser in the community. The Hispanic community has acknowledged him for his years of tireless work as a citizen and a law enforcement leader. The Sheriff’s Department command staff have done nothing but place road blocks in his way as he reaches out to the community.
Lt. Salcido is currently President of the Central Coast Chapter of PORAC (Peace Officer Research Association of California). He sits on the PORAC Executive Committee and serves as the state Secretary. He was elected to all of those positions. That means almost 60,000 law enforcement officers trust Lt. Salcido! The article failed to mention that. I wonder why.
I truly believe that Lt. Salcido has suffered because of his union activity. While president of the DSA, he had to stand up to the Sheriff on many occasions, something that I’ve been told she does not forget. He demonstrated true leadership as President of the DSA and continues to shine at the state level. He has willingly provided help and advice to many of the union presidents in the area. I have known him for almost thirty years, and he is one of the most honorable men in public service.
And since I don’t want to be accused of not giving the full story, I’ll let you know that Lt. Salcido has been endorsed for Sheriff by the SJPOA.
Stay safe.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Every Dollar Counts
By Bobby Lopez
With all the brouhaha over the city budget in the past couple weeks, you might have missed this interesting nugget: the San Jose Police Officers’ Association and the City agreed on a way to save over $200,000 a year.
Like everybody else these days, we’ve been looking for ways to cut down on expenses without sacrificing the safety of our streets and neighborhoods. I’ve always said we’re willing to talk with the City about ideas for helping with their budget problems.
One of these ideas was to provide the option of using specially-trained traffic flaggers at construction sites. In the past, the City as well as private developers and utilities used off-duty cops to direct road traffic around construction sites in San Jose. While experienced officers are necessary for directing traffic through busy roads and intersections, there are also sites on quiet neighborhood streets where certified flaggers would be cheaper.
Last month, we got together with the City Manager’s office to amend the traffic flagger ordinance to include the option of using certified flaggers where appropriate. This amendment was approved by the City Council on Tuesday, the same day the 2009-10 budget went final.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “That’s great news, Bobby. But what the heck does a measly $200K mean when the City’s staring at a $73 million budget deficit?”
Well, if you’ve been following this blog, you’ve learned how seemingly small expenses can start to add up real fast. A $50,000 cut here or $100,000 trim there could be the difference between one of your family members or friends and the unemployment line. In other words: every dollar counts.
I should note that the POA put aside what we saw as a meet-and-confer requirement on this issue because our conversations with City administration were open and productive. They agree with what I’ve said before: in bad economic times, we all need to tighten our belts and think outside the box — as long as we don’t jeopardize the safety of our streets and neighborhoods.
You can learn more about the traffic flagger program in this addendum to the City Manager’s budget plan.
Have a great weekend, and stay safe.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association.
With all the brouhaha over the city budget in the past couple weeks, you might have missed this interesting nugget: the San Jose Police Officers’ Association and the City agreed on a way to save over $200,000 a year.
Like everybody else these days, we’ve been looking for ways to cut down on expenses without sacrificing the safety of our streets and neighborhoods. I’ve always said we’re willing to talk with the City about ideas for helping with their budget problems.
One of these ideas was to provide the option of using specially-trained traffic flaggers at construction sites. In the past, the City as well as private developers and utilities used off-duty cops to direct road traffic around construction sites in San Jose. While experienced officers are necessary for directing traffic through busy roads and intersections, there are also sites on quiet neighborhood streets where certified flaggers would be cheaper.
Last month, we got together with the City Manager’s office to amend the traffic flagger ordinance to include the option of using certified flaggers where appropriate. This amendment was approved by the City Council on Tuesday, the same day the 2009-10 budget went final.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “That’s great news, Bobby. But what the heck does a measly $200K mean when the City’s staring at a $73 million budget deficit?”
Well, if you’ve been following this blog, you’ve learned how seemingly small expenses can start to add up real fast. A $50,000 cut here or $100,000 trim there could be the difference between one of your family members or friends and the unemployment line. In other words: every dollar counts.
I should note that the POA put aside what we saw as a meet-and-confer requirement on this issue because our conversations with City administration were open and productive. They agree with what I’ve said before: in bad economic times, we all need to tighten our belts and think outside the box — as long as we don’t jeopardize the safety of our streets and neighborhoods.
You can learn more about the traffic flagger program in this addendum to the City Manager’s budget plan.
Have a great weekend, and stay safe.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Your Budget Solutions
EDITOR’S NOTE: As promised, here are some reader suggestions for solving San Jose’s chronic budget deficits, taken from comments posted in response to a blog by Bobby Lopez on Friday, June 19th. Selections have been edited for readability and length but remain true to the words and intent of the authors.
We’ve also received several interesting ideas through anonymous tips on our Contact page. We’ll examine some of those as we continue to dissect this troubling (and popular) issue. Keep ‘em coming...
Anonymous
How about cutting all the money that gets directed to "new plants" along the Coleman/880 interchange, or the money spent on a mural for the new high-rise parking garage at the SJ Airport? Or perhaps the Saigon business, err, Little Saigon banners should go. Is all that crap really necessary?
Dan Steeley
I read Herhold religiously and on most things he has the pulse of the community right on. But when he defends a Mariachi festival, there's no way he's going to win an argument in my Rose Garden neighborhood. Nothing wrong with festivals, but there is something wrong with wasting money.
Kathleen
Yeah, we need a festival over Neighborhood Watch Programs, Gang and ID Theft Prevention, Child Safety, and Business Watch Programs... NOT! It must be nice to live in a world where public safety isn't a priority but fun is! Welcome To Figone Fantasy Land where crime and mayhem doesn’t exist... I don’t think people realize how much wasteful spending goes on in all government agencies. $50K is one full time position for a GA service worker, two Council Aide positions, one EA position; I think you get the point. The sad fact is that the City Manager, and the Council seem to lack the concept of prioritizing things that money should be allocated to and fall victim to sentiment instead of focusing on necessities.
C.S.
You gotta watch out for the city manager. She has a bad habit of misleading the Mayor and Council about the budget. She protects her own employees and sells citizens and police down the river... Figone put every public safety program and department on the chopping block but passed out big cash prizes to pet projects. Good thing Mayor Reed knew better and listened to the public or we'd be in deeper poo than we are now... Some of these non-profits are a joke but they keep getting millions. Many offer the exact same services, so we don’t need ‘em. And don’t even get me started on the overpaid consultants the City hires to tell them how to do things that these overpaid supervisors should already know how to do. If private companies ran their businesses like this they’d be long gone by now. Not to mention throwing millions into downtown. Give it a break already. We could have hired 25 police officers for the money they’ve wasted on that dumb effort.
Crimefighter
Scott, the problem is not just the $50,000 for this festival... If we added up all the small amounts, it soon becomes real money... Real people are losing their jobs, and you want cultural festivals? Talk about being out of touch.
Councilman Pete Constant
What was not mentioned in Scott's column is the fact that the Mariachi Festival already receives over $1,000,000 in donated advertising and marketing each year. This figure was provided to me directly by Marcela Davison Aviles who is president and CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corp., which produces the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival. She also references this figure in her June 3, 2009, opinion piece in the Mercury News. Give me $1M, and I bet I could make any business or event successful without additional money from the city!
