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125-661: The Special Service Unit (SSU) is a component of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). It functions as the special operations division of CDCR. The unit is staffed by special agents assigned to field offices throughout the state. Although the special agents work for CDCR, they are neither correctional officers nor parole agents. SSU special agents are full-time peace officers per California Penal Code Section 830.2. This makes agents more akin to state police officers than to correctional officers. SSU agents conduct criminal investigations with

250-400: A 61-year-old man inRiverside County and was serving twenty-five years to life. Upon his escape, SSU agents were called in from across the state to assist with his apprehension. Within twenty-four hours, the escaped murderer was caught and brought back into custody. The Special Service Unit has been quietly involved in numerous high-profile cases throughout its fifty-year history. One example is

375-617: A New York Department of Corrections team that ostensibly bridged the gap between New York state parole services and local law enforcement. Casey went to New York and met with Russell H. Oswald, the New York State Parole Board chairman and founder of the New York Bureau of Special Services. Based on his study and evaluation of the Bureau of Special Services, Casey returned to California and designed his team. After

500-591: A branch of the OCS, which elevated the training and tactical acumen of the unit. EOU is CDCR's tactical training cadre. They are responsible for training all CDCR Crisis Response Teams (SWAT teams) throughout the state. With the OCS merger, SSU special agents were expected to maintain a higher level of tactical firearms proficiency and high-risk entry training. Although not considered a special weapons and tactics team (SWAT) by Califiornia POST standards, many agents are former SWAT operators from previous agencies or assignments. SSU

625-757: A communications system with the Department of Defense for communication with state and regional enforcement independent of the Department of Justice and police information systems and is coordinated by an information command center called the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) near El Paso, Texas . Rapid Response Teams ( RRT ), previously known as Foreign-Deployed Advisory and Support Teams ( FAST ), were decommissioned by DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenburg in March 2017 via memorandum. A need for domestic high-risk service teams led to

750-490: A controlled substance. Many problems associated with substance use disorders are the result of legitimately manufactured controlled substances being diverted from their lawful purpose into the illicit drug traffic. Many of the analgesics, depressants and stimulants manufactured for legitimate medical use can often carry the potential for addiction. Therefore, those scheduled substances have been brought under legal control for prevention and population safety. The goal of controls

875-483: A deadly adulterant in heroin have ravaged North America. An estimated 19,416 individuals died of a drug overdose in the United States in the first 3 months of 2020 compared with 16,682 in the same 3-month period in 2019; this trend was fueled by synthetic opioids (especially illicitly manufactured fentanyl and analogs). Furthermore, between May 2020 and April 2021, the estimated number of drug overdose deaths in

1000-412: A detective unit and on a special weapons and tactics team (SWAT). An external candidate must take a written exam and be ranked on a list. When an opening becomes available in one of the field offices, candidates on the list will be offered an oral interview. If selected, the candidate will have to pass an extensive background check, as well as physical and psychological exams, to be offered a position with

1125-453: A drug user or addict to the general public is a case of conflicting civil rights. Recurrently, billions of dollars are spent yearly, focusing largely on criminal law and demand reduction campaigns, which has resulted in the imprisonment of thousands of U.S. citizens. Demand for recreational drugs is somewhat static as the market for most illegal drugs has been saturated, forcing the cartels to expand their market to Europe and other areas than

1250-567: A firearm listed on an authorized carry list maintained and updated by the Firearms Training Unit (FTU), Quantico, Virginia. Special Agents may qualify with their own personally-owned handguns, rifle, and shotgun, and certain handguns are allowed to be used with permission from the FTU. Agents are required to attend tactical and firearms proficiency training quarterly, and to qualify with their handguns twice per year. The DEA has one of

1375-740: A handful are cross-designated as federal task force officers with such national partners as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). SSU agents maintain a rigorous training regimen. Because they are called upon for different mission sets, the agents must be able to operate in different environments. Agents are expected to be proficient in writing skills for preparing criminal reports, surveillance logs, and crafting search warrants. They must also be good communicators, as they interact with

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1500-548: A medical use. The CSA seeks to ensure legitimate access to controlled pharmaceuticals, while preventing illicit use of controlled drugs. To these ends, the DEA implements two intersecting legal schemes created by the CSA, registration provisions for entities involved in legal activities, violations of which are not usually criminal offenses, and trafficking provisions for illegal activities, violations of which are criminal offenses. From

1625-777: A moment's notice. In 2005, CDCR consolidated various divisions and units to realign its organizational structure. During that time, the Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) was created, which serves as the "special operations division" for the CDCR. Within the OCS are groups such as the Fugitive Apprehension Team (FAT), the Emergency Operations Unit (EOU) and the Criminal Intelligence Analysis Unit (CIAU). SSU became

1750-497: A national furor, resulting in several investigations. The incident has been described as a " Kafkaesque nightmare," a "debacle," and "one of the worst cases of its kind." Chong subsequently sued the DEA; the government settled the suit for $ 4.1 million. On August 12, 2013, at the American Bar Association 's House of Delegates meeting, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the "Smart on Crime" program, which

1875-612: A nexus to current and discharged CDCR inmates and state parolees on the street. They monitor prison gangs, gather criminal intelligence, and conduct narcotics enforcement. Special agents work closely with other law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the California Department of Justice , county sheriff's departments , and local police . They often assist prison correctional investigators with investigations connected to individuals in

2000-706: A particular investigation or trafficking group. These programs ended in the early 2000s. The DEA Special Operations Division ( SOD ) is a division within the DEA, which forwards information from wiretaps, intercepts, and databases from various sources to federal agents and local law enforcement officials. The SOD came under scrutiny following the 2010s global surveillance disclosures . The Domestic Cannabis Eradication / Suppression Program ( DCE / SP ) began funding eradication programs in Hawaii and California in 1979. The program rapidly expanded to include programs in 25 states by 1982. By 1985, all 50 states were participating in

