I think it is time for a new person to come in.. Contra Costa - Special Election. The issues that confronted the sheriff and his department have come home to roost, Miley said. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. 63% of Oaklanders are unhappy with city government, placed the jail under federal court supervision, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Your donation goes beyond supporting our journalism. For the first time since taking office 18 years ago, Sheriff Gregory Ahern is facing challenges in his re-election bid. Learn More Yesenia Sanchez for Alameda County Sheriff 2022 Donate Having the full force of the East Bays democratic political machine, its volunteers, and its money certainly gave her a boost. As commander of the jail, she oversees the largest sector of the sheriffs office. "A great deal of work needs to be done to reduce crime while also building public trust effectively," Walker stated. The sheriff said hes proud of the work his office has done to help people overcome drug addiction, expand vocational programs within Santa Rita Jail to help incarcerated people find work once released, and youth sports programs the office has funded. THIS IS A NEW CONTINUOUS EXAMINATION. Theres already oversight, he said. I understand trying to help people out when they are asking the sheriffs office to do so but we also have to be mindful of the essential services we are providing., Sanchez supports the idea of having civilian oversight of the sheriffs office and said it would help keep the office accountable. Learn more. Carroll ended his campaign quietly after a few months and Neideffer suspended his campaign a week before Ahern announced in June 2021 that he would seek another term. Time to read: about 4 minutes, The candidates for county sheriff-coroner are (from left) incumbent Greg Ahern and challengers Yesenia Sanchez and JoAnn Walker. Sanchez said she would also look to engage the community to improve crime prevention and safety efforts by the sheriff's office. Im going to call bullshit on that. Sanchez, who is currently the commander of Santa Rita Jail, clinched the primary election with 52% of the vote, becoming the first female and first Latina sheriff in the agencys 169-year history. He was part of the East Bay Times staff honored with the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News for coverage of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire. The voters [had] to decide who they want in the office., Sanchez campaign picked up votes in unincorporated areas. Alameda County Sheriff's Commander Yesenia Sanchez (pictured at left) and San Francisco police Officer JoAnn Walker (pictured at right) are running against Sheriff Gregory Ahern in the June 7 primary election. Public safety remains at the top of the list for Ahern, who last week received funding support from Gov. The Dublin facility will be under court monitoring for three years. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. He estimates they knocked on 1,200 doors, having one-on-one conversations with voters. Alameda County District Attorney. I knew this was a really good opportunity to force a runoff or a win outright, Kusiak said. But Sanchezs grassroots campaign focused on flipping precincts in places Ahern has traditionally had more support. Investigations in unincorporated areas where the sheriff has jurisdiction can bring deputies into Oakland to serve search warrants and make arrests. "You have to look at not just the crime, but the fact that he was a law enforcement. Los Angeles - City of Inglewood Runoff. Community. "It's very clear that I have the qualifications and experience needed to continue on as sheriff," Ahern told the Weekly in a recent interview. Volunteers worked across campaigns, dropping off materials for Sanchez and other progressive candidates, including Alysee Castro, a candidate for county superintendent of schools. The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following: Oakland residents may be more familiar with the Oakland Police Department, but a significant share of the sheriffs offices work happens in Oakland, the largest city in Alameda County. 00:06:32. Too much emphasis has been placed on staffing contract serviceslike at the airport and AC Transit patrolat the expense of staffing Santa Rita Jail. Until this election, no one had bothered to run against Ahern, who was first elected in 2006. With Yesenia Sanchez's declared victory in the Alameda County sheriff's race, the Bay Area now appears to poised to see two Latinas at the top of county law enforcement agencies. That information is withheld for as long as possible, she said. (Contributed photo). ""Provided by Terry Wiley campaign; Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle; Provided by Seth. She was the first to enter the race in early 2020. Reform. He endorsed Ahern, assistant sheriff at the time, to be his successor. A graduate of Patterson High School in the rural Central Valley town of Patterson, at age 19 Sanchez moved back to Hayward where she had spent her childhood. There is a loss in revenue if you ask me. This candidate profile is based on statements Walker has made at candidate forums and on her campaign website. Uploaded: Thu, May 19, 2022, 5:41 pm Each has a major impact on Oakland residents and we've covered the candidates and major issues in previous stories. Sanchez is hoping to unseat incumbent Sheriff Greg Ahern who was elected in 2006. Yesenia will be an open, accessible. The Oral Board Interview is administered by Alameda County Human Resources Services and is conducted by a panel consisting of Sheriff's Office sworn personnel. If Stacey and other progressive activists in Oakland get their way, there could be even more candidates running in November 2022. Can Oakland become a filmmaking hub? The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. We have listed them in alphabetical order. An audit of hires since 2016 revealed 47 Alameda County Sheriff's Office deputies were hired illegally despite having failed their psychological evaluations. Sign up for The Oaklandsides free daily newsletter. The sheriff oversees an office with far-reaching and wide-ranging responsibilities, while managing a massive budget and the East Bays