Anonymous
What about the money the SJPD spends on having a helicopter waste gas watching people with clipboards and video cameras who are watching police? Is that a good way to spend our money? I am sure the gas for a helicopter to go around in circles for 20 minutes is quite expensive. Oh, and don’t let me forget about the outside firms hired to scrutinize SJPD's questionable tactics. More waste with much haste. And how about the officers hitting on the girls at the nightclubs every weekend? I am glad we are paying for SJPD's social time as well.
Anonymous
Lets not forget how we were conned into believing that the new (and UGLY) city hall which we just "had to have!" cost triple what we, the public, were told... Oh yeah, they left out the cost of the marble floors and new artwork for the walls (as if anybody would care if it wasn’t there) and all of the millions of dollars in interest payments, too.
We’ve also received several interesting ideas through anonymous tips on our Contact page. We’ll examine some of those as we continue to dissect this troubling (and popular) issue. Keep ‘em coming...
Anonymous
How about cutting all the money that gets directed to "new plants" along the Coleman/880 interchange, or the money spent on a mural for the new high-rise parking garage at the SJ Airport? Or perhaps the Saigon business, err, Little Saigon banners should go. Is all that crap really necessary?
Dan Steeley
I read Herhold religiously and on most things he has the pulse of the community right on. But when he defends a Mariachi festival, there's no way he's going to win an argument in my Rose Garden neighborhood. Nothing wrong with festivals, but there is something wrong with wasting money.
Kathleen
Yeah, we need a festival over Neighborhood Watch Programs, Gang and ID Theft Prevention, Child Safety, and Business Watch Programs... NOT! It must be nice to live in a world where public safety isn't a priority but fun is! Welcome To Figone Fantasy Land where crime and mayhem doesn’t exist... I don’t think people realize how much wasteful spending goes on in all government agencies. $50K is one full time position for a GA service worker, two Council Aide positions, one EA position; I think you get the point. The sad fact is that the City Manager, and the Council seem to lack the concept of prioritizing things that money should be allocated to and fall victim to sentiment instead of focusing on necessities.
C.S.
You gotta watch out for the city manager. She has a bad habit of misleading the Mayor and Council about the budget. She protects her own employees and sells citizens and police down the river... Figone put every public safety program and department on the chopping block but passed out big cash prizes to pet projects. Good thing Mayor Reed knew better and listened to the public or we'd be in deeper poo than we are now... Some of these non-profits are a joke but they keep getting millions. Many offer the exact same services, so we don’t need ‘em. And don’t even get me started on the overpaid consultants the City hires to tell them how to do things that these overpaid supervisors should already know how to do. If private companies ran their businesses like this they’d be long gone by now. Not to mention throwing millions into downtown. Give it a break already. We could have hired 25 police officers for the money they’ve wasted on that dumb effort.
Crimefighter
Scott, the problem is not just the $50,000 for this festival... If we added up all the small amounts, it soon becomes real money... Real people are losing their jobs, and you want cultural festivals? Talk about being out of touch.
Councilman Pete Constant
What was not mentioned in Scott's column is the fact that the Mariachi Festival already receives over $1,000,000 in donated advertising and marketing each year. This figure was provided to me directly by Marcela Davison Aviles who is president and CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corp., which produces the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival. She also references this figure in her June 3, 2009, opinion piece in the Mercury News. Give me $1M, and I bet I could make any business or event successful without additional money from the city!
Anonymous
What about the money the SJPD spends on having a helicopter waste gas watching people with clipboards and video cameras who are watching police? Is that a good way to spend our money? I am sure the gas for a helicopter to go around in circles for 20 minutes is quite expensive. Oh, and don’t let me forget about the outside firms hired to scrutinize SJPD's questionable tactics. More waste with much haste. And how about the officers hitting on the girls at the nightclubs every weekend? I am glad we are paying for SJPD's social time as well.
Anonymous
Lets not forget how we were conned into believing that the new (and UGLY) city hall which we just "had to have!" cost triple what we, the public, were told... Oh yeah, they left out the cost of the marble floors and new artwork for the walls (as if anybody would care if it wasn’t there) and all of the millions of dollars in interest payments, too.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
No Such Thing as Victimless Crime
By Kathleen Flynn
Part of my job as a mediator is to work with both adult and youth offenders to ensure restitution is paid to their victims. Much of the difficulty comes in getting offenders to recognize the victims behind their crimes. Some offenders think that they haven’t hurt anyone, so their crime is no big deal.
Some examples of crimes that offenders view as victimless are shoplifting, vandalism, graffiti, theft from large companies, and robbing people of means. There is a misconception that the victims in these cases can absorb the loss because they’re rich or insured. The reality is that there is no such thing as a victimless crime.
Theft from any business requires the company to compensate for losses by raising consumer prices, lowering wages to employees, or limiting work hours to cut down on expenses for employee health insurance. Companies will also purchase added inventory insurance and pay for security guards, cameras, and other theft prevention devices, further shrinking employee wages and raising consumer cost.
Graffiti and vandalism often times create an even greater hardship for small businesses and homeowners. An owner has to pay someone to clean or repaint their vandalized property so its value doesn’t drop and customers keep coming back. Depending on how badly the property is damaged, vandalism also raises an owner’s insurance rates. These victims also experience a great sense of emotional outrage because many have worked all their lives to attain their business or home.
Financial hardship, outrage, and fear are some of the byproducts that go unseen by an offender while in commission of a crime. When companies or homeowners file insurance claims due to crime, the insurance company raises rates on the rest of us to compensate for their loss. When one home is robbed, neighbors become fearful that they will be next.
As my supervisor, Brohne Lawhorne, says, “When someone commits a crime, it is like dropping a pebble in a pond. It has consequences that are far-reaching to many unseen people.”
Part of my job as a mediator is to work with both adult and youth offenders to ensure restitution is paid to their victims. Much of the difficulty comes in getting offenders to recognize the victims behind their crimes. Some offenders think that they haven’t hurt anyone, so their crime is no big deal.
Some examples of crimes that offenders view as victimless are shoplifting, vandalism, graffiti, theft from large companies, and robbing people of means. There is a misconception that the victims in these cases can absorb the loss because they’re rich or insured. The reality is that there is no such thing as a victimless crime.
Theft from any business requires the company to compensate for losses by raising consumer prices, lowering wages to employees, or limiting work hours to cut down on expenses for employee health insurance. Companies will also purchase added inventory insurance and pay for security guards, cameras, and other theft prevention devices, further shrinking employee wages and raising consumer cost.
Graffiti and vandalism often times create an even greater hardship for small businesses and homeowners. An owner has to pay someone to clean or repaint their vandalized property so its value doesn’t drop and customers keep coming back. Depending on how badly the property is damaged, vandalism also raises an owner’s insurance rates. These victims also experience a great sense of emotional outrage because many have worked all their lives to attain their business or home.
Financial hardship, outrage, and fear are some of the byproducts that go unseen by an offender while in commission of a crime. When companies or homeowners file insurance claims due to crime, the insurance company raises rates on the rest of us to compensate for their loss. When one home is robbed, neighbors become fearful that they will be next.
As my supervisor, Brohne Lawhorne, says, “When someone commits a crime, it is like dropping a pebble in a pond. It has consequences that are far-reaching to many unseen people.”
