Alameda County Sheriff's Office

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) is a law enforcement agency serving Alameda County, California. ACSO is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the American Correctional Association (ACA), National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the California Medical Association (CMA).

Alameda County Sheriff's Office
Patch of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office
Patch of the Alameda County Sheriff's Office
AbbreviationACSO
Agency overview
Formed1853 (1853)
Annual budget185.7 million
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionAlameda County, California, U.S.
Map of Alameda County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction
Legal jurisdictionAlameda County, California Alameda County, California
Operational structure
HeadquartersOakland, California
Sworn members1000+
Unsworn members600+
Sheriff responsible
Facilities
Stations5
Jails1
Website
Official website

As of 2008, the ACSO has approximately 1500 positions, over 600 of which are sworn peace officers.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is charged with:

  • Providing security to the consolidated superior courts
  • Operating the coroner's bureau
  • Operating a full-service crime laboratory
  • Operating a county jail and detention center
  • Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements
  • Performing civil processes
  • Operating the county office of emergency services
  • Providing fish and game enforcement
  • Operating a marine patrol unit in the San Francisco Bay waters
  • Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
  • Pursuant to contractual agreements, providing patrol and investigative services to the city of Dublin, Peralta Community College District, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, social services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District[1]

The Sheriff-Coroner is an elected position currently filled by Yesenia Sanchez.[2] The previous sheriff, Gregory J. Ahern, served from 2007 to 2023.

Detention facilities

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office operates two detention facilities. Santa Rita Jail, located in Dublin, California, is the primary facility that houses most people arrested or convicted of crimes in Alameda County. The Glenn Dyer Detention Facility, also known as the North County Jail, houses a smaller number of inmates and is located in Downtown Oakland. Some inmates before they go to Santa Rita Jail they stay at Eden Township Substation, located in San Leandro, California.

Training and exercises
Alameda County Sheriff's Office at Occupy Oakland in 2011

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office operates a police academy and training exercises for the greater law enforcement community in the Bay Area. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office holds an academy for other agencies too like the Stockton Police Department, Hayward Police Department, San Leandro Police Department, the Alameda Police Department etc...

Urban Shield

Developed by former Alameda County Assistant Sheriff James Baker, Urban Shield was a weapons expo and first response training exercise that began in 2007. The goals of the program were to prepare law enforcement tactical teams, including SWAT teams, to respond to crises and coordinate efforts between law enforcement, fire personnel and medical personnel. An additional purpose was to assess the policies, procedures, organization, equipment and training of attending personnel.[3]

Hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Urban Shield was the largest urban full scale readiness exercise in the United States. Police, fire, HAZMAT, EMS and EOD teams from all over the nation trained in multiple scenarios over a continuous 48-hour program. In the first year, scenarios included an active shooter on the UC Berkeley campus, an airplane hijacking, a maritime interdiction, and a 20-mile hike.[4] Since 2012, the Bay Area UASI tests portions of the Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program as part of the full scale readiness exercise, such as the regional mass fatality plan.[5]

Urban Shield was primarily sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security,[6] and receives additional support from the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative, which had a 2014-2016 budget of $6,358,300 from San Francisco City and County funds. $4,901,339 of this was allocated to “Enhance Homeland Security Exercise, Evaluation, and Training Programs,” including management, oversight, and support of the Urban Shield conference.[7][8] Private corporations including Verizon Wireless, Motorola, Sig Sauer, and Uber[6] offer services and equipment in support of the event, and additional funding comes from private weapons manufacturers such as Lenco and Lockheed Martin.[9][10] In the past, these manufacturers served only the Pentagon, but have expanded sales to civilian police departments and SWAT teams in recent years.[11][9]

Alameda County Sheriff's Office's Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

Numerous first responders from around the county and the world have participated in or observed Urban Shield. It has attracted international SWAT teams, including those from Singapore, South Korea, Israel, and Bahrain in 2014.[6] In 2010, 2011, and 2013 Israeli elite counter-terrorism unit Yamam won the exercise, breaking and setting records. Boston police commissioner Edward F. Davis credited Urban Shield with helping prepare the Boston Police Department for their response to the Boston Marathon bombing.[12]

