By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo courtesy San Diego County Sheriff’s Department website, other photos via Creative Commons

July 10, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- Imagine you lived in an apartment complex so riddled with crime and danger, that law enforcement officers would not enter the property until backup arrived. A place where firefighters would not respond to a fire unless they were accompanied by sheriff’s deputies for protection. Where helicopters frequently flew overhead in search of a suspect, or attempting to restore peace. Where drive-by shootings, vandalism, prostitution, thefts, drug dealing, gangs and violence ruled the day.

By Miriam Raftery 

July 5, 2019 (Julian) – A Sheriff’s deputy investigating a burglary that occurred overnight in the 3300 block of Pine Hills Road spotted a Baja Bug (a Volkswagon beetle car altered for off-road use) drive onto the victim’s property this morning.  Realizing this could be the burglar returning to steal more items, the deputy tried to contact the driver, who sped away.

East County News Service 

June 28, 2019 (El Cajon) – A CHP officer who had stopped to aid a disabled motorist in the center divide of Interstate 8 last night at 9:24 p.m. in El Cajon was struck by a Chevrolet Camero driven at a high rate of speed by Richard Chambers, 25.  The accident occurred on I-8 west, just east of West Main Street.

East County News Service

June 27, 2019 (La Mesa) – A woman who was shot in the leg at her La Mesa home called 9-1-1 this evening.  La Mesa Police responded at 6:13 p.m. to the residence at 3752 Harris Street, where they found the woman in the front of the home and administered first aid until paramedics arrived.

By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2019 (Campo) – After Border Patrol agents stopped two vehicles in Campo on June 2^nd that were traveling in tandem and suspected of smuggling undocumented immigrants, drug paraphernalia was observed during examination of the vehicles.  “Shortly after, one of the agents began coughing and complained of nausea,” says Justin Castrejon, public affairs officer for the Border Patrol in San Diego.  The agent reported an odor from inside one of the suspect vehicles.  The San Diego County Hazardous Incident Response Team responded, ECM news partner 10 News has learned.

Source:  El Cajon Police Department

June 11, 2019 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon Police Department will be hosting its 4^th Annual Teen Academy beginning on June 17, 2018. The academy will run Monday through Friday for two weeks, concluding with a graduation ceremony on Friday, June 28, 2019. Classes will begin at 7:30 am every morning, and conclude at 3:30 pm every afternoon. There are a total of 27 teens in this year’s Teen Academy. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan yesterday announced indictments against 11 individuals in a statewide charter school scheme that stole over $50 million in public funds.  Those indicted include Nancy Hauer, superintendent of the Dehesa Elementary School District in El Cajon, and Steve Van Zant, former superintendent of the Mountain Empire Unified School District that services Descanso, Pine Valley, Potrero and Campo.

The ringleaders, Sean McManus and Jason Schrock, CEO and president of A3 Education, sought out small school district with limited oversight experience and proposed that they authorize online charter schools to earn oversight fees paid for through public funds, according to the 253-page indictment handed down by a grand jury investigation May 17^th after a year-long investigation that involved interviewing over 70 witnesses.

East County News Service

May 21, 2019 (San Diego) --  A new report by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) shows crime in all San Diego County Sheriff's Department patrol areas is down, though some other jurisdictions had increases. The Sheriff is responsible for all unincorporated parts of the county as well as several incorporated cities including Santee, Lemon Grove and Poway in our inland region.