2125-503: A single marijuana plant. Federal documents obtained by journalist Drew Atkins detail the DEA's continuing efforts to spend upwards of $ 14 million per year to completely eradicate marijuana within the United States despite the government funding allocation reports showing that the Marijuana Eradication Program often leads to the discovery of no marijuana plants. This prompted twelve members of Congress to push for

2250-458: A special tactical academy to become a member of the "Teams." The "Teams" take their name from the Navy SEAL program, as they are so elite and secretive. Members of these teams are kept confidential for safety and security reasons, as their nature is to conduct investigations in locating violent fugitives and executing their apprehension on a timely basis. FAT shares a sentimental affiliation with

2375-418: A three-year license was $ 551. Some have likened this approach to license fees unreasonable, "like making pilot licenses support the entire Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget." The renewal fee for 2020 as of October 1, 2020, is $ 888 for a three-year license. In 2005, the DEA estimated that it had over 4,000 informants without which they "could not effectively enforce the controlled substances laws of

2500-537: A total of 10 more hours of live fire training on their issued sidearm, to further aid them in helping pass the pistol qualification. After passing their pistol qualification, Basic Agent Trainees move on to receive formal training on the DEA's standard-issue long guns and will continue to frequently shoot the agency-issued sidearms that they have already qualified on. In all, BATs receive a total of 32 firearms training sessions, when combining classroom instruction, gear issue, and pistol, rifle, and shotgun live fire training at

2625-742: A traditional police officer or detective. They serve their own search and arrest warrants and assist other agencies that do not have a warrant service unit. To maintain their firearms skillset, SSU requires monthly range training and qualifications. Agents must pass a rigorous qualification course designed by CDCR's EOU team. They must pass with each weapon system they carry, including the M4 carbine , Remington short-barreled shotgun, 9mm pistol, and any secondary firearm. Agents conduct close-quarter defense training, tactical entry training, live-fire shoot house training, vehicle assaults, and officer rescue training. Agents have received training from elite police units such as

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2750-485: A two-day (16-hour) proficiency course to carry a shoulder weapon on enforcement operations. They may carry a Rock River LAR-15 or LWRC carbine as authorized, personally-owned weapons, provided they meet the same training and proficiency standards. In 2005, the DEA seized a reported $ 1.4 billion in drug trade related assets and $ 477 million worth of drugs. According to the White House's Office of Drug Control Policy ,

2875-550: A variety of community correctional facilities and camps, and monitors all parolees during their entry back into society. According to the Department's official Web site, "Currently there are 33 adult correctional institutions , 13 adult community correctional facilities, and eight juvenile facilities in California that house more than 165,000 adult offenders and nearly 3,200 juvenile offenders." This inmate population makes

3000-407: Is inelastic ; the people who are buying drugs will continue to buy them with little regard to price, often turning to crime to support expensive drug habits when the drug prices rise. One recent study by the DEA showed that the price of cocaine and methamphetamine is the highest it has ever been while the quality of both is at its lowest point ever. This is contrary to a collection of data done by

3125-530: Is "a sweeping initiative by the Justice Department that in effect renounces several decades of tough-on-crime anti-drug legislation and policies." Holder said the program "will encourage U.S. attorneys to charge defendants only with crimes "for which the accompanying sentences are better suited to their individual conduct, rather than excessive prison terms more appropriate for violent criminals or drug kingpins..." Running through Holder's statements,

3250-787: Is known about DEA SRT capabilities and its operator selection process. In the past, DEA had other tactical teams like the High-risk Entry Apprehension Teams ( HEAT ) in some Field Divisions, and Operation Snowcap Teams (predecessor of FAST). The teams administered by the Mobile Enforcement Section, the Mobile Enforcement Teams ( MET ), and Regional Enforcement Teams ( RET ), were mobile investigative units intended to deploy resources to state and local agencies (MET) or DEA Field Divisions (RET) in need of assistance with

3375-681: Is located in Arlington County, Virginia , across from The Pentagon . It maintains its own DEA Academy located on the Marine Corps Base Quantico at Quantico, Virginia , alongside the FBI Academy . As of 2024 , it maintains 241 domestic offices in 23 divisions, and 93 foreign offices in 69 countries. With a budget exceeding $ 3 billion, DEA employs 10,169 people, including 4,924 Special Agents and 800 Intelligence Analysts. c.  2015 its headquarters and

3500-475: Is mainly supplied from Western Asia (from Afghanistan and neighboring countries), and less likely to be contaminated with fentanyl. In North America, there are now fewer deaths involving heroin than either meth or cocaine, a striking change that has taken place over the last two years as heroin has all but disappeared from some regions. Due to the absence of heroin from Asian sources, fentanyl-laced heroin powder or tablets have filled that void. In October 2021,

3625-536: Is not officially published. However, a 2018 CDCR press release webpage article states, "Since 1977, 99 percent of all offenders who have left an adult institution, camp or community-based program without permission have been apprehended." The press release says that the Special Service Unit is the specialized unit tasked with hunting down prison escapees. The press release states, "[It is] the primary departmental link with allied law enforcement agencies and

3750-424: Is regarded as a “high-risk warrant service team” by California standards. As the "detective unit" for the Department of Corrections, SSU special agents are responsible for keeping current on the latest investigative techniques and case law. Special agents work hand-in-hand with law enforcement investigators from all branches of government. Many SSU agents are assigned to regional task forces throughout California, and

