Sep 25, 2023 | Press Releases
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Hosts Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Expert Training Event
Oakland, CA. September 22, 2023 – The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is spearheading an initiative to support victims and enhance the success rate of domestic violence prosecutions in the region.
September 21st, at the Oakport office, nineteen law enforcement officers from ten police agencies across Alameda County embraced the opportunity to undergo specialized and interactive training to become domestic violence law enforcement experts. This comprehensive four-hour training elevates detectives, sergeants and advanced officers in Alameda to a level of expertise that ensures their effectiveness when they are called upon to testify in court.
Currently, Alameda County relies on a single Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Expert to provide testimony in trials. Given the volume of approximately 40,000 incident reports from twenty-two arresting agencies for review by the District Attorney’s office, there is a pressing need for an expanded pool of law enforcement officers who can testify to the common behaviors of domestic violence victims, batterers, and intimate partner battering and its effects in domestic violence cases.
“This is a remarkable opportunity for our law enforcement personnel to receive specialized training from not one, but two, distinguished statewide and national domestic violence experts,” said Evanthia Pappas, Senior Assistant District Attorney and head of the Domestic Violence Unit.”
Pappas, the driving force behind the training event, has carefully crafted an agenda that incorporates mock direct and cross-examinations of law enforcement officers, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience. “This professional training opportunity is so timely and critical to our support for victims of domestic violence, particularly in the wake of several recent horrific incidents of domestic violence across our county,” said DA Price.
“Domestic violence cases are intricate, and prosecutors often require the insights of domestic violence experts to debunk the myths and misconceptions that jurors may hold about how a domestic violence victim should behave,” said Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, herself a survivor of Domestic Violence. “These specially trained law enforcement experts are assets that will enable our office to prosecute these cases more effectively, and more importantly, support domestic violence victims.”
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, patti.lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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Sep 21, 2023 | Press Releases
Alameda County Reaches Labor Agreement With Alameda County Prosecutors Union
Oakland CA. Sept 20, 2023 – District Attorney Pamela Price is pleased to announce that the Board of Supervisors approved and adopted a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alameda County Prosecutors Association. Under DA Price’s leadership, the County reached an agreement on behalf of the Office and the DAO attorneys who serve at the pleasure of District Attorney Price. For the first time in the history of the District Attorney’s office, under DA Price’s leadership, the deputy district attorney’s compensation and benefits are in line with some of the highest paid DA offices in California.
The new agreement also includes premium benefits for Homicide duty, and the DAO Critical Response Team. It includes new benefits for training and education as well. It also includes a commitment from DA Price to notify deputies of routine transfers at least seven days prior to the effective date, a new practice adopted under DA Price’s new administration. District Attorney Price and her team participated in the County-led negotiations of the new terms and conditions in the MOU from January to June with Chief Assistant Otis Bruce, Jr. sitting through hours of negotiations.
The new MOU reflects the commitment of DA Price and her administration to create and maintain a safe and pleasant working environment for all DAO employees.
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, patti.lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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Sep 15, 2023 | Press Releases
Alameda County District Attorney Charges Juveniles in Skyline High School Shooting
Oakland, CA. September 15, 2023 – The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has charged three minors in connection with a shooting at Skyline High School in Oakland on September 5, 2023.
Minor defendant 1 was charged with assault with a firearm 245 (a)(2) along with gun enhancements, including shooting at an occupied area. The maximum exposure for assault with a firearm is 4 years.
Minor defendant 2 was charged with minor in possession of a firearm within 1000 feet of a school along with gun possession charges, including carrying a loaded weapon in public. The maximum exposure on felony gun possession is 3 years.
Minor defendant 3 has not been charged with any shooting at Skyline High School but the investigation is ongoing. He was charged for being a minor in possession of a firearm, after a gun was discovered at his home the day after the incident. The maximum exposure is three years.
All three minor defendants have made their first appearances in court and remain in custody.
“Zero tolerance for gun violence is not just our policy; it’s a promise to protect our schools and our communities,” stated Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. “We are fortunate that no one was killed or injured in this incident, but we are sending the message that if you are in illegal possession of a gun and attempt to harm others, you will be held accountable.” Click to watch official video statement
The next step involves the Alameda County Probation Department, which will conduct thorough assessments of the minors and make recommendations to the assigned judge from Alameda County Superior Court. The DA’s office will also make recommendations before the judge rules on consequences. State law mandates juvenile justice focus on rehabilitation, with consequences focused on the support the individual needs to prevent them from re-offending.
