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Lake County Sheriff's Office to host latest citizens' academy beginning in May
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The 18th session of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy is scheduled to begin May 26 in Lakeport.
Since the academy’s inception in January of 1998, more than 300 members of the community have successfully completed the program, according to Lt. Corey Paulich, the academy's director.
Paulich said the citizens’ academy has proven to be a highly successful endeavor to educate residents of Lake County on the operations of the sheriff’s office, as well as the issues relating to law enforcement and the judicial system in general.
The citizens’ academy has brought the communities of Lake County closer to their sheriff’s office with each graduating class and in 2002, the program received the “Stars of Lake County” award for best idea of the year in Lake County, he said.
While the program is primarily intended for members of the community simply seeking to become more informed on law enforcement issues, those contemplating a career in law enforcement are also welcome to apply, Paulich said.
The curriculum and teaching methods are similar to that of a basic law enforcement academy. However, Paulich said the overall focus of the program is to provide a better understanding of the policies and procedures of the sheriff’s office, as well as the approach taken to provide law enforcement services to Lake County communities.
Subject matters for the academy include: The history of the office of the sheriff; the selection and training process for new employees; field training program; central dispatch operations; the role and responsibilities of the uniformed deputy; gang enforcement; criminal investigations; crime scene investigations; elder abuse investigations; sex crimes investigations; jail operations; use of force; marine patrol services; narcotics investigations; the civil process; coroner’s investigations; press relations; tactical (SWAT/SERT) operations; school resource deputy; search and rescue operations; K-9 enforcement; internal affairs investigations; marijuana investigations; the sheriff’s chaplain program; the judicial process in the courtroom; and the budget process.
The program consists of 14 three-hour classes offering classroom and “hands-on” instruction by deputy sheriffs, custody staff, supervisors, civilian employees and command staff whose assignments are specific to their respective subject of training.
Classes will be held on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. A graduation ceremony will conclude the academy on Thursday, Sept. 1.
There is no cost to those attending the academy. However, applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:
– Resident or employment in Lake County;
– At least 18 years of age;
– No felony convictions;
– No misdemeanor convictions within three years;
– Able to attend all 14 sessions.
Anyone interested in becoming a more informed member of the community is encouraged to participate.
Those wishing to enroll can do so by visiting the sheriff’s office Web site at www.lakesheriff.com , where there is a link for the application and instructions.
Applications must be received no later than May 16. Class size will be limited to 25 students.
Qualified applicants who are not selected for the summer 2016 academy will be given priority in future academies.
For additional information, contact Paulich at 707-262-4200.
Authorities identify man fatally shot by Clearlake Police officer
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Authorities have identified the man who died after being shot by a Clearlake Police officer early Tuesday morning.
Joseph Louis Melvin, 46, of Clearlake was shot after he struggled with an officer who was attempting to detain him during an early morning burglary, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
Anderson's office is conducting the investigation into the shooting according to the Lake County critical incident protocol.
On Friday Anderson said he was not releasing the name of the officer involved, as it's his policy to not make that information public until the investigation is complete and his report is final.
He said the investigations usually last about six months.
According to the initial Clearlake Police reports on the incident, officers were dispatched just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to a burglar alarm at a location in the 3200 block of Park Street in Clearlake Park.
Minutes later, the first officer on scene – and the one who would be involved in the shooting – confronted Melvin, who appeared to have been burglarizing the property, and attempted to detain him in a nearby wooded area, according to the report.
A fight ensued between the two men, with the officer deploying his Taser, which didn't end the struggle, police said.
During the fight, Melvin struck the officer in the head, injuring him. As for what Melvin used to hit the officer, “We're surmising it was a steel flashlight,” Anderson said.
The officer subsequently drew his service weapon and shot Melvin, who was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Anderson said the officer was taken to the hospital for treatment of a large laceration on his forehead from being struck during the fight. “He was released from the hospital that night.”
Regarding Melvin's criminal history, Anderson said the reports were still being done, but added, “He is well-known in Clearlake.”
According to a review of local arrest records, Melvin, a Clearlake native whose occupation was listed as a carpenter, had been arrested by the Clearlake Police Department in 2003 for misdemeanors including driving on a suspended license and obstructing or resisting a peace officer.
In December the Lake County Sheriff's Office arrested Melvin for misdemeanors including possessing burglary tools, receiving stolen property and controlled substance paraphernalia.
Lake County Superior Court records showed that Melvin had been scheduled to be in court on the day before he died in two separate criminal cases.
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Sheriff's office plans additional weather radio giveaways for fire survivors
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff's Office still has NOAA weather radios available to Valley fire area residents.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office/County Office of Emergency Services received grant funding from the State Farm Insurance Co. to purchase approximately 333 of the Midland WR120 desktop weather alert radios, as Lake County News has reported.
In addition, the agency purchased some visual alert-strobe lights to give out with radios for those residents who have hearing difficulties, officials said.
On Thursday, the sheriff's office held a giveaway of the radios at the Middletown Library.
Undersheriff Chris Macedo said approximately 220 of the 333 NOAA weather radios were given out at that time.
Macedo said the following criteria was used to establish to determine who would be eligible for the aforementioned equipment:
– Those residents who currently were residing in the footprint of the Valley fire;
– Residents were required to provide proof of residency by showing either a valid California Driver’s License or California Identification Card that listed the physical address; or
– Utility bill such as a water, phone cable or energy that has the service (home) address listed
post office box addresses were insufficient and were not be accepted as proof of residency.
Since there are still approximately 113 of the radios left, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office/County Office of Emergency Services will schedule additional dates and times until all of the radios are issued, Macedo said.
Macedo said that once all of the radios are given away, the sheriff’s office will have exhausted all of the funds they received from State Farm Insurance and no more radios will be available.
If homeowners or residents are interested in more information about the NOAA weather radios, they are urged to visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/info/nwrrcvr.html#buy .
Clearlake Police officer involved in fatal early morning shooting
CLEARLAKE PARK, Calif. – A Clearlake Police officer shot and killed an individual in an early Tuesday morning confrontation that occurred during a response to a burglary call.
Lt. Tim Celli said neither the name of the officer nor the person who was fatally shot were being released early Tuesday.
Celli said that at 12:26 a.m. Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to a burglar alarm located in the 3200 block of Park Street in Clearlake Park, with the first officer arriving on scene approximately four minutes after the initial dispatch.
The first arriving officer confronted an apparent burglar and attempted to detain the subject in an adjacent wooded area, Celli said.
A physical fight ensued between them. The officer deployed a Taser but the struggle continued, according to Celli.
Celli said that during the struggle the burglar attacked the officer, striking him in the head with an object and causing significant injury.
During the attack, the officer drew and fired his service weapon at the subject, who was later pronounced deceased at the scene, Celli said.
Celli said the officer was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The investigation has been turned over to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office, according to Celli.
Because the case is still an active investigation, Celli said no additional details were available early Tuesday.
