How to resolve AdBlock issue? Clearlake Police Explorer Program relaunched; interested students welcome to apply
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A program to foster community relationships with area youth and the Clearlake Police Department is being reactivated.
Lt. Tim Celli, the acting chief of the Clearlake Police Department, said the agency is relaunching its Explorer Program.
Celli said the program is designed to work with young people ages 14 to 21 who have an interest in the law enforcement field.
The program establishes guidelines and procedures so that members can participate in the ride-along program with police officers, according to Celli.
In addition, members can work with dispatchers, other law enforcement agencies, community members and organizations to develop skills and prepare them for the next step of their career path, Celli said.
The police explorer program is a nationally recognized career-based program that is a subsidiary through the Boys Scouts of America.
The Clearlake Police Department has had an Explorer Post in the past, Post No. 7244.
However, Celli said the post was placed on hold as some children who were involved in the program grew older and left the program. That, coupled with decreased staffing levels, made it extremely difficult to maintain and run the program.
Now that staffing levels are increasing, the department is seeking ways to increase services, Celli said.
“We believe working with our area youth is extremely beneficial,” Celli said. “Youth-based programs such as the police explorers can help provide guidance to them in making sound decisions, help them find avenues for participation in their community, as well as teach them about the successes and challenges facing law enforcement, and provide them tools for a successful career path.”
Officer Joseph Myers, who himself is an Eagle Scout, has accepted the challenge of becoming the Clearlake Police Explorer advisor, Celli said.
Celli said Myers currently is looking for children who want to participate in the program. He also is working with the department's school resource officer to help identify young people who might be interested in joining the post.
If you know of someone who is at least 14 years of age, has a grade point of average of at least 2.0 and who wants to take part in this exciting opportunity, call Officer Joseph Myers at 707-994-8251, Extension 505.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Police ask for help in preventing recreational vehicle dumping
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is asking for the community's assistance in being on the lookout for people responsible for dumping recreational vehicles.
Over the last several months the city of Clearlake has experienced a significant increase with regard to motor homes and travel trailers being left abandoned in residential and business areas, according to Lt. Tim Celli, Clearlake Police's acting chief.
“We believe some of this increase is a result of abandoned marijuana growing operations and increased enforcement related to Code Enforcement efforts,” Celli said.
Celli said these trailers are being left on the side of the road, sometimes blocking roadways and driveways.
He said the city has found that it is extremely difficult and costly to remove these vehicles after they have been left abandoned.
The law does allow for these vehicles to be towed, however it has proven difficult to find tow companies willing to tow these vehicles, due to the storage and costs associated with disposing of these large vehicles, Celli explained.
In some cases tow trucks are not equipped or rated to tow some of these recreational vehicles. Other companies capable of towing these vehicles have submitted bids to tow these vehicles in excess of several thousand dollars, he said.
Oftentimes these vehicles are left without any license plates or registration information to track registered owners. In other situations, Celli said registrations have been transferred numerous times, leaving a lengthy trail of previous owners and making it difficult to prove who was responsible for the vehicle.
Celli said the city of Clearlake is researching several different options and cost-effective ways for dealing with the vehicles that have been left abandoned.
“In the meantime our department is asking citizens who see anyone engaged in dumping recreational vehicles or any vehicles to call our dispatch and report it at the time of occurrence. We need the community's help to combat this issue,” Celli said.
He said there are very few exceptions which allow police officers to make arrests for misdemeanor offenses that occur outside the officer’s presence, making prosecution of misdemeanor crimes difficult.
However, if citizens see persons engaged in illegal dumping activities and are willing to be witnesses, the case can be sent to the District Attorney's Office for prosecution, Celli said.
If a citizen reports suspicious or illegal activity and the police can catch suspects in the act, then the crime could be determined to have occurred in the officer’s presence and a citizen’s arrest may not be needed, according to Celli.
Call the Clearlake Police Department Dispatch at 707-994-8251, Extension 1, to report suspicious activity. Callers may remain anonymous.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lakeport Police Department reports on mail theft cases
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department reported that multiple counts of mail theft have taken place within the city limits last week and over the weekend.
Police said unknown suspects targeted residential mail boxes and stole mail in the area of Esplanade, Lily Cove, Oak Knoll and Lupoyoma streets on Sunday night.
Many items of mail from this area were located Monday in the 900 block of S. Main Street, police said.
Police believe the suspects opened and searched through the stolen mail looking for items of value such as cash, checks, credit cards or information that could be used to steal a person's identity. The recovered mail was turned over to the Lakeport postmaster.
Later on Monday police received a report that on Saturday and Sunday nights, unknown persons also searched through mail boxes in the Armstrong Street area. Police didn't know as of Monday evening if any items of mail were actually stolen from this area.
There also were other reports of mail theft in the city last week, police said.
The Lakeport Police Department is advising residents to consider the following:
– Invest in a locking mailbox;
– Don't leave mail in a residential box overnight or for other extended periods;
– If you can't retrieve your mail from the box on the same day, have the post office hold the delivery or have a friend or neighbor get the mail for you.
Police ask community members to report suspicious persons, vehicles or activities immediately.
Anyone with information on these mail thefts is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491 or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lakeport-Police-Department-176101292414821/?fref=ts .