3875-411: Is said to have evolved after the March 9, 1963, kidnapping of two Los Angeles police officers. Joseph Wambaugh's bestselling book, The Onion Field , documented this incident. The abduction and subsequent murder of one of the officers were committed by two state parolees, Gregory Powell and Jimmy Lee Smith (a.k.a. Jimmy Youngblood). Plainclothes LAPD officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger were working

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4000-596: Is the Fugitive Apprehension Team or FAT which is made up of just over eighty agents who are assigned to offices throughout the state. FAT agents are criminal investigators and are teamed with the Warrants Unit of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) in locating and apprehending individuals wanted for high-violence offenses, whether under the jurisdiction of CDCR or local agencies. FAT agents have full-time peace officer powers throughout

4125-664: Is the administrative investigative and law enforcement liaison unit." In layman's terms, the unit is multifaceted and does whatever it is asked to keep communities safe. Special agents come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have worked their way up through CDCR as correctional officers or parole agents. An internal candidate must hold the equivalent rank of lieutenant or above to apply to SSU. Law enforcement officers from outside agencies can also apply. They come from local police, sheriff's departments, or other state police services. Those individuals ordinarily come with an extensive investigative and tactical background, usually having served in

4250-581: Is to ensure that these "controlled substances" are readily available for medical use while preventing their distribution for illicit distribution and non-medical use. This can be a difficult task, sometimes providing difficulty for legitimate patients and healthcare providers while circumventing illegal trade and consumption of scheduled drugs. Under federal law, all businesses which manufacture or distribute controlled drugs, all health professionals entitled to dispense, administer or prescribe them, and all pharmacies entitled to fill prescriptions must register with

4375-528: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City . He was targeting regional offices for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and DEA, all of which had carried out raids that he viewed as unjustified intrusions on the rights of the people. This attack caused the deaths of two DEA employees, one task force member and two contractors in

4500-653: The California Institution for Women housed the death row for women. In August 2003 Juan Catalan was arrested for the murder of Martha Puebla in Los Angeles County, California . Catalan was sentenced to death after a witness stated that he looked like the killer. Catalan turned out to be innocent; the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm contained footage which showed him seated at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game, thus exonerating him. According to

4625-655: The California recall election, 2003 , the CCPOA has been a vocal critic of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In June 2008, the union came under investigation from both the California Office of the Inspector General and the CDCR for its role in the hiring of a 21-year-old parolee by Minorities In Law Enforcement , an affiliate of CCPOA. Upon conclusion of investigations by both agencies, no wrongdoing

4750-650: The DEA Museum were in 503,776 square feet (46,802.3 m ) in Lincoln Place, a rented office building in Pentagon City in Arlington County, Virginia . In September 2018 this lease was scheduled to end. The General Services Administration (GSA), circa 2015, was checking to see where in Northern Virginia the DEA could be headquartered. In 2018 the government of the United States extended

4875-402: The Federal Bureau of Investigation , the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , and U.S. Customs and Border Protection . However, the DEA has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations both domestically and internationally. It was established in 1973 as part of the U.S. government's war on drugs . The DEA has an intelligence unit that is also a member of

5000-497: The Federal Bureau of Investigation , which in 2005 considered relaxing its hiring policy relevant to individual drug-use history. The DEA Aviation Division or Office of Aviation Operations ( OA ) (formerly Aviation Section ) is an airborne division based in Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Texas . The current OA fleet consists of 106 aircraft and 124 DEA pilots. The DEA shares

5125-725: The LAPD SWAT team, the LAPD Special Investigation Section (SIS), and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Special Enforcement Bureau. Agents have also trained with military personnel from units such as the United States Navy SEALs and United States Army Special Forces . One of the primary functions of SSU is the investigation and apprehension of state prison escapees. The number of prison escapes from California prisons

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5250-416: The Oklahoma City bombing . Subsequently, the DEA headquarters complex was classified as a Level IV installation under United States federal building security standards, meaning it was to be considered a high-risk law enforcement target for terrorists. Security measures include hydraulic steel roadplates to enforce standoff distance from the building, metal detectors and guard stations. In February 2003,

5375-671: The Patricia Hearst kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) in 1974. The SLA was a radical left-wing organization formed in Soledad Prison by Donald DeFreeze . In 1973 Defreeze escaped from prison and led the SLA on the streets when they kidnapped Hearst. The day after Hearst's kidnapping, special agents from the unit's San Francisco office provided police with photographs of suspects who matched

5500-583: The Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) minimum requirement course. Upon completion of the academy, cadets are sworn in as CDCR peace officers. Upon assignment to their work institution or location, these officers also undergo further training for two years as vocational apprentices (one year of which is spent on probation). Upon completion of their two-year training they are then considered regular state correctional peace officers (CDCR officers) An elite and low-profile unit within CDCR

5625-664: The Plata and Coleman courts granted the plaintiff's motions and recommended that the cases be assigned to the same three-judge court. The Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed and, on July 26, 2007, convened the instant three-judge district court pursuant to 28 U.S.C.   § 2284 . As of 2008–09 fiscal year, the state of California spent approximately $ 16,000 per inmate per year on prison health care. This amount

5750-566: The U.S. Intelligence Community . While the unit is part of the DEA chain-of-command, it also reports to the Director of National Intelligence . The DEA has been criticized for scheduling drugs that have medicinal uses, and for focusing on operations that allow it to seize money rather than those involving drugs that cause more harm. The Drug Enforcement Administration was established on July 1, 1973, by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973, signed by President Richard Nixon on July 28. It proposed