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Working Together for Safety
By Ed Rast
Do you know what constitutes “Community Policing“ and how it reduces crime in San Jose?
The basic principal is to bring our many diverse neighborhoods, residents, and businesses together with their local beat officers to achieve a common goal. Community policing takes the view that police and citizens are co-producers of public safety services, jointly responsible for reducing crime and improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods. To get a better idea, have a look at this.
San Jose is known nationwide for our highly effective community policing programs like: Neighborhood Watch; Personal, Workplace, and Senior Safety; our many Crime Prevention programs; and National Night Out. You can visit the SJPD website to find out more.
Community attitudes toward police and fire officers can significantly affect the quality of public safety, especially in dense downtown, high-crime, and gang-heavy neighborhoods.
Our understaffed police depend heavily on neighbors to report criminal activity and help identify suspicious behavior. Cooperation like this is what gives San Jose a lower crime rate than almost every other large city in America.
Getting to know your local police officers face to face helps you understand their concerns and workload and helps them to understand the diverse people, issues, and concerns of the neighborhood they’re protecting. Misunderstandings occur when people do not reach out or communicate frequently.
Here are some examples of what you, your family, and your neighbors can do to help improve public safety in San Jose while growing the quality of life in your neighborhood:
Do you know what constitutes “Community Policing“ and how it reduces crime in San Jose?
The basic principal is to bring our many diverse neighborhoods, residents, and businesses together with their local beat officers to achieve a common goal. Community policing takes the view that police and citizens are co-producers of public safety services, jointly responsible for reducing crime and improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods. To get a better idea, have a look at this.
San Jose is known nationwide for our highly effective community policing programs like: Neighborhood Watch; Personal, Workplace, and Senior Safety; our many Crime Prevention programs; and National Night Out. You can visit the SJPD website to find out more.
Community attitudes toward police and fire officers can significantly affect the quality of public safety, especially in dense downtown, high-crime, and gang-heavy neighborhoods.
Our understaffed police depend heavily on neighbors to report criminal activity and help identify suspicious behavior. Cooperation like this is what gives San Jose a lower crime rate than almost every other large city in America.
Getting to know your local police officers face to face helps you understand their concerns and workload and helps them to understand the diverse people, issues, and concerns of the neighborhood they’re protecting. Misunderstandings occur when people do not reach out or communicate frequently.
Here are some examples of what you, your family, and your neighbors can do to help improve public safety in San Jose while growing the quality of life in your neighborhood:
- • Let your neighborhood police officers know you appreciate their hard work keeping your neighborhood safe.
- • Participate in community policing, including Neighborhood Watch and crime prevention programs.
- • Attend your neighborhood association meeting, where time is often scheduled for residents and neighborhood police to discuss local crime issues and what can be done.
- • Attend National Night Activities on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 (in most neighborhoods) Visit the SJPD website for more information.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Crime Stoppers Report
By Jim Cogan
This is the first in a monthly series detailing the work of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.
Dozens of presentations explaining Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers have taught me that people are most interested in the cases our program has helped to solve. In that vein, I asked Protect San Jose if I could write a monthly blog about our work.
This month, I want to highlight three cases:
In the first case, there was a report of a drug dealer peddling at a San Jose high school. The tip came in thanks to our Campus Crime Stoppers program that provides students with the opportunity to call or email us with information. San Jose police officers went to the school and found the suspect. They found a stolen police badge and arrested him for theft. Additional charges are forthcoming.
In the second case, a tip came in about drugs being sold out of a house in South San Jose. Our Officer Liaison passed the tip along to San Jose Police Department Metro unit. Metro officers investigated the tip and gathered enough evidence to get a search warrant. They searched the home and seized $3,500 dollars worth of drugs and five guns.
The last case is ongoing. The suspect was working as a janitor at a San Jose high school when it was discovered that he possessed a large quantity of child pornography. Young victims who had been molested by the suspect came forward, and the suspect fled.
Police had no idea where he was, and so, in January, we aired a radio spot about the case. After the story aired, we received a tip that the suspect was hiding out in Mexico. The information was passed along to the United States Marshals, who set up a sting with Mexican authorities. The suspect was arrested and is currently fighting extradition.
All three of these cases illustrate how valuable good information is to arresting criminals and how effective the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers program is at getting that information in the hands of police. The community provides the information, and the police build the cases. Together, we protect San Jose.
Jim Cogan is President of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. You can visit their website to find out more about the program.
This is the first in a monthly series detailing the work of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.
Dozens of presentations explaining Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers have taught me that people are most interested in the cases our program has helped to solve. In that vein, I asked Protect San Jose if I could write a monthly blog about our work.
This month, I want to highlight three cases:
In the first case, there was a report of a drug dealer peddling at a San Jose high school. The tip came in thanks to our Campus Crime Stoppers program that provides students with the opportunity to call or email us with information. San Jose police officers went to the school and found the suspect. They found a stolen police badge and arrested him for theft. Additional charges are forthcoming.
In the second case, a tip came in about drugs being sold out of a house in South San Jose. Our Officer Liaison passed the tip along to San Jose Police Department Metro unit. Metro officers investigated the tip and gathered enough evidence to get a search warrant. They searched the home and seized $3,500 dollars worth of drugs and five guns.
The last case is ongoing. The suspect was working as a janitor at a San Jose high school when it was discovered that he possessed a large quantity of child pornography. Young victims who had been molested by the suspect came forward, and the suspect fled.
Police had no idea where he was, and so, in January, we aired a radio spot about the case. After the story aired, we received a tip that the suspect was hiding out in Mexico. The information was passed along to the United States Marshals, who set up a sting with Mexican authorities. The suspect was arrested and is currently fighting extradition.
All three of these cases illustrate how valuable good information is to arresting criminals and how effective the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers program is at getting that information in the hands of police. The community provides the information, and the police build the cases. Together, we protect San Jose.
Jim Cogan is President of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. You can visit their website to find out more about the program.
Friday, June 19, 2009
What’s in your budget?
By Bobby Lopez
As Scott Herhold points out in yesterday’s Mercury News, I don’t have a problem speaking my mind. I’ll share my honest opinions, and if I make a mistake, I’ll admit it.
But I know that some people are afraid to say what they really mean. They won’t call out the mistakes of elected leaders or even reckless activists. They shy away from giving their honest opinion because they don’t want to ruffle anybody’s feathers.
But contrary to what Mr. Herhold says in his column yesterday, I did not intend to “pick on” the Mariachi Festival. I only used it as an example of spending that could — and should — be directed toward more vital services in times of crisis such as we face today.
I hate it when folks at City Hall cut checks left and right for non-essential services, then cry poor every time they sit down to negotiate new contracts with their employees or decide how many officers we can have to patrol our neighborhoods.
Yes, I could have mentioned the San Jose Jazz Festival, Christmas in the Park, the Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, or the San Jose Rep — all events that the community enjoys which draw attention to our city. (Thanks for the tips, Scott!) But if our public safety budget were cut even more than it already is to pay for these events, what kind of city would we be drawing attention to?
This isn’t a debate about the merits of the Mariachi Festival or any other cultural event. It’s about choices. In difficult times, tough choices have to be made. That’s what we do with our budgets at home. During tough times, we all have to focus on the essentials and cut out luxuries like vacations (or festivals).
