News
On Nov. 28 and 29, members of the Region II Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force met in Lake County and conducted a two-day operation, according to Lt. Cecil Brown of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Agencies that assigned personnel to participate in the operation included the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Probation Department, Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Lakeport Police Department, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department, Solano County Sheriff’s Department, California State Parole and the Northern California Computer Crimes Task Force, Brown reported.
California State Law requires persons convicted of certain sex crimes to register with the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction where they reside. Brown said the sheriff’s office conducts compliance checks to ensure that sex offenders register when required by law, and to verify information provided during the registration process.
The enforcement operation that occurred on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29 resulted in four arrests for violations of terms and conditions of parole, said Brown.
Five additional investigations were initiated for violations of sex offender registration laws, narcotics violations and a weapons violation, he said.
Several parole and probation searches were conducted, according to Brown. Agents from the Northern California Computer Crimes Task Force were able to perform on-site forensic searches of computer equipment for child pornography or other material which would violate the terms of probation or parole.
A primary goal of the SAFE Task Force is reduce the number of noncompliant registrants in each county, said Brown.
In January, the Megan’s Law database listed 28 registrants in Lake County who were known to be out of compliance, reported Brown.
Megan’s Law now lists 12 noncompliant registrants in Lake County, said Brown. Warrants have been issued for six of the 12 noncompliant registrants; seven of the 12 are believed to be in Mexico or San Salvador.
Brown added that most of the registrants contacted were found to be in compliance.
The Region II SAFE Task Force was created to improve communication between the agencies in this Office of Emergency Services region, to reduce the number of non-compliant sex registrants and to increase public awareness, Brown reported.
Region II SAFE Task Force operations are funded by a grant administered by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department secured the grant funding, and distributes funds to the participating agencies.
Brown said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for opportunities created by this grant. Sheriff Lori Smith of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office qualified for this grant and devoted her resources to managing the grant.
Sheriff Smith chose to use grant funds to benefit 11 counties in addition to Santa Clara County, said Brown. Without this grant, sex registrant compliance checks must be completed by patrol deputies while they are not committed to other criminal investigations.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
The grant was awarded to the California Telehealth Network, a coalition led by the University of California, in partnership with government agencies and healthcare providers, including the California State Rural Healthcare Association, according to a statement from the office of state Sen. Patricia Wiggins' office. The group will work together to bring modern health care services to rural, underserved areas of California.
Telehealth and telemedicine services provide patients in rural areas with access to critically needed medical specialists in urban areas through video conferencing, Wiggins' office reported. With this new technology, urban doctors can monitor patients, make diagnoses and assist in treating patients in rural areas from long distances.
As members of the California Legislative Rural Caucus, Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) and Assemblymember Patty Berg (D-Eureka) actively supported the California Telehealth Network’s grant application by working with Congress and contacting the FCC to ensure California received its share of the federal funding.
The two legislators say they were very pleased by the news of the award.
“This federal grant will help us to expand broadband networks for telemedicine, which will enable us to connect medical experts to clinics in some of the most remote regions of California,” Berg said.
Wiggins agreed, saying that “it is critical that our state sets the standard with this new technology, which will enable us to save time, save money and, most importantly, save lives.”
Rural Caucus Chair Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) commended Wiggins and Berg for their hard work on behalf of rural Californians, noting, “I have been very impressed how the members of the Rural Caucus pulled together to fight for this funding. The senator and assemblymember have been tireless advocates for this important grant. I am grateful to have them as members of our team.”
The $22 million grant award comes on top of the $200 million allocated in Proposition 1D to build telemedicine capacity around the state, Wiggins' office reported. The award will build upon existing networks and connect approximately 300 health care providers that are currently unconnected to telemedicine services.
The California Legislative Rural Caucus is a bipartisan group created to protect and promote rural California and its interests. It is comprised of 45 members from the California State Assembly and Senate that represent rural areas throughout California.
David Miller, Wiggins' spokesman, reported that over the next three years the grant would be distributed to a number of North Coast health care providers, including several in and around Lake County.
In year two, Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport would receive funds, as would Potter Valley Community Health Center and Round Valley Indian Health Center.
The following year, the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium in Lakeport, and Mendocino Community Health Clinic in both Lakeport and Ukiah, would receive funds.
Miller did not have information at this time on the amount of grant money each local health care provider would receive.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
How to resolve AdBlock issue?