5875-518: The Wayback Machine along with medical professionals, researchers and manufacturers access to " Schedule I " drugs, as well as Schedules 2, 3, 4 and 5. Authorized registrants apply for and, if granted, receive a " DEA number ". An entity that has been issued a DEA number is authorized to manufacture (drug companies), distribute research, prescribe (doctors, pharmacists , nurse practitioners and physician assistants, etc.), or dispense (pharmacy)

6000-575: The Alternative Custody Program (ACP) and will sometimes flee instead of completing the program. These are considered prison escapes by state statute. One of the most high-profile prison escapes occurred from Folsom State Prison on June 5, 1987. Inmate Glen Godwin , a convicted murderer, escaped the then-maximum security prison. He reportedly escaped through a storm drain and into the American River, which flows adjacent to

6125-550: The American government as a drug with a potential for addiction. During this time, several public hearings on the new drug were held by the DEA. Based on all of the evidence and facts presented at the time, the DEA's administrative law judge did not see MDMA and its analogues as being of large concern and recommended that they be placed in Schedule III. The DEA administrator, expressing concern for addictive potential, overruled

6250-886: The Aryan Brotherhood organization used smuggled phones to order murders and orchestrate a multi-state drug trafficking operation from their prison cells. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation CDCR is the 3rd largest law enforcement agency in the United States behind the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York City Police Department , which employ approximately 66,000 federal officers and 42,000 police officers respectively. CDCR correctional officers are sworn law enforcement officers with peace officer powers. As of 2013, CDCR employed approximately 24,000 peace officers (state correctional officers), 1,800 state parole agents, and 150 criminal investigators. Jeff Macomber

6375-654: The Bureau of Customs, Customs Agency Service, and other federal offices merged to create the DEA. The DEA is the primary federal agency charged with implementing and enforcing the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which is Title II of a larger Federal Act called the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 . The DEA is responsible for drugs listed in the CSA's five drug Schedules, categories that rank drugs by their potential for harm, and whether they have

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6500-487: The CDCR the largest state-run prison system in the United States. Regarding adult prisons, CDCR has the task of receiving and housing inmates that were convicted of felony crimes within the State of California. Adult inmates arriving at a state prison are assigned a classification based on the offense committed. Each prison is designed to house different varieties of inmate offenders, from Level I inmates to Level IV inmates;

6625-476: The California prison system. Plata v. Brown is a federal class action civil rights lawsuit alleging unconstitutionally inadequate medical services, and as a result of a stipulation between the plaintiffs and the state, the court issued an injunction requiring defendants to provide "only the minimum level of medical care required under the Eighth Amendment." However, three years after approving

6750-504: The DCE/SP. In 2015, the DCE/SP was responsible for the eradication of 3,932,201 cultivated outdoor cannabis plants and 325,019 indoor plants for a total of 4,257,220 marijuana plants. In addition, the DCE/SP accounted for 6,278 arrests and the seizure in excess of $ 29.7 million of cultivator assets. In 2014, the DEA spent $ 73,000 to eradicate marijuana plants in Utah, though they did not find

6875-656: The DEA Academy. They will shoot the qualification courses for all three weapons systems during their initial training but must pass their final qualification attempts only on their Glock pistols to become a Special Agent. Agents are trained to use shoulder-fired weapons, such as the Rock River LAR-15, adopted in 2004, and the LWRC M6A2 , the standard carbine of DEA. The Colt 9mm SMG was previously issued, but no longer in service. Agents are required to complete

7000-632: The DEA established a Digital Evidence Laboratory within its Office of Forensic Sciences. The DEA is headed by an Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate . The Administrator reports to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General . The administrator is assisted by a deputy administrator,

7125-456: The DEA helped harbor Nicaraguan drug traffickers. Notably, they allowed Oscar Danilo Blandón political asylum in the USA despite knowledge of his cocaine-trafficking organization. The government of Bolivia has also taken similar steps to ban the DEA from operating in the country. In September 2008, Bolivia drastically reduced diplomatic ties with the United States, withdrawing its ambassador from

7250-487: The DEA should focus much more on prescription opiates used recreationally, which critics contend comes first before users switch to heroin. Practitioners who legally prescribe medicine however must possess a valid DEA license. According to federal law, the budget of the DEA Diversion Control Program is to be paid by these license fees. In 1984 a three-year license cost $ 25. In 2009 the fee for

7375-548: The DEA. Registrants must comply with a series of regulatory requirements relating to drug security, records accountability, and adherence to standards. All of these investigations are conducted by Diversion Investigators (DIs). DIs conduct investigations to uncover and investigate suspected sources of diversion and take appropriate civil and administrative actions. Prescription Database Management Programs (PDMP) aid and facilitate investigation and surveillance. In 2019 and 2020, record overdoses from illicit fentanyl tablets or as

7500-522: The Department of Corrections to create fugitive teams to locate and bring to justice parole violators, the most violent offenders of modern times. In addition to correctional officers, CDCR employs a small group of criminal investigators who are assigned to offices throughout the state. These investigators are part of an elite unit known as the Special Service Unit or simply SSU. There are at multiple ongoing lawsuits over medical care in

7625-403: The Department's official Web site, "there are more than 148,000 adult parolees and 3,800 juvenile parolees supervised by the CDCR." A 2002 article found that "California's growth in the numbers of people on parole supervision—and in the numbers whose parole has been revoked—has far exceeded the growth in the rest of the nation." California accounted for 12 percent of the U.S. population but 18% of

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7750-450: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Exceptions to this policy may be made for applicants who admit to limited youthful and experimental use of marijuana . Such applicants may be considered for employment if there is no evidence of regular, confirmed usage and the full-field background investigation and results of the other steps in the process are otherwise favorable. The DEA's relatively firm stance on this issue contrasts with that of