Pete Constant made that point well in his blog on this site yesterday morning. Is anyone willing to spend $50,000 to advertise the Mariachi Festival this year while eliminating $55,000 for community CPR classes? (Scott?) This is one choice that doesn’t reflect the priorities of our residents.
With that in mind, I’d like to open this debate to suggestions from you, our readers. What are some things you think the city spends money on that are wasteful or unnecessary?
We’ll check the comments for the best suggestions and include them in a future blog. Or, if you want anonymity, you can use our contact form on this site.
Have a great weekend, and stay safe out there.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.
As Scott Herhold points out in yesterday’s Mercury News, I don’t have a problem speaking my mind. I’ll share my honest opinions, and if I make a mistake, I’ll admit it.
But I know that some people are afraid to say what they really mean. They won’t call out the mistakes of elected leaders or even reckless activists. They shy away from giving their honest opinion because they don’t want to ruffle anybody’s feathers.
But contrary to what Mr. Herhold says in his column yesterday, I did not intend to “pick on” the Mariachi Festival. I only used it as an example of spending that could — and should — be directed toward more vital services in times of crisis such as we face today.
I hate it when folks at City Hall cut checks left and right for non-essential services, then cry poor every time they sit down to negotiate new contracts with their employees or decide how many officers we can have to patrol our neighborhoods.
Yes, I could have mentioned the San Jose Jazz Festival, Christmas in the Park, the Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, or the San Jose Rep — all events that the community enjoys which draw attention to our city. (Thanks for the tips, Scott!) But if our public safety budget were cut even more than it already is to pay for these events, what kind of city would we be drawing attention to?
This isn’t a debate about the merits of the Mariachi Festival or any other cultural event. It’s about choices. In difficult times, tough choices have to be made. That’s what we do with our budgets at home. During tough times, we all have to focus on the essentials and cut out luxuries like vacations (or festivals).
Pete Constant made that point well in his blog on this site yesterday morning. Is anyone willing to spend $50,000 to advertise the Mariachi Festival this year while eliminating $55,000 for community CPR classes? (Scott?) This is one choice that doesn’t reflect the priorities of our residents.
With that in mind, I’d like to open this debate to suggestions from you, our readers. What are some things you think the city spends money on that are wasteful or unnecessary?
We’ll check the comments for the best suggestions and include them in a future blog. Or, if you want anonymity, you can use our contact form on this site.
Have a great weekend, and stay safe out there.
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
San Jose’s Budget: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
By Pete Constant
The City of San Jose’s budget has been the center of conversation for quite some time now. Worry and frustration has turned to happiness and accomplishment. But before we break our arms patting ourselves on the back, I think we ought to evaluate the good in the context of the bad — and the ugly.
The Good
We have a balanced budget, on time.
This represents a significant accomplishment given that the San Jose, like most governments, faces some serious financial issues.
Most importantly, this budget preserves critical public safety services by restoring the Park Rangers, the Horse Mounted Unit, a Traffic Enforcement Team, police patrol staffing, the Crime Prevention Unit, and staffing for two fire stations that were slated for closure. These are all essential city services that the public relies on and deserves.
The Bad
This year’s $85 million deficit comes on the heels of seven years of deficits, bringing the cumulative shortfall to $425 million. Deferred infrastructure repairs and improvements have an estimated value of over $800 million – not counting the needs of our city and regional parks. Then there are the other long-term liabilities like City Hall debt service, unfunded retirement, and health care liabilities.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no end to the bad news. Sales tax revenues have fallen far below estimates. Property tax revenues continue to fall. The state is looking to take and borrow money from cities in an attempt to balance their budget. There is no way to predict if all of this will wreak havoc our newly-balanced budget. Surely, we will be back to the balancing act in just a few short months.
The Ugly
We have a budget system that is "broke" — and there doesn’t seem to be a will to fix it.
San Jose’s budget process is clearly in conflict with the needs of the general public. Time after time, survey after survey, email after email, the residents of San Jose have made it clear: Public safety is their number one priority. Yet our process brought a proposed budget to the council that contained draconian cuts to public safety.
CPR classes were slated for elimination, saving $55,000, while marketing for the Mariachi Festival was added, at a cost of $50,000. This is just one example of bureaucratic priorities out of sync with the priorities of our residents.
In San Jose, it seems, all budget dollars are equal. A dollar for advertising is equal to a dollar for training that can save someone’s life. A dollar for buying refreshments at a community meeting is equal to a dollar for crime prevention.
I think this is wrong! I hope you do, too.
As the council voted to pass the budget, I pleaded with my colleagues to change the process. I urged that we categorize spending into four simple categories: things we must do, things we should do, things we would like to do, and, of course, things we should not do.
Once we do that, we must prioritize spending. Fully fund the things we must do, then fund the things we should do, and then — if the money’s available — start to fund the things we would like to do. And by all means, we need to shy away from things that have nothing to do with the responsibilities of local government.
Only then will we give our residents the essential public safety services they deserve, provide the infrastructure we need, and meet our obligations to our employees.
Pete Constant is in his first term on the San Jose City Council representing District 1 (West San Jose).
The City of San Jose’s budget has been the center of conversation for quite some time now. Worry and frustration has turned to happiness and accomplishment. But before we break our arms patting ourselves on the back, I think we ought to evaluate the good in the context of the bad — and the ugly.
The Good
We have a balanced budget, on time.
This represents a significant accomplishment given that the San Jose, like most governments, faces some serious financial issues.
Most importantly, this budget preserves critical public safety services by restoring the Park Rangers, the Horse Mounted Unit, a Traffic Enforcement Team, police patrol staffing, the Crime Prevention Unit, and staffing for two fire stations that were slated for closure. These are all essential city services that the public relies on and deserves.
The Bad
This year’s $85 million deficit comes on the heels of seven years of deficits, bringing the cumulative shortfall to $425 million. Deferred infrastructure repairs and improvements have an estimated value of over $800 million – not counting the needs of our city and regional parks. Then there are the other long-term liabilities like City Hall debt service, unfunded retirement, and health care liabilities.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no end to the bad news. Sales tax revenues have fallen far below estimates. Property tax revenues continue to fall. The state is looking to take and borrow money from cities in an attempt to balance their budget. There is no way to predict if all of this will wreak havoc our newly-balanced budget. Surely, we will be back to the balancing act in just a few short months.
The Ugly
We have a budget system that is "broke" — and there doesn’t seem to be a will to fix it.
San Jose’s budget process is clearly in conflict with the needs of the general public. Time after time, survey after survey, email after email, the residents of San Jose have made it clear: Public safety is their number one priority. Yet our process brought a proposed budget to the council that contained draconian cuts to public safety.
CPR classes were slated for elimination, saving $55,000, while marketing for the Mariachi Festival was added, at a cost of $50,000. This is just one example of bureaucratic priorities out of sync with the priorities of our residents.
In San Jose, it seems, all budget dollars are equal. A dollar for advertising is equal to a dollar for training that can save someone’s life. A dollar for buying refreshments at a community meeting is equal to a dollar for crime prevention.
I think this is wrong! I hope you do, too.