largest law enforcement agency. In those times, the countys top cop can make emergency declarations and seek disaster funding through the state. But no issue loomed larger than deaths in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, one of the largest jails in the nation where at least 63 inmates have died since 2014. In early 2021, it appeared that Ahern was going to call it quits. "I will work to repair and build trust with marginalized communities, including immigrant and undocumented communities, to ensure they are provided with equitable services regardless of citizenship status. The sheriff was above retirement age and there were questions over whether he might step aside. Its been a roller coaster, she said. San Francisco Police Department Officer JoAnn Walker, who lives in Alameda, finished Election Night in third at 16.80%. On Tuesday evening, Yesenia Sanchez was still absorbing her stunning victory in the Alameda Countys sheriffs election. Salary: $112,736.00 - $135,928.00 per year. March 7. It takes a deputy or police officer to contest a sheriff, someone who also lives in the county, and that often means an underling, fringe candidate, or no one at all. The voter registration deadline is 15 days before the election, and early voting begins May 9. Withdrawn or disqualified candidates Peter Yuan Liu (Nonpartisan) Superintendent of Schools Nonpartisan primary election With all . With introspection, hard work and cooperation, we can make the needed changes at the Alameda County Sheriffs Department," she states on her campaign website. "Ahern, who rose through the ranks of the sheriff's office since being hired as a deputy-sheriff in 1980, including a long stint with Dublin Police Services under the city-county contract, has been the county's sheriff since January 2007 after winning election in 2006.The incumbent's campaign website describes his mission as to "protect the public, build strong relationships with the community, and prevent people from turning to crime through prevention, enforcement, programs, and service. "The fundamental basis of my platform is: Accountability. David DeBolt reported on City Hall and policing for The Oaklandside. Yesenia is a 24 year veteran of the Alameda County Sheriffs Office who wants to make transformational change through community engagement and investment, rehabilitation of the jail population, and a focus on accountability. The candidates are GREGORY J. AHERN, Incumbent, YESENIA SANCHEZ, Alameda County Sheriff Commander, and JOANN WALKER, Police Officer / Educator. The bill failed. Her campaign had not done any outreach to voters or media. Alameda County District 3 (Oakland-San Leandro-Alameda-Unincorporated) Rebecca Kaplan, councilmember, Oakland Lena Tam, former Alameda councilmember District Attorney Pamela Price, civil rights activist Terry Wiley, Alameda County chief assistant DA Congress 10th District (Concord-Lamorinda-Dublin) * Mark DeSaulnier -D, congressmember Despite emails sent over the past week to her campaign account, her campaign treasurer listed on campaign disclosure forms, and a message sent through Twitter, the Walker campaign did not respond. "I will work to repair and build trust with marginalized communities, including immigrant and undocumented communities, to ensure they are provided with equitable services regardless of citizenship status. Sanchez joined the Alameda County Sheriffs Office as a technician in 1997 and moved up the ranks as deputy sheriff, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and is currently the division commander overseeing the Santa Rita jail in Dublin. Express Most correctional systems had few if any trained psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers. Special Pubs Those endorsements also gave voters a sense of who Sanchez, a political unknown, is and what policies she might implement, Ross said. I grew up in the ranks and Ive treated people the same way, no matter where I was assigned. Alameda candidates for district attorney Terry Wiley, Pamela Price, Seth Steward, and Jimmie Wilson. Please try again later. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2012 where he covered a variety of beats, most recently as a senior breaking news reporter. "Establishing a community-centered culture that aligns with 21st-century policing practices and values" will be key toward achieving those goals, according to Walker, who did not respond to the Weekly's request for an interview. "This includes appropriate responses to mental health incidents, crisis intervention training and a focus on de-escalation," Sanchez said. | 63% of Oaklanders are unhappy with city government | | Get tickets to Culture Makers, {{#label}}{{label}}: {{/label}}{{message}}. Gregory Ahern has been with the Alameda County Sheriff's office since 1980. Marin - Municipal Special Vacancy (City of Mill Valley) Marin - Municipal Special Vacancy (Novato Unified School District) If you value what you get from The Oaklandside, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can continue doing the local reporting that matters to you. With 46.80%, Alameda County Sheriff's Office Cmdr. Yesenia Sanchez, voters decided in Tuesday's primary elections. Issues at the jail haven't kept the sheriff from garnering support. Sanchez will replace outgoing Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern, whom she defeated and made history in the November 2022 election. And she wants to ensure that the sheriffs office isnt participating in the enforcement of immigration law, including deportations, except in very limited circumstances. The Oaklandside reached out multiple times to Walkers campaign for an interview. Privacy Policy, 2023 PleasantonWeekly.com In the wake of the arrest . David DeBolt reported on City Hall and policing for The Oaklandside. She disagrees with Ahern on whether the outside contracts, which include providing police services for Dublin, actually bring in revenue. I am showing my respect for their sacrifice, and a reminder to their family, friends and other law enforcement that those are not forgotten.. Final Filing Date: March 27, 2023. . Unlike the Oakland police chief, who is hired by the mayor and can be fired without cause by the mayor and a majority of the civilian police commission, the Alameda County sheriff is elected, giving them more independence and power and making it difficult to remove them from the office without an election. Experience -- or whether a change of leadership perspective is needed -- has emerged among the key themes of the campaign so far, along with public safety, racial justice reform, reducing recidivism and transparency. Can Oakland become a filmmaking hub? Mobile site. Sign up for our. De La Fuente told The Oaklandside that Ahern kept a quiet presence, even with his department under fire about deaths at the jail and his other public controversies. It was the countys first contested sheriffs election since 1986. Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Oakland, California. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE. Walker is running as a progressive alternative to Sheriff Ahern and promises to address the high number of in-custody death at the county jail, increase transparency around the sheriffs budget, and cut the backlog of untested rape kits. It requires the change agent to have a different vision, Walker said at a League of Women Voters forum last month. How much does Vegas believe in Dubs to repeat? A donation to The Oaklandside goes beyond the newsroom. The Coroners Bureau, which is also under the sheriff, conducts autopsies of people who die in car wrecks, overdoses, COVID-19 cases, and deaths by shootings, stabbings, blunt force trauma, and other suspicious deaths. Or The internal affairs unit should be autonomous. If you value what you get from The Oaklandside, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can continue doing the local reporting that matters to you. "Establishing a community-centered culture that aligns with 21st-century policing practices and values" will be key toward achieving those goals, according to Walker, who did not respond to the Weekly's request for an interview.She calls on her range of assignments while with the SFPD on topics such as terrorism, community relations, field training, peer support counseling, academy instruction, hate crimes, tactical communications, and crisis support and suicide prevention. There was just such a clear contrast between Sanchez and Ahern, Ross said. At that time, Sanchez had filed election paperwork to run and set up a campaign website. In January 2021, I joined JoAnn Walker who is a candidate for Alameda County Sheriff on our criminal justice reform slate. The Oaklandside relies on reader support to remain free for everyone in our community. Now Yesenia Sanchez is Alameda Countys new sheriff. The sheriff sits atop a vast organizational chart. One opponent is Yesenia Sanchez, a commander in the sheriffs office. The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following: The fact that investigations are influenced by top leadership is not the right way to do things and that is something I will change, Sanchez said. It also helps your family, friends and Oakland neighbors have access to reliable, independent reporting. Walker, a Hayward resident, is a 26-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department. Alameda County Sheriff Coroner Gregory J. Ahern speaks as first responders are honored during an Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. Nonpartisan primary for Alameda County Sheriff-Coroner Yesenia Sanchez won election outright against incumbent Gregory Ahern and Joann Walker in the primary for Alameda County Sheriff-Coroner on June 7, 2022. On Sunday, January 9th, 2022, Indivisible Livermore hosted a forum of the three candidates in the 2022 Primary Election for Alameda County Sheriff-Coroner. Maybe she was holding her tongue and working with the system, and now shes freer to be reform-minded, Contreras said. Official Election Site of Alameda County. Among her supporters are fellow colleagues from the county sheriffs office. A donation to The Oaklandside goes beyond the newsroom. If a deputy working one of those assignments goes out on injury or another type of leave, deputies from the jail are used to backfill those positions. Don't miss out on the discussion! Ahern also points to his support of re-entry programs to reduce incarceration and recidivism, including expanding vocational training opportunities for inmates. In 2006, Sheriff Charlie Plummer, who had held the position since 1986, announced he would retire at age 75. In one of the most stunning political upsets in Alameda Countys recent political history, Sanchez defeated Sheriff Gregory Ahern in the June 7 primary. "This includes appropriate responses to mental health incidents, crisis intervention training and a focus on de-escalation," Sanchez said. I am ready to declare victory.. Candidates You can vote for 1 of these 3 candidates. Marty Neideffer. We do not make any money on contracts, we lose money because the jail budget is funding the people who are not reporting to work, Sanchez told us. If elected probably would not submit to interviews, this in itself indicates lack of transparency. Under a system called mutual aid, deputies are often brought in to assist Oakland police during large demonstrations and protests. Please make check payable to "Yesenia Sanchez for Alameda County Sheriff 2022" and mail to: Yesenia Sanchez for Alameda County Sheriff 2022312 Clay Street Suite 300Oakland, CA 94607. It speaks volumes of the change of leadership they were seeking, she said. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2012 where he covered a variety of beats, most recently as a senior breaking news reporter. Statement from Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern on the election of Yesenia Sanchez as the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County. The duties of the office also go beyond traditional law enforcement work. Running against her boss was not an easy decision, she said, and one she came to after talking it over with her family and hearing from younger deputies who are waiting for a change., We need to remove this us vs. them mentality, Sanchez said. NEW YORK The former head of engineering at Sam Bankman-Fried's bankrupt cryptocurrency trading firm FTX owned up to fraud charges on Tuesday, federal prosecutors said. Were journalists for Oakland. 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