Opposition and end to Urban Shield

There have been protests against Urban Shield prior to and during the event every year since 2013.[13][14][15][16] In 2013, the Urban Shield training program was controversially held on the second anniversary of the removal of Occupy Oakland from Frank Ogawa Plaza.[17] Community activists such as the Stop Urban Shield Coalition recognize Urban Shield as part of a trend of global militarization and escalated police intervention on civilians.[6] Activists also had concerns about Urban Shield expanding direct militarization through increased weaponization, given that Urban Shield included a major arms expo where vendors market advanced, military-grade technology to the SWAT teams and police departments in attendance.[18][19] In 2014, activist pressure over Urban Shield led to Mayor Jean Quan's announcement that Oakland will not host the military weapons expo in 2015, marking the first such move since Urban Shield started in 2007.[20]

The following year, the 2016 Urban Shield conference was held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA and was also opposed by protestors, 20 of whom were arrested for trespassing and obstruction. Protesters expressed that the technology showcased at Urban Shield promotes police surveillance and control that specifically targets poor people and people of color. The demonstration included performances and speeches to resist the repression.[16]

Notable controversies of Urban Shield included:

  • A "Black Rifles Matter" t-shirt sold at the weapons expo, as a satirical denigration of the Black Lives Matter movement.[21]
  • Immigration and Customs Enforcement teams participating in the exercises, despite Alameda County being a sanctuary county.[22]
  • The Alameda County Sheriff's Office hosting the far-right Oath Keepers militia at Urban Shield 2017.[23]
  • An Urban Shield weapons expo vendor referring to Arab, Muslim, and social justice organizations as "terrorists."[24]
  • The use of props depicting enemies in training scenarios as Muslims, African-Americans, and other darker-skinned minorities.[25]

In 2018, the Stop Urban Shield Coalition and community organizations successfully pressured the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to put an end to the program.[26] In 2019, the Board of Supervisors reaffirmed their decision to end the program, and Urban Shield was defunded.[27]

Crime laboratory

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office operates a crime laboratory that is accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. The crime lab, located at the Eden Township substation, receives and analyzes evidence from law enforcement agencies throughout Alameda County. The crime lab has capabilities in controlled substance analysis, latent fingerprint recovery, ballistics, tool mark identification, and DNA extraction and analysis. Crime lab staff can also serve as crime scene investigators upon request by law enforcement agencies in the county.[28]

Coroner's bureau

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office operates the coroner's bureau in East Oakland. Coroner's pathologists, deputy sheriffs, forensic death investigators, and sheriff's technicians assist law enforcement agencies to determine the cause and manner of death of persons in Alameda County. Additional duties include notifying next of kin, and when needed, the seizure and protection of decedents' assets. In special circumstances the ACSO decides when to refer cases to the public administrator, such as when next of kin cannot be located.[29]

Topics of controversy

In early 2013, Ahern was one of the first law enforcement officers in California to propose purchasing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).[30] Opponents petitioned the purchase, and formed the organization Alameda County Against Drones (ACAD).[31] The ACAD gained nationwide attention resulting in the board of supervisors failing to approve the purchase.[32]

With the June 2014 election, a group called "Elections for the People" expressed concern that for many decades the position of sheriff, while elected, has not been a contested election. The current sheriff, Gregory Ahern, was selected by the prior sheriff, Charles Plummer, and has run twice, unopposed.[33] The 2012 salary for the sheriff of Alameda was over $547,000; this included a base salary of $267,871 and other benefits and payments.[34]

On November 12, 2015, 29-year-old carjacking suspect Stanislav Petrov was pushed to the ground and beaten with batons by two Alameda County Sheriff's deputies, in an alley in San Francisco. The beating was recorded on film. On May 10, 2016, the two deputies were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery and assault under color of authority.[35] On April 27, 2017, Petrov's attorney confirmed a $5.5 million settlement payment, $1M of which was paid by Alameda county, the rest by an insurer.[36] The criminal case is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.[37]