As the council voted to pass the budget, I pleaded with my colleagues to change the process. I urged that we categorize spending into four simple categories: things we must do, things we should do, things we would like to do, and, of course, things we should not do.
Once we do that, we must prioritize spending. Fully fund the things we must do, then fund the things we should do, and then — if the money’s available — start to fund the things we would like to do. And by all means, we need to shy away from things that have nothing to do with the responsibilities of local government.
Only then will we give our residents the essential public safety services they deserve, provide the infrastructure we need, and meet our obligations to our employees.
Pete Constant is in his first term on the San Jose City Council representing District 1 (West San Jose).
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Dispute Resolution Offers Relief
By Christian Hemingway
Are you having problems with your teenager or another family member? Are you involved in a dispute with your landlord, employer, or employee? Have you called the police about a habitually noisy neighbor or filed a grievance with the Small Claims Court? Are you going through a divorce and need help dividing property or reaching a visitation agreement?
You’re not alone. Conflict is a normal part of life for each of us. Avoiding it only makes a bad situation worse and, in some cases, can lead to horrific consequences. When it reaches a point of destructive behavior or causes emotional harm, then it is time to reach out and get help before things get out of hand. But where can you turn?
The County’s Dispute Resolution Program (DRPS) offers assistance to all members of the community free of charge. Anyone can seek the assistance of a certified mediator in resolving just about any conflict they may be experiencing.
The only thing required for a successful mediation is two or more people voluntarily participating in a collaborative effort to find their own solution to a problem with the guidance of an expert mediator. More often than not, a mediated solution is more amenable to both sides than what could have been decided in a courtroom.
DRPS is home to three divisions: Juvenile Justice, Small Claims Court, and Community. The program also offers training for individuals or groups interested in learning the principles of conflict resolution and communication.
The Dispute Resolution Program is located in the Office of Human Relations at the County of Santa Clara Buidling, 70 West Hedding Street in San Jose. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Brohne Lawhorne at (408) 792-2330 or go to the DRPS website.
Are you having problems with your teenager or another family member? Are you involved in a dispute with your landlord, employer, or employee? Have you called the police about a habitually noisy neighbor or filed a grievance with the Small Claims Court? Are you going through a divorce and need help dividing property or reaching a visitation agreement?
You’re not alone. Conflict is a normal part of life for each of us. Avoiding it only makes a bad situation worse and, in some cases, can lead to horrific consequences. When it reaches a point of destructive behavior or causes emotional harm, then it is time to reach out and get help before things get out of hand. But where can you turn?
The County’s Dispute Resolution Program (DRPS) offers assistance to all members of the community free of charge. Anyone can seek the assistance of a certified mediator in resolving just about any conflict they may be experiencing.
The only thing required for a successful mediation is two or more people voluntarily participating in a collaborative effort to find their own solution to a problem with the guidance of an expert mediator. More often than not, a mediated solution is more amenable to both sides than what could have been decided in a courtroom.
DRPS is home to three divisions: Juvenile Justice, Small Claims Court, and Community. The program also offers training for individuals or groups interested in learning the principles of conflict resolution and communication.
The Dispute Resolution Program is located in the Office of Human Relations at the County of Santa Clara Buidling, 70 West Hedding Street in San Jose. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Brohne Lawhorne at (408) 792-2330 or go to the DRPS website.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
San Jose: Budgeting for Disaster
By Ed Rast
San Jose‘s Operating Budget will mark its eighth consecutive year of budget deficits — in both good and bad economic times — when the 2009-10 version is approved today by the City Council.
A ongoing national recession stands to reduce sales taxes and other revenues, making our operating deficit even worse than the $73 million shortfall we already face. But we would be facing deficits without the current malaise because San Jose does not generate sufficient revenue to fund the services necessitated by its growing population, which just last month crested one million.
California cities receive very low percentages of property taxes and sales taxes, which get funneled up to Sacramento. They depend instead on local sales taxes, fees, fines, assessments, and assorted other revenue to pay for city services.
So, where exactly does San Jose get its money? To get an idea, have a look at this document, available on the City website. While you have that open, have a glance at this to see where our money is directed.
In recent years, a wide variety of numbers have been thrown around when it comes to San Jose’s public safety budget. When reading the city budget documents, one begins to understand the confusion:
Public safety (police, fire, and emergency services) accounts for $445,256,362 or 64% of our proposed $698,020,948 General Fund Budget but only 38% or $446,068,053 of the proposed $1,160,988,879 All Funds Operating Budget.
An average American city our size spends half of its operating budget on public safety. Looking only at the general fund budget, you’d think we were over-funding public safety. But seen in the greater context of the all funds budget, public safety is drastically under-funded in San Jose.
We need more revenue from sources outside the general fund to fully support essential city services like public safety. In other words, our City Administration needs to start thinking outside the box.
Public safety is said to be he highest budget priority of our residents and city leaders, but we will continue to see year after year of staff and budget reductions until the City Council clearly defines “essential city services” and funds those services to meet national standards of performance.
San Jose‘s Operating Budget will mark its eighth consecutive year of budget deficits — in both good and bad economic times — when the 2009-10 version is approved today by the City Council.
A ongoing national recession stands to reduce sales taxes and other revenues, making our operating deficit even worse than the $73 million shortfall we already face. But we would be facing deficits without the current malaise because San Jose does not generate sufficient revenue to fund the services necessitated by its growing population, which just last month crested one million.
California cities receive very low percentages of property taxes and sales taxes, which get funneled up to Sacramento. They depend instead on local sales taxes, fees, fines, assessments, and assorted other revenue to pay for city services.
So, where exactly does San Jose get its money? To get an idea, have a look at this document, available on the City website. While you have that open, have a glance at this to see where our money is directed.
In recent years, a wide variety of numbers have been thrown around when it comes to San Jose’s public safety budget. When reading the city budget documents, one begins to understand the confusion:
Public safety (police, fire, and emergency services) accounts for $445,256,362 or 64% of our proposed $698,020,948 General Fund Budget but only 38% or $446,068,053 of the proposed $1,160,988,879 All Funds Operating Budget.
An average American city our size spends half of its operating budget on public safety. Looking only at the general fund budget, you’d think we were over-funding public safety. But seen in the greater context of the all funds budget, public safety is drastically under-funded in San Jose.
We need more revenue from sources outside the general fund to fully support essential city services like public safety. In other words, our City Administration needs to start thinking outside the box.
Public safety is said to be he highest budget priority of our residents and city leaders, but we will continue to see year after year of staff and budget reductions until the City Council clearly defines “essential city services” and funds those services to meet national standards of performance.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Crime Stoppers Builds Collateral
By Jim Cogan
In many cities, community policing begins and ends with Neighborhood Watch. That is not the case in San Jose. Whether it’s ego or staffing limitations, there are few departments that offer the same level of commitment as the San Jose Police Department.
As President of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers, I can tell you we enjoy support from command staff in almost every jurisdiction in the county. But the SJPD has fully embraced our cause — all the way through to the beat officers.
I have had an opportunity to witness the dedication and professionalism of the San Jose Police Department in ways that very few people have. I have seen our Liaison Officer hop on a plane and fly to Missouri to detain and transport a bail-jumping child molester or jump on a tip to arrest drug dealers. Just this spring, San Jose police apprehended a top lieutenant in the Mexican mafia by acting quickly on a simple parole violation tip they received from Crime Stoppers.
