Source: City of El Cajon

Photo: Children’s hospital in Mariupol bombed by Russians, courtesy of Ukrainian Army

May 6, 2022 (El Cajon) -- Last month, the California Office of Emergency Services reached out to local law enforcement agencies throughout the State with a list of equipment needed in Ukraine. This week, the City of El Cajon Police Department donated 45 ballistic vests and 8 ballistic helmets as aid to Ukraine.

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2021 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police have arrested 28-year-old Isaiah Ugaitafa for violent assaults in which he broke down the front doors of homes and attacked two residents, says Lt. Randy Soulard. He is charged with three felonies: hot prowl burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse.

On Friday, March 19 at 2:15 p.m., officers responded to a home in the 400 block of South First Street, where a man had been seen by several residents acting strangely and talking to himself. A short time later, the suspect was seen breaking down the door of an elderly man’s home and attacking the senior with a metal pole, striking him in the face before fleeing the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, L to R – Lt. Steve Paz, Captain Michael Mouton, Police Chief Jeff Davis, Officer Allen Boyer, Julie Boyer his wife and Captain Rob Ransweiler. 

March 21, 2019 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police Officer Allen Boyer was presented with the Top Officer of the Year award yesterday in the 29^th annual Auto Theft Advisory Committee (ATAC) awards program held at The Prado in Balboa Park.

Source: El Cajon Police Dept.

November 15, 2018 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police Department will step up Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations on November 16^th, 2018 with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

Drive sober or get pulled over

East County News Service

December 23, 2016 (El Cajon) -- This holiday season, El Cajon Police will be out looking for drunk & drugged drivers as part of a special year-end Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization.

By Jonathan Goetz

October 2, 2016 (El Cajon) -- The shooting of a black man reportedly suffering a mental health crisis in El Cajon by police has led to protests, and police crack-downs. After an officer advanced toward Alfred Olango, gun drawn at close range, Olango allegedly pointed a vape pen, or smoking device, at the officer, who mistook it for a gun and fired the deadly shots.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a clinician and former Director of Psychiatric Intake Services and Director of Outpatient Services, voiced support and empathy for both Olango’s family and for police in the City’s carefully crafted official response.

But many may not be aware that El Cajon’s City Council has been trying to address problems with the homeless and the mentally ill for quite some time. At its June 14^th 2016 meeting, the El Cajon City Council voted to join San Diego County Mental Health and the Sheriffs in the East County Homeless Outreach Team, which embeds social workers with police and travels weekly to homeless hot-spots.

ECM interviewed Officer Pak in December

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kelsey Hauser, courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

January 19, 2016 (El Cajon) – The El Cajon Police Department has identified Officer Samson Pak as the patrol officer involved in a fatal shooting of a woman passenger (photo, left) and a dog in the vehicle on Sunday following a high-speed chase. The identities of the driver and all three passengers have also been released, including two El Cajon residents.

By Miriam Raftery

June 25, 2015 (El Cajon) – Nationwide, over 400,000 rape kits have never been tested, including many right here in our region.  Yet testing every rape kit can produce undeniably dramatic results.

Officers to offer full service---pumping gas and washing windows

Photo credit: Nita Jatar Kulkarni

March 31, 2015 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies, is helping to launch a two month “Icon” promotion across Southern Californian on behalf of the Special Olympics.

February 11, 2014 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Police Department will be conducting a specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation on February 21 in an effort to lower deaths and injuries.  Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes occur.  

Officers will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle crashes.  They will be cracking down on both those operating regular vehicles and motorcycles that are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speeding, making illegal turns, or any other dangerous violation.