On June 13, 2019, at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, there was a 20-second incident[38] between Alameda County Sheriff deputy Alan Strickland[39] and the president of the winning Canadian team, the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, seconds after the Raptors had dethroned the San Francisco, California-based two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors as National Basketball Association (NBA) champions winning the 2019 NBA Finals.[40] Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department, alleged that Ujiri failed to show proper credentials for access to the floor. Sgt. Kelly further alleged that when stopped, Ujiri had shoved a sheriff's deputy, that the deputy had made contact in response, and that Ujiri shoved the deputy back and made contact with his face.[41] Several bystanders and Oracle Arena security personnel intervened to separate the two. After a tense staredown between the men, Ujiri was restrained from approaching the deputy. Raptors player Kyle Lowry then came over to Ujiri and escorted him onto the court to celebrate with the team.[42] The Sheriff's Department did not release body camera footage depicting the start of the incident and announced that their footage had happened to "switch off" when Ujiri allegedly struck the officer.[43][44] Several witnesses to the altercation disputed the deputy's version of events.[45] [46] In the videos, Ujiri can be seen with game credentials in his hand.[47] However, the NBA had released a media advisory prior to the conclusion of the game stating that only personnel with gold armbands would be allowed on the court due to a visiting team winning. Many of the gold armbands were visible on photographers and executives on the court (including members of the Raptors ownership), but are not visible in any angles of Ujiri during the incident.[48] Following the altercation, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office stated that it would be recommending charges of battery against Ujiri.[49][50] The investigation ended on September 21. Following a private meeting on October 21, 2019, with Ujiri, his attorneys and Assistant District Attorney Terry Wiley, which was held at the Sheriff's Department, Assistant District Attorney Teresa Drenick announced that the District Attorney's office would not take further action in connection with the incident.[51] Deputy Alan Strickland's body camera footage was released in August 2020. The footage showed Ujiri reaching for his game credentials, but neither the purple trophy credential or the yellow armband credential needed to access the court postgame is seen before the deputy shoved Ujiri twice in the chest.[52][53] The footage confirmed that the deputy, not Ujiri, initiated the physical contact.[54][55][56][57] Strickland separately sued Ujiri for $75,000, claiming to have suffered a concussion during the altercation.[58][59] Ujiri countersued, and the two men later dropped their filings.[60]

Rank structure
Title Insignia
Sheriff
Undersheriff
Commander
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Deputy

History
Memorial to fallen officers from Alameda County, including Sheriff's Office forces, Lone Tree Cemetery, Fairview

During the Free Speech Movement riots of the 1960s, the Alameda County sheriff deployed several squads of deputies. Clad in light blue jumpsuits, they quickly became known by anti-government protesters as the "Blue Meanies".[61]

In November 2010, October and November 2011, and January 2012, Alameda County sheriff's deputies were requested by the Oakland Police Department and supplied by the sheriff to assist at protests.[62][63]

Sheriffs
  • Andrew H. Broder (25 March 1853 – 7 November 1858), first sheriff
  • Peter E. Edmundson (7 November 1858 – 7 November 1861)
  • Joseph Addison "J.A." Mayhew (7 November 1861- 2 Sep 1863)
  • Harry Nicholson Morse (2 September 1863 – 7 November 1878)
  • Jeremiah Tyrrel (7 November 1878 – 7 November 1882)
  • Charles McCleverty (7 November 1882- 7 November 1893)
  • Robert McKilcain (7 November 1893 – 7 November 1896)
  • Clifford B. White (7 November 1896 – 7 November 1898)
  • Samual B. Allen (7 November 1898 – 7 November 1900)
  • Oscar S. Rogers (7 November 1900 – 7 November 1902)
  • John N. Bishop (7 November 1902 – 27 February 1905), died in Office
  • Frank Thomas Barnet (27 February 1905 – 7 November 1926)
  • Burton Becker (7 November 1926 – 7 November 1930)
  • Michael B. Driver (7 November 1930 – 28 November 1940)
  • Howard Gleason (28 November 1940 – 7 November 1963)
  • Frank Madigan (7 November 1963 – 7 November 1974)
  • Thomas Lafayette Houchins Jr. (7 November 1974 – 7 November 1978)
  • Glen Dyer (7 November 1978 – 7 November 1986)
  • Charles Plummer (7 November 1986 – 6 June 2006)
  • Gregory J. Ahern (6 June 2006 – 3 January 2023)
  • Yesenia Sanchez (3 January 2023 – present)