The SJPD has worked diligently to develop credibility with the community. This credibility helps the department solve and prevent crimes. Their support of Crime Stoppers has built on that collateral.
Two years ago, we assisted in solving three homicides. One was a brutal rape and stabbing. SJPD officers encouraged potential witnesses at the scene to call Crime Stoppers with tips in order to remain anonymous. The tips came in, and the murderers were caught.
Last month, we received a tip that a juvenile gang member had brought a knife to school in order to seek retribution from rival gang members who had assaulted him the day before. Our Liaison Officer wasted no time in going to the school. The juvenile admitted to the officer that he had a knife on him, saying “I’m not going to lie to you...” That kind of rapport is invaluable, and in this case, the combination of a Crime Stopper tip and SJPD credibility probably saved lives.
Our police department may not be perfect. There is always room for improvement. But improvement can only come through open and honest dialogue. The San Jose Police Department has endured an assault of criticism in the past year. Unfortunately, the few constructive recommendations to emerge from the controversy have been lost in what can only be categorized as a witch hunt.
It is time we recognize that we have a professional and dedicated police department that works hard to serve our community. Eroding their credibility will not make us safer. It will only make it harder for the police to protect our great city and may compromise the continued success of programs like Crime Stoppers.
We like to say, “Crime Stoppers works because of you!” It is with all confidence that I say Crime Stoppers would not work without the San Jose Police Department.
In many cities, community policing begins and ends with Neighborhood Watch. That is not the case in San Jose. Whether it’s ego or staffing limitations, there are few departments that offer the same level of commitment as the San Jose Police Department.
As President of Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers, I can tell you we enjoy support from command staff in almost every jurisdiction in the county. But the SJPD has fully embraced our cause — all the way through to the beat officers.
I have had an opportunity to witness the dedication and professionalism of the San Jose Police Department in ways that very few people have. I have seen our Liaison Officer hop on a plane and fly to Missouri to detain and transport a bail-jumping child molester or jump on a tip to arrest drug dealers. Just this spring, San Jose police apprehended a top lieutenant in the Mexican mafia by acting quickly on a simple parole violation tip they received from Crime Stoppers.
The SJPD has worked diligently to develop credibility with the community. This credibility helps the department solve and prevent crimes. Their support of Crime Stoppers has built on that collateral.
Two years ago, we assisted in solving three homicides. One was a brutal rape and stabbing. SJPD officers encouraged potential witnesses at the scene to call Crime Stoppers with tips in order to remain anonymous. The tips came in, and the murderers were caught.
Last month, we received a tip that a juvenile gang member had brought a knife to school in order to seek retribution from rival gang members who had assaulted him the day before. Our Liaison Officer wasted no time in going to the school. The juvenile admitted to the officer that he had a knife on him, saying “I’m not going to lie to you...” That kind of rapport is invaluable, and in this case, the combination of a Crime Stopper tip and SJPD credibility probably saved lives.
Our police department may not be perfect. There is always room for improvement. But improvement can only come through open and honest dialogue. The San Jose Police Department has endured an assault of criticism in the past year. Unfortunately, the few constructive recommendations to emerge from the controversy have been lost in what can only be categorized as a witch hunt.
It is time we recognize that we have a professional and dedicated police department that works hard to serve our community. Eroding their credibility will not make us safer. It will only make it harder for the police to protect our great city and may compromise the continued success of programs like Crime Stoppers.
We like to say, “Crime Stoppers works because of you!” It is with all confidence that I say Crime Stoppers would not work without the San Jose Police Department.
Friday, June 12, 2009
ACLU Weighs In On Our Video
Earlier this week, Skyler Porras of the Northern California ACLU sent a letter to Mayor Reed and the entire San Jose City Council saying that, while the ACLU objects to the tone of the SJPOA's recent YouTube video, they defend our right to make it.
We're including the letter here so you can read it for yourself. (Click on the arrow in the upper right corner to go to full-screen mode.)
Have a wonderful weekend, and stay safe out there.
We're including the letter here so you can read it for yourself. (Click on the arrow in the upper right corner to go to full-screen mode.)
Have a wonderful weekend, and stay safe out there.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
My Father, Our City
By Casandra Hosseini
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the vigil for victims of violent crime Tuesday night in the San Jose City Hall plaza.
Words can’t describe what I saw there: police officers, fire fighters, and city officials standing together with the families and friends of violent crime victims. I only hope that events like this will lead to a fuller understanding of the personal connection that exists between our public safety officers and the communities they serve.
On May 23, 2008, my father, Vahid Hosseini, went to Bank of the West on First Street to make a withdrawal for our family check cashing business. As he exited the bank, three cowards drove up in a silver SUV. One of them got out of the car, put a gun to my father’s head, and pulled the trigger.
After 11 days of fighting for his life, Vahid Hosseini passed away from his injuries at the young age of 47. My father’s death has completely devastated our family. Not a day goes by that I do not think of him.
Last month, almost one year later, five suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in my father’s murder. Despite these arrests, there is still a $90,000 reward for information in his case.
Our family is grateful to members of the community, Mayor Chuck Reed, Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers, and most importantly Chief Rob Davis, Detectives Paul Kelly, Mike Brown, and Rikki Goede, and the entire San Jose Police Department for the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication they committed to this case. I strongly believe that if my father had been murdered in any other city, we would still be looking for a suspect.
Unfortunately, there are ongoing cases that might never be solved if our city leaders continue making cuts to public safety. At a time when our city is plagued with violent crime and gang violence, we cannot afford to lose more police officers and crime prevention programs. If anything, we are in desperate need of more public safety funding.
My father’s life was priceless, and no price should be placed on our safety.
It seems we only hear bad news when it comes to the SJPD. We never hear stories of officers working non-stop on their cases, sometimes going weeks without a day off. These men and women risk their lives every day. They’ve taken an oath to protect our community, and they would take a bullet for you and your families.
It takes a very special person to become a police officer, to wake up every morning not knowing if you will make it home to your family that night. I think we owe them a little more respect. Don’t you?
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the vigil for victims of violent crime Tuesday night in the San Jose City Hall plaza.
Words can’t describe what I saw there: police officers, fire fighters, and city officials standing together with the families and friends of violent crime victims. I only hope that events like this will lead to a fuller understanding of the personal connection that exists between our public safety officers and the communities they serve.
On May 23, 2008, my father, Vahid Hosseini, went to Bank of the West on First Street to make a withdrawal for our family check cashing business. As he exited the bank, three cowards drove up in a silver SUV. One of them got out of the car, put a gun to my father’s head, and pulled the trigger.
After 11 days of fighting for his life, Vahid Hosseini passed away from his injuries at the young age of 47. My father’s death has completely devastated our family. Not a day goes by that I do not think of him.
Last month, almost one year later, five suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in my father’s murder. Despite these arrests, there is still a $90,000 reward for information in his case.
Our family is grateful to members of the community, Mayor Chuck Reed, Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers, and most importantly Chief Rob Davis, Detectives Paul Kelly, Mike Brown, and Rikki Goede, and the entire San Jose Police Department for the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication they committed to this case. I strongly believe that if my father had been murdered in any other city, we would still be looking for a suspect.