7875-778: The Governor’s Conference on Violence was convened in Los Angeles, California. A sub-committee was formed consisting of Attorney General Thomas Lynch, Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker, San Francisco Police Chief Thomas Cahill, Oakland Police Chief Edward Toothman, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Folger Emerson, Governor’s Executive Clemency Secretary John McInerney, Marin County District Attorney Roger Garrity, and San Joaquin County Sheriff Mike Canliss. One of

8000-473: The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services" and "The OCS mission is to protect the public and serve CDCR investigative and security interests. OCS is the primary departmental link with allied law enforcement agencies and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services." A large majority of the escapes occur from minimum-security facilities, such as fire camps. Inmates are also placed back in the community through

8125-495: The Hollywood Area and conducted a routine traffic stop at the corner of Carlos Avenue and Gower Street. Convicts Powell and Smith were in the car. As the officers conducted their stop, the parolees produced guns and overpowered the officers. The officers were forced into Powell's car and driven out of the city. Powell and Smith drove them north from Los Angeles to an onion field near Bakersfield, California . Officer Campbell

8250-437: The Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) are peace officers per California Penal Code 830.2 whether assigned to the Special Service Unit (Special Agents), the Fugitive Apprehension Team (Special Agents, PAI, II & IIIs), or other entity of OCS, which serves are the special operations division of the department. OCS Agents are classified as full time peace officers. CDCR Peace Officers are trained to become Sworn Peace Officers of

8375-550: The Office of National Drug Control Policy, which states that purity of street drugs has increased, while price has decreased. In contrast to the statistics presented by the DEA, the United States Department of Justice released data in 2003 showing that purity of methamphetamine was on the rise. The DEA has a registration system in place which authorizes anyone to manufacture, import, export, and distribute by filing DEA form 225 Archived November 8, 2015, at

8500-516: The Secretary of Health and Human Services recommends against it on a scientific or medical basis, and no drug can be placed in the most restrictive schedule ( Schedule I ) if DHHS finds that the drug has an accepted medical use. Jon Gettman 's essay Science and the End of Marijuana Prohibition describes the DEA as "a fall guy to deflect responsibility from the key decision-makers" and opines, "HHS calls

8625-621: The State of California at the Basic Correctional Peace Officer Academy located in Galt, California . Cadets must complete a 13-week formal and comprehensive training program. The curriculum consists of 640 hours (four months) of training. Instruction includes but is not limited to firearms, chemical agents, non-lethal impact weapons, arrest and control techniques, state law, penal codes and department policies and procedures. Cadets must also successfully complete

8750-530: The U.S. government's War on Drugs and that many benefits of such substances remain unrecognized due to the difficulty of conducting scientific research. A counterpoint to that criticism is that under the Controlled Substances Act it is the Department of Health and Human Services (through the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse ), not the DEA, which has the legal responsibility to make scientific and medical determinations with respect to drug scheduling; no drug can be scheduled if

8875-529: The U.S. parole population, and almost 90,000 California parolees returned to prison in 2000. At San Quentin, the non-profit organization California Reentry Program "helps inmates re-enter society after they serve their sentences." Correctional Officers and Parole Agents are sworn Peace Officers per California Penal code sections 830.5 , as their primary duties are to provide public safety and correctional services in and outside of state prison grounds, state-operated medical facilities, and camps while engaged in

9000-528: The US and expelling the US ambassador from Bolivia. This occurred soon after Bolivian president Evo Morales expelled all DEA agents from the country due to a revolt in the traditional coca-growing Chapare Province . The Bolivian government claimed that it could not protect the agents, and Morales further accused the agency of helping incite the violence, which claimed 30 lives. National agencies were to take over control of drug management. Three years later, Bolivia and

9125-515: The US began to restore full diplomatic ties. However, Morales maintained that the DEA would remain unwelcome in the country, characterising it as an affront to Bolivia's "dignity and sovereignty". In the Netherlands, both the Dutch government and the DEA have been criticized for violations of Dutch sovereignty in drug investigations. According to Peter R. de Vries , a Dutch journalist present at

9250-585: The US reported another record in fentanyl deaths, as federal agencies were unable to stem the tide of illicit, synthetic drugs entering the US. Originally, introduced to replace much of the white powder heroin in the Eastern United States, the drug continues to move further west. Between July 2019–December 2020, illicitly manufactured fentanyl involved deaths increased sharply in midwestern (33.1%), southern (64.7%), and western (93.9%) jurisdictions. In 1985 MDMA and its analogues were under review by

9375-549: The United States Constitution , and issued an order for injunctive relief requiring defendants to develop plans to remedy the constitutional violations under the supervision of a special master . Following the Governor's issuance of the State of Emergency Proclamation, the plaintiffs in Plata and Coleman filed motions to convene a three-judge court to limit the prison population. On July 23, 2007, both

9500-467: The United States exceeded 100,000 over this time period, with 64.0% of deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (the same illicitly manufactured fentanyls and analogs). In contrast, Europe has seen a decrease from heroin overdoses, and a practical absence of illicit, synthetic opioids. Fentanyl, originally developed in the 1970s by Janssen Pharmaceutica , is a potent anesthetic primarily used in hospital or hospice settings. In Europe, heroin

9625-529: The United States were considered. However, then– Attorney General Edwin Meese determined that the headquarters had to be located close to the Attorney General's office. Thus, in 1989, the headquarters relocated to 600–700 Army-Navy Drive in the Pentagon City area of Arlington County, Virginia, near the eponymous Metro station . On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh carried out a terrorist attack on

