Law enforcement

June 9, 2008 -- Washington, DC — U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, reiterated his call for the Congress and the Administration to fully support state and local law enforcement in wake of new data detailing nationwide decreases in murders, robberies and other felonies.    » read more »

May 30, 2008 -- SAN DIEGO -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced that Theodore Swain, 60, was sentenced this morning to 24 years in state prison for running a $7 million Ponzi scheme that ripped off 100 investors in Southern California.

“This is the fourth time Swain has been caught ripping people off with his worthless investment schemes,” Attorney General Brown said. “Most recently, he convinced 99 consumers, including a doctor, lawyer and aerospace engineer, to invest tens of thousands of dollars in property which does not exist."

Today, the Honorable Judge Charles Gill sentenced Theodore Swain to 24 years in state prison and ordered him to pay $6.7 million in victim restitution.    » read more »

May 28, 2008 -- STOCKTON -- California Department of Justice special agents, in partnership with the Stockton Police Department, today arrested members of the violent Norteno street gang, which terrorized Stockton with drive-by shootings and crystal methamphetamine trafficking at the direction of the Nuestra Familia prison mafia.    » read more »

05/29/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the award of $66 million in traffic safety grants to 153 agencies and communities across the state, illustrating the Governor’s continued commitment to saving lives on California’s roadways.

Fatal motorcycle accident on an LA County highway: Photo by 7mary3 (CC)    » read more »

21 May 2008 -- In Mexico, President Felipe Calderon continues his fight against powerful drug cartels as the death count mounts. More than 1,300 people have died this year in Mexico in violence connected to the illicit drug trade. In recent weeks some high-ranking police officials have been targets of drug gangs, leading some analysts to wonder whether the Mexican government or the criminal gangs will win the fight.

Mexican police: Photo by Ese Oso/Chris (CC)    » read more »

May 15, 2008 -- Chicago, IL -- Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement to commemorate the National Peace Officers Memorial Day.

"On this National Peace Officers Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who lost their lives making our streets safer and our families more secure, including the 181 courageous Americans who fell in the line of duty last year - and our thoughts and prayers go out to their loved ones.    » read more »

May 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to a request from U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Barack Obama (D-IL), Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip today announced the Department of Justice (DOJ)'s intention to hold an anti-gang training program this summer in Chicago, Illinois as a component of the Project Safe Neighborhoods.

Chicago gang graffiti: Photo by Samuel A. Love (CC)

Additionally, in today's meeting, Durbin pressed Filip for a greater commitment from DOJ and reiterated his request for Chicago to be included in the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative which would devote more federal resources to Chicago.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement after the Senate took the first step to passing the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 (S.2123). Senator Obama is an original cosponsor of the bill and voted in favor of beginning debate on it.

A Seattle firefighter: Photo by Narisa (CC)    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today issued an executive order directing his administration to take significant steps to reduce racial disparities in Wisconsin’s justice system. Governor Doyle called for swift action to implement specific recommendations presented by his Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Wisconsin Justice System.    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- MONTGOMERY - Legislation designed to reform Alabama’s juvenile justice system has been signed into law by Alabama Governor Bob Riley. The new law is designed to reduce the number of children in state custody and redirect them toward community-based programs.

Alabama Governor Riley signs juvenile justice reform bill: Photo courtesy Alabama Governor's office    » read more »

April 25, 2008 -- SACRAMENTO -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced a new DNA search policy that will improve the ability of local law enforcement to investigate unsolved violent crimes by providing new investigative leads.

DNA bands: Photo by Diego Cantalapiedra    » read more »

Washington, D.C., April 22, 2008 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Broadcom Corporation for falsifying its reported income by backdating stock option grants over a five-year period.

As a result of the fraud, Broadcom restated its financial results in January 2007 and reported more than $2 billion in additional compensation expenses.

Broadcom single chip AGPS solution

The Irvine, Calif.-based semiconductor maker has agreed to settle the charges and consented to pay a $12 million penalty.    » read more »

Grants Will Help Fund Investigations and Victim Services

April 18, 2008 -- New York Governor Paterson today announced $1.17 million in grants to provide communities with increased resources to improve child safety – allowing more thorough investigation and prosecution of child abuse, neglect and maltreatment cases and enhancing victim services. The grants, 12 in total to organizations in various counties across New York State, reinforce the Governor’s commitment to ensuring the health, safety and well-being of New York’s children.    » read more »

April 17, 2008 -- Des Moines – Today, at the John R. Grubb YMCA in Des Moines, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed into law HF 2393, a bill requiring a “Minority Impact Statement” for any legislation related to a public offense, sentencing, or parole and probation procedures. The legislation also requires that any application for a grant from a state agency must also include a minority impact statement.    » read more »

INVEST program targets high-risk victims in five counties

April 17, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today formally announced the expansion of a successful pilot program to address rising numbers of fatal domestic violence cases in Florida. The INVEST program, which stands for Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team, provides intensive prevention and protection services to domestic abuse victims identified as at high risk for fatal attacks in Alachua, Duval, Orange, St. Lucie and Seminole Counties. These five counties had the highest rates of domestic violence fatalities in the state in 2006.    » read more »