Unfortunately, there are ongoing cases that might never be solved if our city leaders continue making cuts to public safety. At a time when our city is plagued with violent crime and gang violence, we cannot afford to lose more police officers and crime prevention programs. If anything, we are in desperate need of more public safety funding.
My father’s life was priceless, and no price should be placed on our safety.
It seems we only hear bad news when it comes to the SJPD. We never hear stories of officers working non-stop on their cases, sometimes going weeks without a day off. These men and women risk their lives every day. They’ve taken an oath to protect our community, and they would take a bullet for you and your families.
It takes a very special person to become a police officer, to wake up every morning not knowing if you will make it home to your family that night. I think we owe them a little more respect. Don’t you?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Fixing a Broken System
By Alberto Torrico
On June 3, the state Assembly acted to protect police officers from those who would scapegoat public safety employees for the financial woes faced by cities and counties statewide.
The Assembly passed Assemblymember Tony Mendoza’s AB 155 by a 47-25 vote. I am the principal co-author of this bill, which would stop union foes and their attorneys from wielding the threat of bankruptcy – or an actual bankruptcy declaration itself – as a hammer to break hard-won labor contracts.
Vallejo’s bankruptcy filing last year set off a chain reaction that will see no winners, except perhaps a number of high-priced attorneys. Our recession left Vallejo with sagging sales and property tax revenues. But the city’s problems were compounded by years of financial mismanagement and an anemic economic development plan.
Vallejo’s firefighters and police officers did what you would expect dedicated employees to do: they conceded benefits and salaries in an attempt to ease the city away from the financial brink.
But rather than work with the unions and accept their concessions, Vallejo’s city council, in the words of the local paper, “seemed hell-bent on finding some way – any way” – to break the contracts. Unfortunately, leaders are risking the city’s fiscal stability with their pre-ordained conclusion that bankruptcy is the sole answer to this crisis.
Now other cities may be tempted to use the threat of bankruptcies as a quick way to gain savings without dealing effectively with their own budget shortages.
This is why I support AB 155. It’s a reasonable, measured response to what’s happening in Vallejo and what may occur elsewhere. It says a local public entity may only file under federal bankruptcy law with the approval of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.
The goal is to allow an independent set of financial experts to explore all options to avoid bankruptcy. While bankruptcy could provide short-term relief, the long-term negative effects will harm both cities and the state. Interest rates will increase, hurting taxpayers and the services they demand. The effects on Vallejo provide just one example. Employees are leaving, morale is low and the community is badly divided.
AB 155 will prohibit cities from filing for bankruptcy without first working with the CDIAC to research all alternatives. It ensures bankruptcy will only be used as an absolute last resort. Twenty-two states don’t even allow bankruptcy as an option. This bill will put California on a middle course with the 16 other states who allow bankruptcies but only after a thorough review with state oversight.
Our public safety employees, and the people who rely on them, will benefit from this smart public policy.
Alberto Torrico is the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly.
On June 3, the state Assembly acted to protect police officers from those who would scapegoat public safety employees for the financial woes faced by cities and counties statewide.
The Assembly passed Assemblymember Tony Mendoza’s AB 155 by a 47-25 vote. I am the principal co-author of this bill, which would stop union foes and their attorneys from wielding the threat of bankruptcy – or an actual bankruptcy declaration itself – as a hammer to break hard-won labor contracts.
Vallejo’s bankruptcy filing last year set off a chain reaction that will see no winners, except perhaps a number of high-priced attorneys. Our recession left Vallejo with sagging sales and property tax revenues. But the city’s problems were compounded by years of financial mismanagement and an anemic economic development plan.
Vallejo’s firefighters and police officers did what you would expect dedicated employees to do: they conceded benefits and salaries in an attempt to ease the city away from the financial brink.
But rather than work with the unions and accept their concessions, Vallejo’s city council, in the words of the local paper, “seemed hell-bent on finding some way – any way” – to break the contracts. Unfortunately, leaders are risking the city’s fiscal stability with their pre-ordained conclusion that bankruptcy is the sole answer to this crisis.
Now other cities may be tempted to use the threat of bankruptcies as a quick way to gain savings without dealing effectively with their own budget shortages.
This is why I support AB 155. It’s a reasonable, measured response to what’s happening in Vallejo and what may occur elsewhere. It says a local public entity may only file under federal bankruptcy law with the approval of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.
The goal is to allow an independent set of financial experts to explore all options to avoid bankruptcy. While bankruptcy could provide short-term relief, the long-term negative effects will harm both cities and the state. Interest rates will increase, hurting taxpayers and the services they demand. The effects on Vallejo provide just one example. Employees are leaving, morale is low and the community is badly divided.
AB 155 will prohibit cities from filing for bankruptcy without first working with the CDIAC to research all alternatives. It ensures bankruptcy will only be used as an absolute last resort. Twenty-two states don’t even allow bankruptcy as an option. This bill will put California on a middle course with the 16 other states who allow bankruptcies but only after a thorough review with state oversight.
Our public safety employees, and the people who rely on them, will benefit from this smart public policy.
Alberto Torrico is the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The State of Public Safety in San Jose
By Ed Rast
These are the facts:
San Jose residents, businesses and neighborhood leaders have consistently ranked public safety as the highest city service budget priority.
Our police and fire officers are widely recognized as hard working, motivated professionals and have developed innovative and highly effective public safety programs to offset over a decade of understaffing and budget shortages.
SJPD programs like community policing, gang prevention, and neighborhood action are proven to reduce or prevent crime. License plate readers identify stolen vehicles, and Public Computer Aided Dispatch educates the public about crime in their neighborhoods and citywide.
The fire department is implementing expanded Community Emergency Response training like Heart Safe City to keep people alive until emergency personnel arrive.
San Jose has a very low ratio of police and fire officers to residents. Our public safety departments have faced numerous budget reductions. The failure to maintain officer numbers in proportion to our population and geographical area has resulted in severe under-staffing. Each officer’s workload has dramatically increased as ranks are stretched across an ever-expanding city -— reducing overall public safety.
The results have been slower police, fire and emergency medical response rates than other local cities and many more unreported, un-investigated, and unsolved crimes than we’ve seen in past years.
Even with staff and budget shortages, San Jose has only declined from 1st to 4th Safest Large City in America (over 500,000 population) according to FBI crime data. This shows how effective our police department is compared to other large cities.
In my opinion, San Jose needs a facts-based, less-emotional community conversation about community policing and emergency response; about community expectations, crime rates and how staffing and funding affect outcomes; about how we compare to other local cities, what are acceptable and unacceptable performance measures, and solutions that will deliver the public safety results our community desires.
I’ll share my thoughts about these issues and the data to back them up on this blog. I hope we can have a substantive, productive discussion.
Check back tomorrow for a special guest blog from Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico.
These are the facts:
San Jose residents, businesses and neighborhood leaders have consistently ranked public safety as the highest city service budget priority.
Our police and fire officers are widely recognized as hard working, motivated professionals and have developed innovative and highly effective public safety programs to offset over a decade of understaffing and budget shortages.
SJPD programs like community policing, gang prevention, and neighborhood action are proven to reduce or prevent crime. License plate readers identify stolen vehicles, and Public Computer Aided Dispatch educates the public about crime in their neighborhoods and citywide.
