Retired CHP Officer who worked during the EAR series
Feb 18, 2019 21:56:07 GMT
sammyt, goldrusher, and 3 more like this
Post by nick on Feb 18, 2019 21:56:07 GMT
Feb 15, 2019 3:16:46 GMT nick said:
I spoke to a retired California Highway Patrol Officer who worked the Sac Valley Division which includes the East portion of the county. I will call him Martin he was a 30 year Officer all with the CHP. I am just using this thread to point out things I found interesting a more in-depth may come later.
The first thing I wanted to know from Martin was what information was given to the CHP in regards to EAR attacks and what actions were taken if any to aid in the apprehension of EAR. Like most LE agencies there is a patrol briefing at the start of each shift and Martin remembers at least a couple of times when someone from CHP gave his shift a briefing on EAR case. Martin believes there was some sort of a liaison officer from the CHP that was given briefings with limited information on the EAR case from the Sac County Sheriff's Department. Martin did not remember who the Liason Officer was but he did state it was a CHP employee that briefed them on EAR not the Sheriff's Department. Martin does not remember the exact briefing content but did remember the Sheriff's wanted them to supplement the taskforce deputies (sounds like the Sheriff's X-ray units) covering certain freeway way entrance ramps. Martin was only able to remember Sunrise Blvd at US highway 50 both East and Westbound directions there were others but he did not recall them. They were given the same general information regarding EAR's physical traits and types of possible cars to BOLO (Be On The Lookout For) for while patrolling as they had released to the press. There were not much in the way of insider info at all according to Martin. It does show there was at least an attempt on Sac Sheriff's side to use other agencies resources in the apprehension of EAR. Martin did state he encountered marked and unmarked Sheriff Department memebrs out in the field and he spoke directly to Patrol Deputies and EAR taskforce members regarding the EAR attacks and learned quite a bit. He remembers being just as concerned for his family as everyone else while he was working he also lived in the Rancho area. I have more to post on that later.
I did learn something I thought was interesting regarding CHP's policy on patrol car shotguns that I did not know. The CHP had 12 gauge shotguns that are locked in place in their patrol vehicles like most every other LE agencies but they had special tape across the shotgun lock that if the gun was removed from the locking mechanism the tape would be broken and the officer removing the shotgun would have to write a memo on why the weapon was deployed with every detail. The CHP was attempting to prevent the officers from deploying shotguns unless there was a situation that fell within policy. I can tell you this officer safety was most diffinlty being comprised and restricting them from a tool they might have really needed when say searching backyards at 4:00 AM for EAR.
There was also a strange set of circumstances I discovered that involved the 34th Califonia Governor Jerry Brown and his protection detail that was comprised of CHP officers. Governor Brown took office in 1975 and he was famously remembered to not travel in a limo or the like but was driven to events in a baby blue Dodge Diplomat by a CHP officer assigned as a protection officer I will call this officer Salazar. Salazar lived in an area of Rancho Cordova near Ambassador Drive and River's Edge Way he often would take that same Dodge home when he was off-duty or when Brown was out of town and the like. This area is very close to the American River and the bike trail that runs along it and connected to the Rancho area attacks where Chase Drive ends at the river it is one of the areas Shelby explained the burrowed wildlife "game cameras" were placed in an effort to catch a picture of EAR fleeing from attacks #1, #3, #6, #8 and #15. During this time frame, there were a small series of burglaries in the area of Salazar's home that put the CHP on their toes since the State of Califonia's governor's car was often parked there and they responded to increase special patrols in that area it was also discussed as a possible EAR type of crime series at the CHP level however the Sac Sheriff's never attributed that activity to EAR and still have not to this day. It is also the area where a disputed attack was reported in the area of Ambassador Drive and McGregor the attack was first on the list of other EAR attacks and removed. I believe it was related to EAR and was him but the Sac Sheriffs would have to admit the CHP was correct about that small series of burglaries near Officer Salazar's home being EAR.