Other law enforcement agencies

Most of the cities within the county have their own police forces, including the Alameda Police Department, the Berkeley Police Department, the Oakland Police Department, the San Leandro Police Department, the Hayward Police Department and the Fremont Police Department. The municipal police departments provide routine law enforcement services for those cities, with the ACSO providing corresponding services for unincorporated regions of Alameda County and the city of Dublin.

See also

References
  1. "Alameda County Sheriff's Office, CA | Home". www.alamedacountysheriff.org.
  2. DeBolt, David (2022-06-15). "How Yesenia Sanchez toppled incumbent Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  3. O’Brien; Weiss; Davis (Spring 2015). "Urban Shield". Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International. 21.
  4. "Home". www.urbanshield.org.
  5. Regional Mass Fatality Plan
  6. Bauer, Shane (December 2014). "The Warrior Cops Suit Up". Mother Jones. 36 (6): 18–23.
  7. Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Approve 1st Amendment 2014 Urban Area Security Initiative. February 25, 2015.
  8. Bay Area UASI Training and Exercise Page
  9. Doherty, J. (Spring 2016). "US VS. THEM: THE MILITARIZATION OF AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON POLICE OFFICERS & CIVILIANS". Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal. 25 (2): 1–51.
  10. "Supporting Agencies". Archived from the original on 2017-03-21.
  11. Rahall, K. (Summer 2015). "The Green to Blue Pipeline: Defense Contractors and the Police Industrial Complex". Cardozo Law Review. 36 (5): 1785–1835.
  12. Commissioner Davis
  13. "'Urban Shield' Officer Training Event Greeted By Protests In Downtown Oakland". Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  14. "Police Militarization Opponents Protest 'Urban Shield' Training Exercise In Oakland". Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  15. "Oakland Residents Respond as the Largest Police Training in the World Invades". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  16. "20 Arrested During 'Urban Shield' Protest". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  17. "Urban Shield - Oakland - LocalWiki". Oaklandwiki.org. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  18. Pilkington, Ed (2014-09-08). "Urban Shield: after Ferguson, police and suppliers consider fate of military-grade tactical gear". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  19. Johnson, Sydney (2013-09-25). "Oakland Council Gets Earful Over 'Urban Shield' War Games". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  20. "Oakland Mayor: City Will Not Host Urban Shield Conference Next Year". NBC Bay Area. 2014-09-06. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  21. "Urban Shield's "Top Seller" is a T-Shirt Riffing on #BlackLivesMatter - September 11, 2015". SF Weekly. 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  22. Neilson, Caron Creighton, Susie. "Alameda County Sheriff Hosted ICE at Urban Shield". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2019-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. Lynn, Jessica. "Right-Wing Extremist Group Had Booth at Urban Shield 'To Explain Who They Are'". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  24. BondGraham, Darwin. "Urban Shield Task Force Appointee and Gun Dealer Calls Police Critics 'Terrorists'". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  25. "Alameda County rejects Urban Shield vendor over perceived racist images". East Bay Times. 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  26. BondGraham, Darwin. "Alameda County Supervisors Vote to End Urban Shield as 'Currently Constituted'". East Bay Express. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  27. "Alameda County loses federal money for Urban Shield". East Bay Times. 2019-03-15. Retrieved 2019-09-11.
  28. "Alameda County Sheriff's Office - Criminalistics Laboratory". Archived from the original on 2007-12-16. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  29. "Alameda County Sheriff's Office - Coroner's Bureau". Archived from the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  30. Hernandez, Jodi (2013-02-14). "Alameda County Sheriff Pitches Drones to Supervisors". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  31. "ACAD | Alameda County Against Drones | Page 2". Nomby.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  32. "Alameda County: Drone meeting ends with no resolution - EastBayTimes.com". Contracostatimes.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  33. Scherr, Judith (2013-11-06). "Berkeley group eyes new sheriff, district attorney - EastBayTimes.com". Insidebayarea.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  34. "Bay Area Public Employee Salaries 2012 - San Jose Mercury News". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  35. "2 Alameda deputies facing charges over taped beating in SF". KTVU. May 10, 2016.
