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San Benito County Crime & Justice Articles



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Sheriff’s office launches new engagement platform

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office has launched Axon’s engagement platform, My90, as part of an ongoing commitment to serving the public with “modern and compassionate policing,” says a press release from the sheriff’s office. My90 is a tool used …

Image caption: Murder committed by strangers who don't know the victim remained relatively rare, data shows,
Is Crime Out of Control? What's the Reality?

Fears that violent crime is out of control on the streets of California cities rose after the murder of a well-known tech exec. But what are the facts and do they back up the rising moral panic about crime?

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Gilroy to purchase armored vehicle for police

Gilroy will buy its own armored vehicle for the police department after its decade-long access to a shared vehicle was restricted due to a recent state law. The Gilroy City Council on Monday unanimously approved a $360,497 purchase of a …

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Sheriff’s Commander Tomas Corral graduates from FBI National Academy

San Benito County Sheriff’s Commander Tomas Corral recently graduated from the exclusive FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, where he absorbed a wealth of knowledge, skills and resources that he expects will be highly beneficial to his career and his …

Image caption: A memorial to the seven victims slain in a mass shooting in Half Man Bay in January 2023.
Mass Shootings in California: 2023 Has Been a Bad Year

Three mass shootings with at least six fatalities have already taken place in California in 2023, resulting in 25 deaths. Statistically however, California has been below average for the United States in rate of mass shooting deaths.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Sheriff investigates fentanyl exposures at jail

From Bay City News Service Santa Clara County Sheriff Robert Jonsen is drawing attention to a rash of fentanyl overdoses and exposures at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas, he said in a release on Wednesday. Thirteen inmates and two …

Image caption: The AB 3121 Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans meets in Oakland on Dec. 14, 2022.
Reparations Task Force Seeks More Than Dollars

The task force members are discussing monetary and nonmonetary reparations ideas to compensate for slavery and racism. Some say they want policies to prevent future harms against Black Californians.

Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
Man who allegedly brandished gun surrenders without incident

At 3:36 p.m. on Feb. 28, the Hollister Police Department issued an alert about police activity on Tres Pinos Road at Ladd Lane in Hollister. HPD asked that people stay away from the area until further notice. Police scanners said …

Image caption: Can YouTube be held liable for a deadly terrorist attack if its algorithm recommended ISIS videos?
SCOTUS Takes on Section 230, the Online Free Speech Law

The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday heard arguments in a potential landmark case that could roll back Section 230, the 27-year-old law that protects free speech on social media and other online platforms. Which way were the justices leaning?

Image caption: Has Google established a monopoly over online advertising? The feds say yes.
DOJ Lawsuit Seeks To Force Google to Sell Ad Service

Google may be forced to sell off its $200 billion online advertising service if a new lawsuit by the federal Department of Justice claiming that Google acts as a monopoly succeeds.

Image caption: Memorial dedicated to the victims of the May 2022  mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis

State and local officials are still asking law enforcement to prevent gun violence. Community leaders believe gun violence should be treated as a public health crisis, and incorporate prevention strategies that address the social factors in areas most at risk.

Image caption: Explaining California is hard work! But at California Local, we were up for it throughout 2022.
Explaining California in 2022: Our 10 Best Explainers of the Year

2022 was a year that needed a lot of explaining. And California Local was there. Here are our 10 most important explanatory journalism stories from the year gone by, from immigration to cryptocurrency to wealth inequality and more.

SanBenitocom logo LOCAL NEWS
Amah Mutsun files complaint to stop Betabel project

The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band last week announced that it has filed a lawsuit against San Benito County to halt development of a new commercial project on Betabel Road, which sits on property that “holds significant historical, cultural and religious …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Dead animals spark Gilroy neighbors’ concerns

A growing number of dead and mutilated animals reportedly found within a few blocks in central Gilroy over the past year have residents fearing there may be a serial abuser in the neighborhood. Gilroy Police say that of the few …

Image caption: Levi's Stadium, which is owned by the city of Santa Clara and leased to the San Francisco 49ers, has become a virtual battleground.
49ers-Backed Santa Clara Councilmembers Accused of Cover-Up

The 49ers PAC spent an unprecedented $3 million on Anthony Becker, Sudhanshu “Suds” Jain, and Kevin Park's campaigns. Now they and two of their peers must respond to lack of transparency and cover-up charges from the Civil Grand Jury, and …

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Inmate commits suicide at San Benito County Jail

An inmate at the San Benito County jail committed suicide at the detention facility over the weekend, according to authorities. About 8:11am Oct. 2, an inmate who was alone in his cell was discovered by jail staff hanging from a …

Image caption: California traffic deaths remain high, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Why Zero Traffic Fatalities Remains a Distant Goal

California’s goal of zero traffic fatalities remains distant. Here are some common causes of deaths on the road that can be fixed, but haven’t been.

Image caption: Donald Trump greets Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 23) whose district includes two of California’s highest murder-rate counties.
Why Are Murder Rates High in Some Republican Counties?

Homicide rates remain high in some of California's most Republican, Trump-voting counties. Are law-and-order policies against crime a bust? Here’s why political voting patterns are a strong indicator of violent crime in states and counties.

Image caption: Steven Carrillo, who has pled guilty to the murders of two law enforcement officers.
Facebook and Steven Carrillo: How a Veteran Became a Cop Killer

Steven Carrillo, an active-duty Air Force servicemember, fell down a rabbit hole of Facebook extremism and became convinced he could start a new civil war. Then he turned his online obsession into real-life murder.

Image caption: In California, county sheriffs are on their way to becoming more accountable to the public.
Will California Embrace Progressive Sheriffs?

County sheriffs have tended to be predominantly white, male and politically conservative. But in California, those trends may be moving in the other direction, as recent elections and legislation appear to show.

Featured

California cities switch to more inclusive, district-based elections system.
Voting Rights...the Final Frontier
Pushed by activists, cities move from at-large elections to district races.
Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.