The fire department is implementing expanded Community Emergency Response training like Heart Safe City to keep people alive until emergency personnel arrive.
San Jose has a very low ratio of police and fire officers to residents. Our public safety departments have faced numerous budget reductions. The failure to maintain officer numbers in proportion to our population and geographical area has resulted in severe under-staffing. Each officer’s workload has dramatically increased as ranks are stretched across an ever-expanding city -— reducing overall public safety.
The results have been slower police, fire and emergency medical response rates than other local cities and many more unreported, un-investigated, and unsolved crimes than we’ve seen in past years.
Even with staff and budget shortages, San Jose has only declined from 1st to 4th Safest Large City in America (over 500,000 population) according to FBI crime data. This shows how effective our police department is compared to other large cities.
In my opinion, San Jose needs a facts-based, less-emotional community conversation about community policing and emergency response; about community expectations, crime rates and how staffing and funding affect outcomes; about how we compare to other local cities, what are acceptable and unacceptable performance measures, and solutions that will deliver the public safety results our community desires.
I’ll share my thoughts about these issues and the data to back them up on this blog. I hope we can have a substantive, productive discussion.
Check back tomorrow for a special guest blog from Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Neighborhood Safety Vigil
By Kathleen Flynn
On May 23, 2008, I lost a friend of 23 years to a senseless crime. My friend, Vahid Hosseini, was only 47 years old when he died. Vahid was a son, a brother, a husband, a father of two beautiful daughters, a small business owner, and a beloved member of the community.
Vahid owned the Willow Market in San Jose, a few blocks from Bank of the West, on First Street. One day, Vahid went to the bank to withdraw money for his check cashing business. As he was leaving the bank, three men came up from behind, robbed him in broad daylight, shot him execution style, and left him to die in the parking lot. To my deep sadness, Vahid passed away from his gunshot wound on June 3, 2008.
I’m very proud to say that, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the San Jose Police Department, Crime Stoppers, and members of the community, police recently arrested five suspects involved in Vahid’s murder. The investigation of is still ongoing.
In an effort to honor the memories of my friend Vahid, Officer Jeffrey Fontana, victims of violent crime, their families, and the SJPD, I have organized a neighborhood safety vigil.
Please join us outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 9th, from 7 to 9 p.m. as we gather to support the silent majority of San Jose residents and our wonderful police department.
Speakers and honored guests will include:
On May 23, 2008, I lost a friend of 23 years to a senseless crime. My friend, Vahid Hosseini, was only 47 years old when he died. Vahid was a son, a brother, a husband, a father of two beautiful daughters, a small business owner, and a beloved member of the community.
Vahid owned the Willow Market in San Jose, a few blocks from Bank of the West, on First Street. One day, Vahid went to the bank to withdraw money for his check cashing business. As he was leaving the bank, three men came up from behind, robbed him in broad daylight, shot him execution style, and left him to die in the parking lot. To my deep sadness, Vahid passed away from his gunshot wound on June 3, 2008.
I’m very proud to say that, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the San Jose Police Department, Crime Stoppers, and members of the community, police recently arrested five suspects involved in Vahid’s murder. The investigation of is still ongoing.
In an effort to honor the memories of my friend Vahid, Officer Jeffrey Fontana, victims of violent crime, their families, and the SJPD, I have organized a neighborhood safety vigil.
Please join us outside City Hall on Tuesday, June 9th, from 7 to 9 p.m. as we gather to support the silent majority of San Jose residents and our wonderful police department.
Speakers and honored guests will include:
- Dolores Carr, District Attorney of Santa Cara County
- Hon. Pete Constant, San Jose City Council
- Bobby Lopez, President, San Jose Police Officers’ Association
- Randy Sekany, President, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 230
- Jim Cogan, President, Crime Stoppers
- Sandy Fontana, mother of slain San Jose police officer Jeffrey Fontana
- Cassandra and LeeAnn Hosseini, Vahid's daughter and widow
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Why ProtectSanJose.com?
By Bobby Lopez
This past week, I’ve been a pretty popular guy.
I’m getting a lot of calls about a video we put together for this website.
I was in the city council chambers a few weeks ago when a vocal police critic made some really outrageous comments. The Mayor and most Councilmembers just sat on their hands. As you can imagine, I was a little upset. I wanted others to see what I saw... and thought.
Sure enough, supporters of the critic responded to our video with one of their own. In the interest of fairness, I’m including it here. Watch both, judge for yourself, and comment if you want to.
Attacks like this are nothing new to the men and women of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association. We’re used to handling criticism and difficult people. It’s what we do every day as part of our jobs.
But in the past, we haven’t had a forum to defend ourselves from half-truths and misrepresentations made by people who know very little about police work. The Mercury News won’t print some letters and opinion pieces we submit to them. While I understand it’s their paper and their right, I can’t say I understand their decisions. Our own Vanguard newsletter appears only once a month. It does a good job of serving our members and their union concerns, but we can’t use it to quickly respond to breaking news or fresh criticism.
That’s why we’re launching ProtectSanJose.com to create an open forum for our members, neighborhood leaders, and all residents who care deeply about public safety in our great city.
We’ll use this site to respond quickly and honestly to any and all attacks on our integrity. This site will also be a forum for neighborhood leaders and community members who will blog regularly. Hell, we’ll even give our critics an opportunity to exercise their freedom of speech.
The video that’s received so much attention is just one part of this exciting project. Visitors will also find up-to-date news and information about their neighborhoods, including recent crimes on an easy-to-use map.
Have a look around ProtectSanJose.com, and keep coming back for regular updates from all the voices in our diverse community.
Most importantly, stay safe.
This past week, I’ve been a pretty popular guy.
I’m getting a lot of calls about a video we put together for this website.
I was in the city council chambers a few weeks ago when a vocal police critic made some really outrageous comments. The Mayor and most Councilmembers just sat on their hands. As you can imagine, I was a little upset. I wanted others to see what I saw... and thought.
Sure enough, supporters of the critic responded to our video with one of their own. In the interest of fairness, I’m including it here. Watch both, judge for yourself, and comment if you want to.
Attacks like this are nothing new to the men and women of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association. We’re used to handling criticism and difficult people. It’s what we do every day as part of our jobs.
But in the past, we haven’t had a forum to defend ourselves from half-truths and misrepresentations made by people who know very little about police work. The Mercury News won’t print some letters and opinion pieces we submit to them. While I understand it’s their paper and their right, I can’t say I understand their decisions. Our own Vanguard newsletter appears only once a month. It does a good job of serving our members and their union concerns, but we can’t use it to quickly respond to breaking news or fresh criticism.
That’s why we’re launching ProtectSanJose.com to create an open forum for our members, neighborhood leaders, and all residents who care deeply about public safety in our great city.
We’ll use this site to respond quickly and honestly to any and all attacks on our integrity. This site will also be a forum for neighborhood leaders and community members who will blog regularly. Hell, we’ll even give our critics an opportunity to exercise their freedom of speech.
The video that’s received so much attention is just one part of this exciting project. Visitors will also find up-to-date news and information about their neighborhoods, including recent crimes on an easy-to-use map.
Have a look around ProtectSanJose.com, and keep coming back for regular updates from all the voices in our diverse community.
Most importantly, stay safe.
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