Santa Cruz County Crime & Justice Articles

In 2022, California voters may see as many as four ballot initiatives to make betting on sporting events legal. Here’s how they would change sports gambling, and who's behind each separate measure.

SAN FRANCISCO—The Ben Lomond man who used a homemade assault rifle to kill a federal law enforcement officer outside an Oakland courthouse nearly two years ago pleaded guilty on Feb. 11 to the charges in Northern District Court in San …

SAN FRANCISCO—The man accused of shooting and killing a federal officer in Oakland two years ago—and wounding a second officer—is scheduled to plead guilty to the charges Friday in Northern District Court in San Francisco, court documents show. Steven Carrillo, …

A district court judge has allowed a UC Santa Cruz administrator’s unlawful search lawsuit against the City of Scotts Valley and its police force to proceed. Plaintiff Darin Matthews named four Scotts Valley officers—along with a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s …

The plan also adds several new positions, including a full-time chief investigator, five legal secretaries and two paralegals

Sheriffs in some California counties and across the USA are engaging a dangerous movement toward right-wing extremism. What does this mean for local law enforcement?

California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, 45, reported to be high on Pres. Joe Biden’s list for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination, is known for her cautious, moderate legal opinions.

55 inmates and seven guards have tested positive for Covid-19 at Santa Cruz County's Main Jail

Mounting reports of misconduct continue at the Main Jail

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan to hire an independent auditor for the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office who would investigate such issues as citizen complaints and use of force. The …

WATSONVILLE—Some 80 people gathered in the Watsonville Civic Plaza Monday evening to welcome in Jorge Zamora as Watsonville Police Department’s new chief. A homegrown officer who started with the department as a cadet at the age of 15, Zamora said …

Inspector general could review complaints, but some want advisory committee.

Though they are elected officials, county sheriffs have less accountability than any other law enforcement officials. Here's why, and what California is doing about it.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Since it was launched in December of last year, the County of Santa Cruz’s Neighborhood Courts Program (NCP) has rerouted 45 misdemeanor criminal cases away from the traditional justice system and out into the community.  A restorative justice-based …

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—All of the county’s four city police agencies—and the Sheriff’s Office—have similar policies when it comes to use of force and releasing of information to the public, according to a report released in November by the Criminal Justice …

A Watsonville police officer who began his career with the agency as a cadet three decades ago has become the department’s newest police chief. Jorge Zamora was chosen after an extensive national search.

County supervisors, sheriff expected to collaborate in January.

California has historically been ahead of the rest of the country in expanding the legal right to abortion services. Here’s what state laws say today, and how we got here.

After years of policy flip-flops, what will it take to create a real path to citizenship for immigrants?.