Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal says he became more concerned about his office’s already pressed recruitment and retention efforts when he heard that Mendocino County supervisors were giving their deputies a significant raise. Not that he begrudged the nearly 30-percent increase Mendocino’s deputies will be receiving over three years under a new contract approved in […]
law enforcement
Posted inNews (NCJ)
NCJ Preview with Access Humboldt: Video
This week: We’re talking about recruiting and keeping police in Humboldt County, and how Food for People and Humboldt Cider Co. teamed up to fight food insecurity and food waste. With Host David Frank in the Access Humboldt studio. Also streaming on KZZH.
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Newsom Signs Landmark Police Use-of-Force Bill
California will soon have a tougher new legal standard for the use of deadly force by police, under legislation Gov. Gavin Newsom signed today that was inspired by last year’s fatal shooting of a young, unarmed man in Sacramento. Newsom signed the legislation amid unusual fanfare, convening numerous legislators, family members of people who have […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Things Stay the Same
Cody King made a hard decision. The lanky 28-year-old, born and raised in Honeydew, who came of age when CAMP helicopters still buzzed the hills, told himself there was nothing to fear when members of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office pulled up to his gate. This was in 2016 and King had a folder full […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
It’s Watson for the Interim
Steve Watson is not the kind of man who lets things go. Walking down Third Street, past the St. Vincent de Paul cafeteria, he initially passes the group of men who are standing with bikes and dogs waiting for the doors to open with a short greeting and nod. Then he pauses. “I smell marijuana,” […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Red Handed
The Eureka Police Department has a new weapon in its arsenal to combat serial shoplifters: The threat of jail time. Dogged by complaints that, due to realignment and a crowded jail, shoplifters are often just booked and immediately released to offend again, EPD announced last week that it will work with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Sheriff Downey: ‘It Has Been An Honor to Serve’
Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey thanked the men and women under his command during a departmental review on Monday as he counts down to his last weeks in office and the end of a three-decade-long career in law enforcement. “It has been an honor to serve the people of Humboldt County. It has been an […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Enter HSU’s Head-Bangin’ Chief
Donn G. Peterson, Humboldt State University’s new California-born, fresh-from-Florida police chief, was sworn in on Jan. 5. Buried in the “welcome-aboards” and “glad-to-be-heres” of the university’s press release was a thrashin’ fact about the new chief: he’s a “huge fan of Metallica.” Does that mean the University Police Department will stop enforcing noise complaints? Will […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Dog Owner Fail [Update: Suspect Identified]
UPDATE: From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office: The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has positively identified the suspect in this case as Salvatore Ted Arena, age 42, of Freshwater. The three dogs, Angel, Becky and Ginger, had belonged to Arena’s brother who passed away suddenly in February of this year. Arena began trying to surrender the […]