9750-466: The United States. United States federal law registers cannabis as a Schedule I drug. In April 2012 in San Diego, California , DEA agents detained a student, Daniel Chong, and left him locked in a holding room for five days. The cell contained no food, water or bathroom facilities. When he was found, he had to be hospitalized for several days for a variety of medical problems. The incident touched off

9875-504: The United States." To gather information, agents permitted their informants to buy and sell drugs, engage in Medicaid fraud rings, and other illicit acts. Despite this, the DEA claims that they are "in compliance" with the rules for using informants to gather information about illicit activities. The total budget of the DEA from 1972 to 2014, according to the agency website, was $ 50.6 billion. The agency had 11,055 employees in 2014. For

10000-503: The agency. In 2007, after the U.S. State Department criticized Venezuela in its annual report on drug trafficking, the Venezuelan Minister of Justice reiterated the accusations: "A large quantity of drug shipments left the country through that organization. We were in the presence of a new drug cartel ." In his 1996 series of articles and subsequent 1999 book , both titled Dark Alliance, journalist Gary Webb asserts that

10125-482: The chief of operations, the chief inspector, and three assistant administrators (for the Operations Support, Intelligence, and Human Resources divisions). Other senior staff includes the chief financial officer and the chief counsel. The administrator and deputy administrator are the only presidentially appointed personnel in the DEA; all other DEA officials are career government employees. DEA's headquarters

10250-562: The clandestine nature of the DEA mission, SRT training protocols and activation requirements are highly sensitive and not available to the public. Some of the SRT missions consist of high-risk arrests, vehicle assaults, air assault/infiltration, specialized surveillance, custody of high-profile individuals, dignitary and witness protection, tactical surveillance and interdiction, advanced breaching, tactical training to other police units, and urban and rural fugitive searches. Covertly located throughout

10375-405: The community. These investigations usually involve people introducing drugs or contraband into the prisons. SSU special agents hold the equivalency rank of a CDCR captain. SSU agents attempt to keep a low profile and small footprint while conducting their missions throughout the state. The Special Service Unit was formed in 1964 at the request of California Governor Pat Brown . The unit's formation

10500-463: The creation of a single federal agency to enforce the federal drug laws as well as consolidate and coordinate the government's drug control activities. Congress accepted the proposal, as they were concerned with the growing availability of drugs. As a result, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD), the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE); approximately 600 Special Agents of

10625-496: The dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries. One attacker was captured. The bodies of many of the dead hostages showed signs of torture or disfigurement. A number of those killed were notable figures in business, media, and security services. The DEA was accused in 2005 by the Venezuelan government of collaborating with drug traffickers, after which President Hugo Chávez decided to end any collaboration with

10750-582: The death of Whipple. SSU assisted local law enforcement during the investigation and prosecution of Knoller and Noel. In August 2009, Phillip Garrido was arrested in Antioch, California , for the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard . He had kidnapped her eighteen years prior and kept her in captivity. The Hayward, California police department was interested in Garrido related to the 1988 kidnapping of nine-year-old Michaela Garecht . Special agents from SSU assisted

10875-607: The department are represented by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (the CCPOA). It was founded in 1957 and its stated goals include the protection and safety of officers, and the advocation of laws, funding and policies to improve work operations and protect public safety. The union has had its controversies over the years, including criticism of its large contributions to former California Governor Gray Davis. Since

11000-432: The department has activated thirty-one prisons across the state. CDCR's history dates back to 1912, when the agency was called California State Detentions Bureau. In 1951 it was renamed California Department of Corrections. In 2004 it was renamed California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. In 2018-2019 it cost an average of $ 81,203 to house an inmate for one year. CDCR operates all state institutions, oversees

11125-431: The description of one of the abductors. Thanks to photographs supplied by SSU, DeFreeze was positively identified as one of Hearst's abductors. That identification led to a lengthy investigation of SLA and its origin behind prison walls. Another example is the high-profile murders that shook Los Angeles in the late sixties. The murders were committed by Charles Manson cult members and became known as Helter Skelter. During

11250-671: The detectives from the Hayward Police Department in the ensuing investigation. In 2011, they assisted in conducting interviews with Garrido and his wife, Nancy Garrido, who had been sentenced to state prison in California. In February 2012, the Occupy Movement conducted a protest at the east gate of San Quentin Prison, located in Marin County, California SSU special agents worked undercover and infiltrated

11375-471: The early 1970s, DEA headquarters was located at 1405 I ("Eye") Street NW in downtown Washington, D.C. With the overall growth of the agency in the 1980s (owing to the increased emphasis on federal drug law enforcement efforts) and concurrent growth in the headquarters staff, the DEA began to search for a new headquarters location; locations in Arkansas , Mississippi and various abandoned military bases around

11500-543: The elimination of the program and use the money instead to fund domestic-violence prevention and deficit-reduction programs. In 2018, the DEA budget was $ 2.086 billion. $ 445 million was spent on international enforcement and $ 1.627 billion was spent on domestic enforcement. DEA agents' primary service weapons are the Glock 17 and Glock 19 , Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun, and Rock River Arms LAR-15 semi-automatic carbine in 5.56×45mm NATO . Agents may also qualify to carry

11625-692: The firearms qualification test, successfully demonstrate leadership and sound decision-making in practical scenarios, and pass rigorous physical-task tests. Upon graduation, recruits earn the title of DEA Special Agent. The DEA excludes from consideration job applicants who have a history of any use of narcotics or illicit drugs. Investigation usually includes a polygraph test for special-agent, diversion-investigator, and intelligence research specialist positions. Applicants who are found, through investigation or personal admission, to have experimented with or used narcotics or dangerous drugs, except those medically prescribed, will not be considered for employment with