Tips can be sent by texting “TIP LAKEPORT” followed by your message to 888777. Anonymous Web tips also can be submitted at https://local.nixle.com/tip/alert/5592663 .
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
DA to let stand appellate court's murder charge reduction in shooting that killed child
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After an appellate court this week threw out the first-degree murder convictions of two men who killed a 4-year-old boy and wounded five others during a 2011 shooting, Lake County's district attorney said he will not seek a retrial, clearing the way for the men to be resentenced to a lesser murder charge.
On Wednesday, the First District Court of Appeals handed down the decision in the case of Paul Braden and Orlando Lopez, sent to prison in August 2012 for killing Skyler Rapp and injuring his mother, stepfather and three family friends on the night of June 18, 2011, in Clearlake.
In their appellate case, Braden, 25, and Lopez, 28, had challenged their first-degree murder convictions, citing a 2014 California Supreme Court case, People v. Chiu.
That case established that an aider and abettor may not be convicted of first-degree premeditated murder under the doctrine of natural and probable consequences – what a reasonable person would know would be likely to happen unless something unusual intervened – but rather that the prosecution had to show participation that included both knowledge and intent.
The appellate court ultimately agreed, and also threw out two mayhem charges against each of the men – relating to the shootings of Skyler and his mother, Desiree Kirby – that should have been stayed because the defendants, by law, cannot be punished for both attempted murder and mayhem counts from one attack on one victim.
Otherwise, the court upheld the numerous remaining counts against the Braden and Lopez – five counts of attempted murder, six counts of assault with a firearm, a count of discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, and numerous special allegations relating to the use of a firearm.
The appellate court ruled that once the case returns to Lake County Superior Court, District Attorney Don Anderson would have 60 days – unless there was a waiver granting more time – to retry the two men solely on the premeditation and deliberation elements.
Otherwise, if Anderson takes no action, the appellate court ruled that Braden and Lopez would be resentenced for second-degree murder.
Anderson, who personally prosecuted the two men, told Lake County News on Friday that he does not intend to hold another trial in the case.
“The final result is going to be nothing,” he said.
He added, “I'm not going to put the family or witnesses or anybody through that exercise for what we have to gain.”
Rather, he is willing to accept the resentencing to the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Anderson explained that the appellate ruling really will have little impact on reducing the lengthy prison sentences Braden and Lopez are serving.
At their August 2012 sentencings, Braden received 312 years to life in prison and Lopez 311 years to life, respectively. Braden had received one year longer than Lopez because he had a prior state prison term on his record.
Anderson said a first-degree murder conviction carries a 25-years-to-life sentence, versus the 15 years to life required under second-degree murder.
The two mayhem charges accounted for 25 years to life plus nine years and 25 years to life plus three years, he said.
Based on Anderson's initial calculations, even with no action on his part to retry them, Braden and Lopez are still facing 243 years to life plus 13 life sentences in prison.
He said he is not sure if the men will have to be sent back to Lake County for resentencing, or if they will need to have new attorneys assigned.
Visiting Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley, who heard the case, will have to return for the new sentencing, Anderson said.
Anderson said he likely will submit a declaration to the court about his plans not to pursue a retrial.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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Shoplifting suspect arrested for felony charges after kicking police sergeant in head
LAKEPORT, Calif. – An Oregon woman suspected of shoplifting from a local grocery store has been arrested after assaulting a Lakeport Police sergeant who had responded to investigate.
Alyssa Marie Davis, 25, of Springfield, Ore., was arrested Wednesday night at the Lakeport Safeway, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
At approximately 9:45 p.m. Wednesday Lakeport Police officers were dispatched to Safeway, located on 11th Street, to investigate the report of a female shoplifter who later was identified as Davis, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said Davis had twice tried to leave the store without paying for a cart containing items of store merchandise. A store manager took the cart from Davis but she remained in the store and the manager later lost sight of her.
A Lakeport Police sergeant arrived and met with a Lake County Sheriff's deputy who Rasmussen said was at the location on unrelated business. At that time, the store manager had determined that Davis had locked herself in the store bathroom for up to 30 minutes.
Davis eventually came out of the bathroom and was contacted by officers, who determined she appeared highly intoxicated. Rasmussen said further investigation revealed that Davis had likely consumed an entire 1.75-liter bottle of Fireball Whiskey while in the bathroom.
Rasmussen said Davis refused to provide her name or other identifying information. Officers advised Davis she was under arrest and she resisted but was handcuffed and then continued to resist while being removed from the store.
Once outside at the patrol car, Davis continued to resist and had to be physically placed in the vehicle. As officers were trying to secure Davis in the rear seat of the vehicle she began kicking and kicked the Lakeport Police sergeant in the head and face several times, Rasmussen said.
The sergeant delivered a Taser drive stun but it did not stop Davis's resistance. Rasmussen said another Lakeport Police officer arrived and assisted with safely securing Davis.
Davis was not injured in the incident but was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for medical clearance due to the significant amount of alcoholic beverages she had consumed, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said his sergeant had a complaint of pain but did not require medical treatment.
After being medically cleared, Davis was transported to the Lake County Correctional Facility where she was booked on felony charges of resisting a peace officer with force and violence and misdemeanor charges of possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and battery on a peace officer, Rasmussen said.
Her booking sheet said her bail was set at $15,000. Jail records indicated she remained in custody on Thursday night.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
