Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department vs. Your City Police Department

Are you kidding me Jennifer McLain??? Can you let this go already…you must love to read tabloids too!!!!!!!!!!!

Ms. McLain, if you want detailed facts about contracting, contact the Sheriff’s Dept. Contract Law Bureau at Sheriff’s Headquarters.

Deal on Burned SUV Prompts Inquiry

By Hector Becerra and Richard Winton
November 01, 2005 in print edition B-1

Prosecutors have launched an investigation of a West Covina city councilman who bought a cut-rate SUV, then voted in favor of a financial arrangement that benefited the dealer who sold it to him.

The car in question was one of several damaged in August 2003 when environmental radicals set fire to some SUVs and painted slogans such as polluter on others in the San Gabriel Valley.

Councilman Roger Hernandez put up less than $6,000 in cash, plus the trade-in of his old car, to buy one of the damaged SUVs, a charcoal gray 2004 Chevy Tahoe LS that could have sold for $35,000 undamaged.

District attorney investigators served a search warrant last week at West Covina City Hall, the auto dealership and Hernandezs home.

I opened the [garage] door, and here were a bunch of men looking through my garage, said Hernandez, 30, who denies any wrongdoing.

Investigators, he said, showed him a copy of the search warrant affidavit, which stated they were looking for a partnership with the dealership that was improper.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the case. But sources close to the investigation said officials were trying to determine whether Hernandez acted improperly by accepting the SUV at a discounted price while continuing to participate in city business involving the dealership.

The dealership, Clippinger Chevrolet, was one of several hit by vandals during a night of attacks on SUVs across the San Gabriel Valley that was later linked to the radical environmental group Earth Liberation Front.

Shortly after the attack, Hernandez was among a group of city leaders who toured Clippinger Chevrolet to assess the damage.

Hernandez said he talked with Ziad Alhassen, president of Clippingers parent company, West Covina Motors, about the fate of the scorched cars. Some were 100% destroyed, Hernandez said, but others were only partially burned.

I asked him what they were going to do with these partially burned vehicles, Hernandez said. He said that after being processed for insurance, they would be refurbished and sold at discount.

Hernandez said he told Alhassen that he was interested in purchasing one of the damaged vehicles.

Shortly afterward, Hernandez picked out a charcoal gray 2004 Chevy Tahoe LS.

It had a stench. The vehicle always had a stench, the councilman said.

The most obvious damage was to paint on the upper left side of the roof that had a sandpaper texture from fire damage, he said.

Hernandez said he was quoted a price of about $23,000. He traded in his 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser for $17,000, he said. At the time, he also qualified for an unspecified manufacturers rebate.

A year later, Hernandez voted with the council majority on a sales tax deal under which the city would give back up to $3.5 million for Clippinger to improve its dealership. Under the agreement, the dealership and the city would share in the profits after a certain sales threshold was met.

About eight months ago, Hernandez said he traded in the Tahoe to a dealership in West Covina so he could buy a GMC Yukon. He said he got about the same amount that he paid to Clippinger Chevrolet $23,000 in that trade-in.

I wanted a better car, and this one has XM [satellite] radio and [electronic location device] OnStar, and four wheel drive, Hernandez said. The Tahoe lacked a little power, and I wanted a little more power.

Hernandez, who is studying for his masters degree in public administration from the University of La Verne and manages properties belonging to his parents, is not up for reelection until November 2007. But he said he believed the investigation indicated he was being set up by political enemies.

I 100% believe this is politically motivated, he said. Its part of a whisper campaign by people whose projects I voted against, people who have reasons to be upset with me.

Hernandez said there was no connection between his purchase of the Tahoe and the Clippinger vote, adding that he was confident he would be vindicated. Alhassen could not be reached for comment.

Bob Stern, a political watchdog with the Los Angeles-based Center for Governmental Studies, said the case might boil down to whether Hernandez received preferential treatment from the dealership.

The question here is what was the vehicle worth at the time he got it and did the official get a deal better than anyone else, he said.

Councilman Steve Herfert, who voted against the $3.5 million potential sales tax payback to Alhassen in March, said he still believed the pact was a bad deal for the city.

He said the deal forgave debt and then gave up to $350,000 of sales tax revenue back to Alhassen annually if he brought in more than $1.1 million in sales tax revenue for the city.

It was a gift of public funds, Herfert said.

FOR STARTERS YOU DOON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THE LIABILITY WHEN THE COPS SCREW UP.

Opponents of the Sheriff’s Department usually claim there is a lack of local involvement and that the Sheriff is not respectful of residents nor involved in the various neighborhood issues.

