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San Joaquin County Crime & Justice Articles



Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
Reports of Federal Immigration Sweeps Are Warping Life in California’s Central Valley

TRUTH BE TOLD, there’s a lot of white trucks in Modesto.White Dodge Rams, white GMC Sierras, white F-150s, white Ford Transit vans, white Suburbans, white Silverados, white Chevy Colorados. So many white trucks, all of them American-made: a sure sign …

Carmichael Times logo LOCAL NEWS
CHP Celebrates Largest Academy Graduation

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) promoted 125 cadets to the rank of officer. The graduation ceremony on March 21 marked the successful completion of a 26-week intensive training schedule at the California Highway Patrol Academy in West Sacramento.

Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office Raising Donations to Honor Peace Officers Killed in Line of Duty

THE SAN JOAQUIN County Sheriff’s Office has raised almost half of the $500,000 in private donations it needs to complete its memorial to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. But the clock is ticking.“We would like to …

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Arrest Made Months After 280-Gallon Oil Waste Allegedly Dumped Into Stockton Waterway

A man was arrested on suspicion of illegally dumping petroleum waste into a Stockton waterway, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.  Multiple agencies responded on Sept. 28, 2024 to a report of petroleum product released near the Smith …

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Red-Light Runners Forewarned: Tracy Begins Placing Traffic Cameras at Key Intersections

Drivers soon may want to be on their best behavior when rolling through the streets of Tracy.Tracy police recently announced the launch of a new red-light camera program that will see several cameras placed at intersections around the city in …

Rancho Cordova Grapevine Independent logo LOCAL NEWS
CHP Swears in Over 100 New Officers to Serve Statewide

More than 100 new officers officially joined the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Jan. 17 during a swearing-in ceremony that marked a significant step in bolstering public safety across the state.Original article published at Rancho Cordova Independent

Benito Link logo LOCAL NEWS
Cal Fire Warns About Scam Donation Requests

Information provided by Cal Fire. Lea este artículo en español aquí.The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is alerting the public about fraudulent social media accounts impersonating Cal Fire and soliciting donations. Cal Fire does not solicit …

Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
Homicides in Stockton Jumped 20% in 2024, but Police Attribute Fewer to Gang Activity

STOCKTON SAW A sharp increase in its number of homicides last year, finishing 2024 with a New Year’s Eve fatal shooting that contributed to the third-highest tally in the past decade.The city ended the year with 54 people dying at …

Image caption: Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr., a staunch defender of voting rights.
The Attack on the Popular Vote

In more than 30 states, it’s harder than ever to vote this year. But in California, it’s never been easier.

Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
Stockton’s New Illegal Dumping Ordinance Will Pay People Who Report Trash Violations

THE STOCKTON CITY COUNCIL has approved a new illegal dumping ordinance that encourages members of the public to report illegal dumping.Stockton Police Department Lieutenant Chuck Harris presented the ordinance during the council’s Sept. 10 meeting, breaking down the various elements …

Image caption: The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here

How the California mental health crisis emerged out of the state’s history of deinstitutionalization and laws designed to protect the mentally ill, as well as the communities around them.

Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
Fundraiser Established for Family of Stockton Gas Station Employee Killed During Robbery

Family friends of a gas station employee fatally shot earlier this month in Stockton have established a GoFundMe account and are asking the public for donations.

Local News Matters Stockton logo LOCAL NEWS
Stockton Landfill Operator Alleges Inmates of Prison Hospital Exposed to Hazardous Water

A federal lawsuit filed by a corporate landfill operator just outside of Stockton alleges that inmates at a nearby prison hospital known as the California Health Care Facility are drinking well water that may be contaminated by toxic chemicals unfit …

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State DOJ Concludes Five-Year Investigation Into Policing Practices at Stockton Unified

The California Department of Justice has ended its monitoring of the Stockton Unified School District and its Department of Public Safety after five years, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced.

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Town Hall Meeting for Human Trafficking Set for Wednesday at San Joaquin Delta College

A town hall meeting to address human trafficking will be held Wednesday at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton. 

Image caption: A new law seeks to prevent cars from speeding, which causes about one of every three traffic fatalities.
If Drivers Won’t Slow Down, Proposed Law Requires Cars Do It for Them

“Intelligent” speed-limiting technology will be required in all new California cars starting in 2027, if a new law authored by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener passes.

Image caption: Under a new law, homeless people in San Mateo County can be criminally charged for refusing to move to a shelter.
Should Homelessness be a Crime? New San Mateo County Law Allows Charges

In San Mateo County, a new law allows police to charge homeless people with criminal offenses if they don’t accept shelter. SCOTUS will soon weigh in with a potential landmark decision in an Oregon case.

Image caption: California traffic deaths dropped by 12 percent in the first three months of 2023, but road fatalities remain at crisis levels.
Death on the Roads: Traffic Fatality Crisis Far From Over

As the COVID pandemic eased, so did the epidemic of death on the road. Somewhat. But the ongoing crisis of traffic fatalities remains at high levels with early numbers form 2023 appearing to top 4,000 in California.

Image caption: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (L) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced each other in person at last in an acrimonious Fox News debate Nov. 30.
Newsom, DeSantis Finally Square Off in Wild Fox News Debate

Governors Gavin Newsom (D-CA) and Ron DeSantis (R-FL) faced each other on a debate stage and traded blows, barbs, and zingers over the relative merits of their states in a Fox News debate that was nothing if not entertaining.

Image caption: How does social media affect the minds and well-being of children? According to California and other states, not well.
California Sues Meta For Damaging Kids’ Mental Health

California and 32 other states are suing Instagram’s parent company, Meta, saying that their apps are damaging to children. Is there evidence for those claims? Here’s why social media is under attack.

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.