11750-566: The group of protestors. Their mission was to gain intelligence if the protest turned violent or the prison's security was compromised. In 2012, SSU special agents became involved in the Speed Freak Killers investigation. Agents interviewed convicted serial killer Wesley Shermantine at San Quentin State Prison. Shermantine was a condemned inmate awaiting execution on death row. Shermantine provided agents with information about

11875-552: The hallway of her apartment building. The dogs, Bane and Hera, were owned by Whipple's neighbors, Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel. The dogs' actual owner, Paul Schneider, was a high-ranking member of the Brotherhood prisongang serving a life sentence in Pelican Bay State Prison. The Special Service Unit had been investigating the Aryan Brotherhood and its illegal dog breeding business for several months before

12000-725: The higher the level, the higher risk the inmate poses. Selected prisons within the state are equipped with security housing units, reception centers, and/or "condemned" units. These security levels are defined as follows: Death Row Condemned male prisoners are held at San Quentin State Prison . Condemned female prisoners are held at the Central California Women's Facility . Executions take place at San Quentin. The State of California took full control of capital punishment in 1891. Originally, executions took place at San Quentin and at Folsom State Prison . Folsom's last execution occurred on December 3, 1937. In previous eras

12125-423: The highest ranks in law enforcement to the most dangerous criminals in the state. Agents also develop and operate confidential informants to further their cases, which is a skill in and of itself. Conducting covert surveillance is a skill and an art that each agent must master. SSU functions as a “tactical detective unit,” meaning that although they are not a SWAT team, they must operate at a much higher level than

12250-718: The historic California State Rangers, who were created in May 1853 by a California Legislative Act and organized by Captain Harry Love, to apprehend dangerous offenders of the time. In August 1853, after having fulfilled their purpose, the Rangers were mustered out of service. The affiliation that FAT shares, although remotely, is that in July 1996 the California State Legislature enacted specific funds earmarked via

12375-483: The hybrid creation of specialized tactical units residing within various geographical regions throughout the United States. DEA officially created and standardized its Special Response Team ( SRT ) program in 2016. The SRT was designed as a stop-gap between tactical operations conducted by field agents and those necessitating specialized tactics as a result of elevated risks. SRT operators are highly trained in various weapons systems and entry tactics/maneuvers. Because of

12500-522: The increasing economic burden of over-incarceration was stressed. As of August 2013 , the Smart on Crime program is not a legislative initiative but an effort "limited to the DOJ's policy parameters." David Coleman Headley (born Daood Sayed Gilani, June 30, 1960) who was working as an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) simultaneously made periodic trips to Pakistan for LeT training and

12625-520: The investigation into the cult, SSU special agents were requested by Los Angeles Police to interview Bruce Davis, a Manson follower. He had been convicted of the 1969 Gary Hinman murder in Los Angeles. Davis was a Manson devotee whom police were trying to turn as an informant into many of the open murders linked to the Manson Family. On January 26, 2001, San Francisco resident Diane Whipple was attacked and killed by two large Presa Canario dogs in

12750-677: The lease at Lincoln Place, now to expire circa 2033. The DEA administration favored retaining the original location. As of 2017, there were 4,650 special agents employed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA agents' starting salary is $ 49,746–$ 55,483. After four years, the salary rises to above $ 92,592. After receiving a conditional offer of employment, recruits must then complete an 18-week rigorous training which includes lessons in firearms proficiency (including basic marksmanship), weapons safety, tactical shooting, and deadly-force decision training. To graduate, students must maintain an academic average of 80 percent on academic examinations, pass

12875-542: The locations identified by the serial killer and later conducted forensic excavations searching for human remains. In February 2018, SSU culminated a year-long operation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, code-named "Silent Night." The investigation focused on the Nuestra Familia prison gang and its control over Northern California communities. The investigation centered on Woodland, California, and

13000-515: The most challenging handgun qualification courses in all of the federal law enforcement. Failure to achieve a passing qualification score is the reason for most Academy dismissals and special agents in the field may have their authority to carry a firearm revoked for failure to qualify. Basic Agent Trainees (BATs) who fail the initial pistol qualification course of fire are placed in a remedial program to receive additional training. In remedial training, BATs receive five extra two-hour range sessions, for

13125-407: The nation, DEA SRT teams are available to respond to practically any CONUS geographical area with little to no preparation or notification. The DEA SRT has been involved in several high-profile operations in recent years, however, DEA involvement is often not publicized due to operational and intelligence considerations. Considered one of the most covert outfits in federal law enforcement, very little

13250-639: The performance of their duties. The primary duties of these officers include, but are not limited to, providing public safety and law enforcement services in and around California's adult and youth institutions, fire camps, and state-operated medical facilities and hospitals, and community correctional facilities. These officers also monitor and supervise parolees who are released back into the general public. Other primary duties include investigation and apprehension of institutional escapees and parolees at large (PAL), prison gangs, statewide narcotics enforcement and investigations (involving institutions), etc. Agents of

13375-470: The primary investigative unit for CDCR on cases that evolve from prison or parolees or have a direct nexus to CDCR. According to its official description, SSU "conducts the major criminal investigations..., criminal apprehension efforts of prison escapees and parolees wanted for serious and violent felonies, is the primary departmental gang management unit, conducts complex gang-related investigations of inmates and parolees suspected of criminal gang activity, and

13500-630: The recommendation and ruled that MDMA be put in Schedule I, the Controlled Substances Act 's most restrictive category. The following is a listing of the rank structure found within the DEA (in ascending order): The DEA has been criticized for placing highly restrictive schedules on a few drugs that researchers in the fields of pharmacology and medicine regard as having medical uses. Critics assert that some such decisions are motivated primarily by political factors stemming from