  36. "Victim of alleged beating by deputies to be awarded $5.5 million". SF Chronicle. Jan 18, 2021.
  37. "S.F. District Attorney Chesa Boudin dismissed charges against cops in infamous alley beating". SF Chronicle. Jan 18, 2021.
  38. "Raptors president Masai Ujiri produced ID before altercation with sheriff, police say, but not proper credentials". June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  39. Rodriguez, Olga R. (June 18, 2019), "Lawyer: Deputy in clash with Ujiri has concussion", The Associated Press via NBA, retrieved June 20, 2019
  40. "Raptors send Toronto into raptures as they beat Warriors to take first NBA title". Guardian. June 11, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  41. "Battery charge sought against Raptors' Masai Ujiri for NBA Finals altercation - SFChronicle.com". www.sfchronicle.com. June 15, 2019.
  42. "Questions around accusations Masai Ujiri assaulted sheriff's deputy". CityNews Toronto. June 14, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  43. Thompson, Chris. "Alameda County Sheriff's Office Says Body-Cam Footage Cut Out Right Before Masai Ujiri Allegedly Concussed Deputy". Deadspin. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  44. "Cop In Raptors' Masai Ujiri Fight Blasts Racism Claims, My Family Is Black". TMZ. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  45. "Report: Officer involved in altercation with Masai Ujiri isn't telling the truth". sports.yahoo.com.
  46. "Raptors president Masai Ujiri produced ID before altercation with sheriff, police say, but not proper credentials". Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  47. "The racial profiling of Masai Ujiri - Macleans.ca". www.macleans.ca.
  48. "Gold arm band seen on Raptors executive". AP Images. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  49. "Alameda County Sheriff's Office will recommend battery charge for Raptors president Masai Ujiri". The Globe and Mail. June 16, 2019.
  50. "Deputy in Ujiri clash has concussion, lawyer says". ESPN.com. June 18, 2019.
  51. Adlakha, Abhya (October 22, 2019). "Raptors president Masai Ujiri will not face criminal charges following altercation after NBA Finals, Alameda County DA says". The Toronto Star. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  52. CBC Sports (August 18, 2020). "New video shows security guard shoving Masai Ujiri as he reached for credentials". CBC. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  53. Daily Hive (June 24, 2019). "Oakland police say Raptors President Masai Ujiri had credentials but not the right ones". Daily Hive. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  54. Fernandez, Lisa (August 18, 2020). "New video: Sheriff's deputy the 'undeniably initial aggressor' in Toronto Raptors shoving match". KTVU. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  55. Pickman, Ben (August 18, 2020). "New Video Sheds Light on 2019 NBA Finals Incident Between Raptors' Masai Ujiri and Sheriff's Deputy". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  56. "Masai Ujiri body-cam footage shows that no level of success can shield Black people from inequality". sports.yahoo.com.
  57. Jonathan Hawkins and Eleni Giokos. "Dramatic new bodycam footage shows Sheriff's Deputy shoved Raptors' president during altercation". CNN.
  58. "Deputy in Ujiri clash has concussion, lawyer says". ESPN.com. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  59. "Sheriff's deputy drops lawsuit against Raptors president Masai Ujiri following 2019 altercation". CTV News. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  60. "Alameda County sheriff's deputy drops suit against Raptors' Ujiri". Sportsnet.ca. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  61. Nation: Occupied Berkeley, TIME, Friday, May. 30, 1969
  62. , FogCityJournal, October 27th, 2011
  63. , San Francisco Chronicle, June 24th, 2013
  • Sheriffs from 1853 to 1883 - "History of Alameda County", M.W. Wood, 1883.
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