I discovered a burglary report that was taken as part of this small series the home was on the same side of the street as officer Salazar's home 4 houses west. The suspect appeared to have climbed the back fence it was a daylight event and entered the home either through a back bedroom window or the sliding patio door. There was a small hole in the window near the lock and that appears to me from my own training and experience to be the entry point and the slider the exit point. The suspect then "ransacked and pulled all of the draws out" in the bedroom's and appeared to have gone through the kitchen draws and may have eaten food as well. The only thing taken by the suspect was a .38 Caliber Smith and Wesson revolver there were things of value that were untouched and appeared not to have been disturbed by the suspect. There was one photo attached to the file I saw and it was of the master bedroom where I saw what appeared to be two books on the bed that the owner stated was inside under clothing in one of the dressers draws prior to this incident. After using magnification I can see the two books one was some sort of Masters and Johnson sex book and the other was a photo album. Another interesting part is the home was owned by a Federal Immigration Officer that was at work at the time. As we know EAR seemed to find LE officers during his prowling and stalking and if it was him he ignored items of value and took a firearm along with looking a the families photo album. This was not the only burglary there were more in the immediate area and it was indicated in this report of the series by the Deputy taking the report. All of the incidents were on the same side of the road and all were believed to be the work of the same person with similar things occurring it would also fit into the EAR MO and is very close distance since we know JJD liked to park his vehicle and use parks to gain access to victim's homes by climbing fences.
I did learn something I thought was interesting regarding CHP's policy on patrol car shotguns that I did not know. The CHP had 12 gauge shotguns that are locked in place in their patrol vehicles like most every other LE agencies but they had special tape across the shotgun lock that if the gun was removed from the locking mechanism the tape would be broken and the officer removing the shotgun would have to write a memo on why the weapon was deployed with every detail. The CHP was attempting to prevent the officers from deploying shotguns unless there was a situation that fell within policy. I can tell you this officer safety was most diffinlty being comprised and restricting them from a tool they might have really needed when say searching backyards at 4:00 AM for EAR.
There was also a strange set of circumstances I discovered that involved the 34th Califonia Governor Jerry Brown and his protection detail that was comprised of CHP officers. Governor Brown took office in 1975 and he was famously remembered to not travel in a limo or the like but was driven to events in a baby blue Dodge Diplomat by a CHP officer assigned as a protection officer I will call this officer Salazar. Salazar lived in an area of Rancho Cordova near Ambassador Drive and River's Edge Way he often would take that same Dodge home when he was off-duty or when Brown was out of town and the like. This area is very close to the American River and the bike trail that runs along it and connected to the Rancho area attacks where Chase Drive ends at the river it is one of the areas Shelby explained the burrowed wildlife "game cameras" were placed in an effort to catch a picture of EAR fleeing from attacks #1, #3, #6, #8 and #15. During this time frame, there were a small series of burglaries in the area of Salazar's home that put the CHP on their toes since the State of Califonia's governor's car was often parked there and they responded to increase special patrols in that area it was also discussed as a possible EAR type of crime series at the CHP level however the Sac Sheriff's never attributed that activity to EAR and still have not to this day. It is also the area where a disputed attack was reported in the area of Ambassador Drive and McGregor the attack was first on the list of other EAR attacks and removed. I believe it was related to EAR and was him but the Sac Sheriffs would have to admit the CHP was correct about that small series of burglaries near Officer Salazar's home being EAR.
I discovered a burglary report that was taken as part of this small series the home was on the same side of the street as officer Salazar's home 4 houses west. The suspect appeared to have climbed the back fence it was a daylight event and entered the home either through a back bedroom window or the sliding patio door. There was a small hole in the window near the lock and that appears to me from my own training and experience to be the entry point and the slider the exit point. The suspect then "ransacked and pulled all of the draws out" in the bedroom's and appeared to have gone through the kitchen draws and may have eaten food as well. The only thing taken by the suspect was a .38 Caliber Smith and Wesson revolver there were things of value that were untouched and appeared not to have been disturbed by the suspect. There was one photo attached to the file I saw and it was of the master bedroom where I saw what appeared to be two books on the bed that the owner stated was inside under clothing in one of the dressers draws prior to this incident. After using magnification I can see the two books one was some sort of Masters and Johnson sex book and the other was a photo album. Another interesting part is the home was owned by a Federal Immigration Officer that was at work at the time. As we know EAR seemed to find LE officers during his prowling and stalking and if it was him he ignored items of value and took a firearm along with looking a the families photo album. This was not the only burglary there were more in the immediate area and it was indicated in this report of the series by the Deputy taking the report. All of the incidents were on the same side of the road and all were believed to be the work of the same person with similar things occurring it would also fit into the EAR MO and is very close distance since we know JJD liked to park his vehicle and use parks to gain access to victim's homes by climbing fences.
My note: Of interest…LOCATION, DATE, BLUDGEONED, KIDNAPPED, FOUND IN RAVINE. This happened during a lull of the EAR (May to Sept 1977, they were killed 8/18/77)
