General Kamala D. Harris Meets With North State LawEnforcement
Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today convened a meeting
of North State law enforcement to announce that her office has assigned
a special agent to the region, as well as additional DNA lab staff, and
to encourage local police and sheriffs to take advantage of Department
of Justice tools and training in support of their efforts to combat
transnational gangs. She also presented Attorney General awards to
three outstanding officers.
“I am committed to ensuring that local police and sheriffs have access
to resources, training and the latest DNA technology in order to help
protect Californians,” said Attorney General Harris. “Local, state and
federal collaboration is key to solving violent crimes like those being
perpetrated by the transnational gangs that travel up and down I-5 and
infiltrate local communities.”
Attorney General Harris visited Redding for the second in a series of
region-by-region zone meetings for members of the law enforcement
community. The Zone III meeting was attended by law enforcement from
Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Butte, Plumas, Glenn,
Colusa, Sutter, Sierra and Yuba counties.
To support law enforcement agencies in those 13 counties, the Attorney
General has assigned Special Agent in Charge James Parker as a direct
liaison to the region. In his new role, Agent Parker will ensure that
local agencies tap into statewide resources, from intelligence about
street and prison gangs to access to DNA testing in state labs.
Attorney General Harris also announced the addition of two DNA analysts
to the state lab in Redding this summer, bringing the total number to
five.
As part of today’s meeting, transnational gang experts from the
Department of Justice (DOJ) and prison gang experts from the California
Department of Corrections and Reform (CDCR) provided local law
enforcement with a comprehensive overview of sophisticated intelligence
detailing how transnational gangs have integrated their operations
across California communities. The assembled police officers and
sheriffs also received training on the use of familial DNA, and related
scientific advances, to solve crimes.
Attorney General Harris also presented awards to three individuals in
recognition of their deep commitment to serving and protecting their
communities. The sworn officers who received the Attorney General Awards
demonstrated uncommon bravery and ingenuity.
Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko hosted today’s meeting.
“The meeting provides an opportunity for the Attorney General to share
her insight and vision for the future of California,” said Sheriff
Bosenko. “The sharing of information strengthens the working
relationships of local, state and federal officials. It is an honor she
chose Shasta County as the meeting site.”
In her first five months in office, Attorney General Harris has
launched a statewide effort to fight transnational gangs, from street
level crimes to major international conspiracies. In March, the Attorney
General brought law enforcement leaders from across the state to
California’s border with Mexico to see firsthand the problem of
transnational gangs smuggling guns, drugs and human beings across the
border.
Last month, she announced the creation of the first multi-agency gang
task force in Tulare County * and added four DOJ special agents to a
task force in Imperial County.
Recently, the collaborative efforts of local, state and federal
agencies resulted in the takedowns of two major gang operations: In
Contra Costa County, an operation led to 35 arrests and the seizure of
more than 135 pounds of methamphetamine.
http://oag.ca.gov/news/press_release?id=2082&p=3
In Butte, Glenn, Sacramento, Placer and Yuba count
ies, two dozen
individuals were arrested and $17,000 was seized, through the joint
efforts of more than 200 local, state and federal agents.
http://oag.ca.gov/news/press_release?id=2084&