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, patti.lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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Sep 14, 2023 | Press Releases
Alameda County District Attorney’s Office Awarded $2M Grant to Fund First-of-its-kind Model to Combat Organized Retail Theft
Oakland, CA. September 14, 2023 – The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (ACDAO) was awarded a significant two million dollar grant to fund a new prosecution unit to address the growing issue of Organized Retail Theft (ORT) in the community.
The first-of-its-kind model will focus on the investigation and prosecution of organized retail theft crimes, using a vertical prosecution model. Under the grant program, a Deputy District Attorney, an Inspector II, and Senior Program Specialist will be assigned to the unit, working together to investigate and prosecute ORT cases from start to finish.
“ORT cases are time intensive and complex. This grant will allow our office to devote resources exclusively to these cases,” said Chief Assistant District Attorney Otis Bruce, who oversees the criminal prosecution unit of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
Alameda County’s retail economy accounted for more than an estimated $22 billion in taxable retail sales in 2023. From 2019 to date, just over 1800 incidents of theft were presented to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office to review, and only a small fraction included ORT allegations. Over the referenced five-year period, the Office was able to act on 1286 of them. But outcomes have varied as the ACDAO has not been able to devote resources exclusively to ORT which requires staffing to maintain sensitive communication with law enforcement partners, leverage data to connect incidents and ultimately resolve cases appropriately through conviction and/or diversion.
“Our plan is to address the low rates of case resolution and create more opportunity for evidence-based diversion and restorative justice opportunities,” said Tara Regan Anderson, Assistant Chief of Administration and Operations, who will be part of the team that oversees the unit.
Alameda County is one of 13 district attorneys’ offices across California recommended to receive funding to establish new vertical prosecution units. The grant is part of the state’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in California. Once approved, the funding is slated to be dispersed on October 1, 2023. The funds will be allocated in annual installments over the next three years.
“Organized retail theft has instilled fear in merchants, consumers and the wider community,” said Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. “This grant allows for the establishment of a specialized unit within the Office to tackle this problem effectively.”
## Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, patti.lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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Sep 11, 2023 | Press Releases
Alameda County Receives $7 Million From Kaiser Settlement
Oakland, CA September 11, 2023 – Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price announced a historic agreement with Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (together, “Kaiser”), resolving accusations that Kaiser improperly disposed of hazardous, medical, and universal wastes and patients’ private health information.
The agreement between Kaiser, the Alameda County District Attorney’s office, the California Attorney General’s office and five other county district attorneys will resolve the lawsuit brought against Kaiser, alleging violations of California’s Unfair Business Practices law and various consumer protections laws under the California Health & Safety Code, Civil Code, Code of Regulations, as well as the HIPPA law and related regulations.
The total value of the Stipulated Judgment is $49 million dollars, and includes statewide civil penalties totaling $37.5 million, costs of $4.8 million and credits for Supplemental Environmental Projects totaling $4.9 million. This is believed to be the largest judgment for illegal dumping of hazardous waste in California history.
Alameda County will receive $7.504 million in civil penalties, the largest share of the penalties and attorneys’ fees, equal only to that awarded to the California Attorney General’s office. Dating back to 2015, the Alameda County DA’s Office attorneys and investigators were central to the investigation and through those efforts helped achieve Kaiser’s ultimate compliance with the law and the Stipulated Judgment. The final settlement negotiations on behalf of Alameda County were conducted by the head of Alameda County’s Consumer Justice Bureau, Senior Assistant District Attorney Simona Farrise Best and Deputy District Attorney Carlos Guzman.
“This historic settlement marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to protect our environment and uphold the law. We are committed to ensuring that such violations do not occur again, and the funds allocated to our county will further strengthen our efforts” said Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.
The funds are to be used to enforce and advance environmental protections within Alameda County. The Supplemental Environmental Projects funding, totaling $4.9 million, will assist in broader enforcement of environmental laws and protections throughout California.
Alameda County has been central to Kaiser’s operations since the 1940s. Both founded in Alameda County, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (1948) and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (1955) remain headquartered in Oakland, California to this day.
Crucially, today’s Stipulated Judgment also includes permanent injunctive provisions obligating Kaiser Permanente to continue to follow California laws regulating hazardous, medical and universal wastes and protecting patients’ private medical information.
“This settlement serves not only as a testament to the dedication of our office but to the collaborative efforts of our office, the California Department of Justice and our fellow District Attorneys,” added District Attorney Price. “It also highlights Kaiser’s commitment to improving its practices across its California facilities. The company has invested significantly in state-of-the-art procedures that exceed minimum compliance standards. We will be monitoring their compliance to protect the residents of Alameda County.”
Contact: Public Information Officer Patti Lee, patti.lee@acgov.org // 628-249-1288
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