I reside in San Dimas and find these claims to be false. The Sheriff Department does a good job, stays involved with the community and interacts well with the residents.

Food for thought.

We haven’t had any complaints against the SHERIFF’S. They have been in our city and keep our city secure. Pico Rivera’s deputies work hard.

Having the sheriffs department patrolling Irwindale would be a much needed change to stop the coruption in the Irwindale Police department. Every one knows Breceda has control of the police department. He even admitted to that fact in a state of the city address. I can easily recall numerious times that he has interveined in police business. Former Council member Rosemary Ramerez assulted her husband and Breceda ordered the police to take the cuffs off of her. No domestic violence charges were filed. Coruption, Former Council Member Ramerez’s son was involved with a hit and run. The police tracked him home and found him hiding in his room. According to his my space page. Breceda was called once again and no charges were filed. Coruption. I have been told recently that Breceda’s male live in was stopped for drunk driveing and escorted home with out arrest or impound. coruption, Breceda and his cronies appointed his cousin Jason Hickman as hearing officer, Coruption Every one knows Irwindale is a corupt city. Even though Irwindale has some upstanding police officers there are those few that are corupt officers. The base pay for Irwindale police officers is 65,000 dollars But there are quite a few hauling home 200,000 dollars a year in salaries. Sounds like if you do what Breceda wants you will be well compensated, with public funds that is. I welcome the sheriffs for one reason, Stop the coruption. The sheriffs wil protect our lives and liberties. They do it all over L A County. I will let you know if Irwindale Police retaliates for me exercising my free speach.

Keep up the good work Jennifer McLain.

We who live in Irwindale know about Becerra’s life style. Why do you think that he such close friends with Manuel Lozano of Balfwin Park? “those gay young men.” Both police departments cover up all “their crap.” They know good and well who signs their checks. Irwindale is just like El Monte. Police run cities and corruption run side by side. We as residents are well aware of the corruption and political little games. If you don’t play their way you are out of office and your family and friends are herassed. SHERIFF’S stay out of the cities crap and stupit games. Start a new. It would be better for us all in the end.

Irwindale is so corrupt time for change and that includes the city leaders oops maybe I should have said something bedsides leaders. gotta keep it clean

San Dimas is doing just fine with the Sherrif.

Mr. tax payer what do you think the sheriff Dept. is going to put a sub-station in Irwindale. Come on, fat chance. You will get what you pay for. Irwindale will be thrown in with Temple City or Industry with no extra officers. No station in Irwindale that’s for sure. As far as San Diamas is concern, they don’t have the gang infested cities like Baldwin Park, El Monte, Duarte and Azusa surrounding them. Buy yourself a scanner and see what is actually surrounding your city and then come back and post a responce.

Mr. WOW, if you knew what you were talking about you would know that San Dimas Sheriff’s Station patrols the unincorporated area of Azusa, so yea, they do deal with gangs. Also, there is the possibility of the Sheriff using Irwindale’s current station as a sub-station. That is one of the issues they decide in the contract.

To James Hunley everyone with a brain knows you did not write the blog about corruption. First of all you cannot and we bloggers know you cannot spell. what a difference from the blogs you wrote before. Full of mispelled words and idiotic ramblings, then on june 5,you write a blog and it’s as though you went back to 5th grade and learned somewhat to spell better. You did not write this blog. We all know WHO is behind you and what reward are you getting for this? You are not a resident, so butt out!

Mr. WOW, I do know what I’m talking about. I agree that the cities of Irwindale and San Dimas are different, my point is that San Dimas Sheriff’s deal with gangs just like Irwindale PD or any other local agency. Whether or not the city of Irwindale would have a Sheriff’s “sub-station” at the current police station is up to the city and how they work out a contract with the Sheriff, if the city even goes that far.

They need to do that in San Gabriel as soon as possible!! San Gabriel Police love to trespass on your property without permission and say “they can do what ever they like because they wear the badge and I don’t”..I am tired of this police department and their brutality and violations of my civil rights! I hope someone sues them and exposes them for who they REALLY are!

We have the same problem in Tulelake, where the Chief of Police thinks he is God!

Enough already it is a time for a change to the Sheriff’s Department or maybe a combination of Siskiyou Sheriffs and Modoc Marshals.

Both Tulelake and Newell are at the far ends of both counties and combine other programs. Why not do the same with the Sheriffs and Marshals?

That’s one of the reasons why I am sworn in candidate for the Tulelake City Council.

A vote for James is a vote for change!

James Garland
Publisher and Editor of TNT
http://www.tulelakenewelltimes.com/