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Lakeport Police logs: Saturday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
00:00 EXTRA PATROL 2601100001
Occurred at Lake County Law Library on 3D....
Sheriff's office celebrates award of GED certificates to jail inmates
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday, two women earned their General Education Development Certificates after successfully completing the GED program while housed as inmates at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Shannon Flores and Jeanne Pizzagrani are the first two female students to earn diplomas since the GED program started in the jail approximately two years ago, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
The GED program is one of several programs implemented following criminal justice realignment to serve the needs of inmates who are serving increasingly longer multi-year sentences in the local jail.
Programs such as these are provided with the hope that inmates can acquire skills and qualifications to help them succeed upon their release from custody, and live a crime-free, productive life.
Hill Road Correctional Facility Capt. Greg Hosman said that providing inmates who lack a high school diploma with a High School Equivalency diploma helps them qualify for more jobs upon their release.
“The participants in this program feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, and they see that they are capable of meeting goals when they put their minds and efforts into the program,” said Capt. Hosman.
The classes were taught by Virginia Jordan and covered multiple subject areas including social studies, mathematics, spelling and science.
Students are eligible to take the California State High School Equivalency Test, or HiSet, upon completing the program. A successful student will be awarded a High School Equivalency diploma.
Sheriff Brian Martin expressed his pride for Flores and Pizzagrani for earning their diplomas. He encouraged the remaining participants in the program to continue their efforts.
“Possession of a High School Equivalency certificate opens up many doors that were previously closed for the people in this program,” Martin said. “Our hope is for offenders to be able remain free after serving their sentences, and become contributing members of society.”
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.
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.
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 .