13625-510: The recommendations from the sub-committee was the formation of a unit within the Department of Corrections aimed at establishing and furthering liaison activities between the CDC, street law enforcement, district attorneys, and the courts. A decision was made to form a specialized unit within CDCR to liaison between the department and outside agencies. CDCR Assistant Director Charles Casey was tasked with creating this new unit. Director Casey learned of

13750-470: The shots when it comes to marijuana prohibition, and the cops at DEA and the general over at ONDCP take the heat." The DEA is also criticized for focusing on the operations from which it can seize the most money, namely the organized cross-border trafficking of marijuana . Some individuals contemplating the nature of the DEA's charter advise that, based on danger, the DEA should be most focused on cocaine. Others suggest that, based on opiate popularity,

13875-667: The state legislature approved its formation, the Law Enforcement Intelligence and Liaison Unit (later shortened to Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit {LEIU}) officially went into service in April 1964. The unit initially consisted of six special agents. In 1966, four additional special agents were added to the team. The name was changed to the Special Service Unit. By 1975, there were three regional SSU offices in Sacramento, Corte Madera, and El Monte. SSU serves as

14000-542: The state under Penal Code Section 830.2(d) and provide services to local agencies whose resources do not allow them to pursue violent offenders who have fled their jurisdictions, to parole violators wanted for violent offenses, and individuals wanted under federal warrants. Some of the agents have powers that extend beyond the State of California as they are also sworn Special Deputies of the USMS. FAT agents are highly trained in high-risk warrant service execution and must complete

14125-468: The stipulation as an order of the court, the court conducted an evidentiary hearing that revealed the continued existence of appalling conditions arising from defendants’ failure to provide adequate medical care to California inmates. As a result, the court ruled in June 2005 and issued an order on October 3, 2005, putting the CDCR's medical health care delivery system in receivership , citing the "depravity" of

14250-509: The street gang called "Varrio Bosque Norteno." An arrest sweep of 29 suspects took place on February 14, 2018. On June 6, 2019, The United States Attorney's Office in Sacramento, California , indicted sixteen members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang; the indictments stemmed from a five-year investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Special Service Unit. The government alleged that top officials within

14375-528: The system. In February 2006, the judge appointed Robert Sillen to the position and Sillen was replaced by J. Clark Kelso in January 2008. Coleman v. Brown is a federal class action civil rights lawsuit alleging unconstitutionally inadequate mental health care, filed on April 23, 1990. On September 13, 1995, the court found the delivery of mental health care violated the Eighth Amendment to

14500-566: The total value of all of the drugs sold in the U.S. is as much as $ 64 billion a year, giving the DEA an efficiency rate of less than 1% at intercepting the flow of drugs into and within the United States. Critics of the DEA (including recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences , Milton Friedman , prior to his death a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ) point out that demand for illegal drugs

14625-407: The unit. The current configuration of the Special Service Unit remains true to its origins—small and mobile. As of 2018, CDCR reports there are less than forty SSU special agents. They are based throughout California in clandestine, off-site locations. Every agent is equipped with tactical and surveillance equipment and unmarked, uncover vehicles; they are ready to respond anywhere within the state at

14750-509: The west side of the prison. Godwin has been featured on several television documentaries and was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for twenty years. The case is still open and being worked as a cold case by investigators. In August 2014, convicted murderer Scott Landers escaped from the back of a CDCR transport van while on Interstate 5 just north of Atwater, California Landers had been convicted of stabbing

14875-643: The whereabouts of victims’ bodies, buried in Calaveras and San Joaquin counties. He claimed the remains were those of victims he and his childhood friend, Loren Herzog , had murdered. In August 2012, SSU agents conducted a covert transport of Shermantine from Death Row to the areas he described in Calaveras County and San Joaquin County. Shermantine directed SSU to where he and Herzog had allegedly buried their victims. FBI Evidence Response Team agents marked

15000-755: The year 2014 the average cost per arrest made was $ 97,325. Others, such as former Republican congressman Ron Paul, the Cato Institute , The Libertarian Party and the Drug Policy Alliance criticize the very existence of the DEA and the War on Drugs as both hostile, and contrary, to the concept of civil liberties by arguing that anybody should be free to put any substance they choose into their own bodies for any reason, particularly when legal drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs are also open to addiction, and that any harm caused by

15125-598: Was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Secretary for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) on December 12, 2022. In 1851, California activated its first state-run institution. This institution was a 268-ton wooden ship named The Waban , and was anchored in the San Francisco Bay . The prison ship housed 30 inmates who subsequently constructed San Quentin State Prison , which opened in 1852 with approximately 68 inmates. Since 1852,

15250-407: Was by far the largest in the country and more than triple the $ 4,400 spent per inmate in 2001. The state with the second largest prison population in the country, Texas, spent less than $ 4,000 per inmate per year. Another trend that has emerged involves California prisoners initiating lawsuits against individual doctors, alleging substandard medical care received while incarcerated. Officers of

15375-411: Was found. National: Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act , sharing concurrent jurisdiction with

15500-623: Was one of the main conspirators in the 2008 Mumbai attacks . On January 24, 2013, Headley, then 52 years old, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago to 35 years in prison for his part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which at least 164 victims (civilians and security personnel) and nine attackers were killed. Among

15625-411: Was shot and killed in the field; Officer Hettinger was able to escape.[1] In the police investigation that ensued, the ability of LAPD detectives to get timely and necessary information from the Department of Corrections was severely hampered, ostensibly by the size and bureaucracy of the department. Detectives needed a way to obtain information quickly and access CDCR records and resources. In late 1963,

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