Keep Bailing

The San Diego Police Department has announced that for the first time in more than 12 months that they are moving forward with hiring new recruits.  The annual starting salary for new recruits ranges between $41,000 and $50,000.

The process, said department officials, includes a written test, background screen, polygraph test, interviews, psychological testing and a physical test.  The latter portion includes scaling walls, carrying a 155 pound dummy as well as a timed-stair climbing test.

SDPD Assistant Chief Shelley Zimmerman said that the SDPD is currently “147 officers below budgeted staff”.

San Diego 10 News has reported that the department is Read more »

With the trial for former San Diego Police Department Officer Anthony Arevalos continuing to draw widespread attention, scrutiny as to his behavior during numerous DUI pullovers of young women in the Gaslamp Quarter remains high.   Arevalos was first arrested in March and charged with “soliciting sexual bribes during traffic stops,” according to a report by the Voice of San Diego.

Prosecutors continue to refute claims by the Defense that the seven women testifying against Arevalos may have memory impairments relating to the accused crimes due to their “being under the influence of alcohol at the time the alleged misconduct took place“.  The women have alleged that Arevelos touched them inappropriately and/or requested personal items of clothing, such as bras and panties, in exchange for not issuing citations.

One such incident was caught by video Read more »

25-year San Diego Police Department veteran Brian Ahern has been promoted to Commander of the SDPD Northern Division. The La Jolla Patch has reported that Ahern took over the post as of Oct. 29.

He will replace Capt. Al Guaderrama who has been moved to the Investigations I command where he will oversee emergency negotiations, narcotics, sex crimes, child abuse and the Family Justice Center units.

Ahern had been promoted to to the captain in June and had been serving at the Eastern Division for just three months before being reassigned. At current, shifting assignments have become more common at the SDPD due to Read more »

The San Diego Police Department has 1,837 officers on staff, which is the lowest level in a decade.  Despite rookies and recruits coming through the police academy, “sources within the department said a reduction in benefits will likely cause dozens of officers to turn in their resignations in April 2010,” reports KUSI News 10.

264 officers resigned in 2009 after a marked change to their benefits.  At the current time, sources within the SDPD say there’s “no way to know how many officers will leave the ranks” this time around.

Standard attrition, which is about five to six officers a month, are Read more »

Turlock Police Department officers Nino Amirfar and Carl Nielsen both received promotions this week, wrote Turlock Journal Editor Kristina Hacker in a Wednesday report.

Nielsen was promoted to captain and Amirfar to lieutenant.

Nielsen, who has worked in law enforcement since 1985; worked at the Read more »

Lt. Andrew Hoffman has recently joined Carmel Valley’s San Diego PD Northwestern Division. He is the third new lieutenant so far this year for Carmel Valley. Lt. Hoffman has 25 years in the department and recently worked in the Mid-City and Eastern Divisions. The Northwestern Division has seen a lot of changes in recent times when it comes to personnel.

“There’s been so much movement up here and that’s a source of frustration for the community,” said Hoffman. Lt. Todd Jarvis was reassigned back in July. He had taken over for Lt. Jerry Mills in February this year who had only been at this station for nearly a month.

The position of captain has also seen a lot of change, with Read more »

Captain Rikki Goede of Willow Glen has been promoted to assistant chief of the San Jose Police Department.  Goede is 48 years old and has 15 years served with SJPD.  Prior to that she spent 10 years with San Diego Police Department.  Through her years of experience, her assignments have included patrol, community services, narcotics, day detectives, internal affairs, gain investigations and homicide.

Goede spent her last year as captain of the Southern Division and is the highest ranking female on the force.   Not only has she graduated from the LAPD’s Read more »

In preparation for National Nite Out the safety awareness event, San Diego Police Captain Chris Ball answers some questions for the Rancho Bernardo Patch about crime prevention in the SDPD Northeast Division. Here are some of the highlights:

Q: What is the importance of Neighborhood Watch in keeping crime rates in Rancho Bernardo so low?

A: The strength of the Neighborhood Watch as well as the pride of ownership and community is critical to the well-being of the community, and it’s not more evident than in Rancho Bernardo. The community determines the level of crime more than the police department. Police departments react more to crime than they provide prevention.

Q: What is your top safety tip to residents?

A: Take care of your family, be responsible for your home and take care of your neighbors. When everyone does this, it ensures that you’re house is secure. If you know a neighbor is on vacation and see a moving van pull in on Sunday afternoon, call the police. Call. There are so many times where people have said, I thought about calling the police, but I didn’t want to bother you. It’s not a bother to call us. If you think you should call, call.

Q: How has the city’s budget crisis changed policing in the last few years?

A: There certainly Read more »

The San Diego Police Department partnered with several other agencies in a county-wide warrant sweep Tuesday morning. In the sweep, called “Operation Second Sole,” 43 individuals were identified as suspects with ties to Mexican drug cartels, participating in drugs and weapons trafficking, robberies and extreme acts of violence.  Most of the individuals arrested during the sweep were violent criminals who were deemed armed and dangerous, according to police.

District Attorney Dumanis said, “Our office relies on law enforcement to make our cities safe places to live. The sweep shows criminals that we’re watching and that we won’t compromise public safety.”

Agencies that Read more »

The San Diego Police Department has been plagued recently with a rash of misconduct accusations. Two months ago, during a news conference, Police Chief Lansdowne acknowledged the rise in officer misconduct and stated a plan for action.

Chief Lansdowne summarized these key steps when he spoke with the San Diego Union Tribune:

•  ”We started with Read more »