The California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) is both a law enforcement agency and state legal department in the California executive branch under the elected leadership of the California Attorney General which carries out complex criminal & civil investigations, prosecutions, and other legal services throughout the state.
Description
DOJ Special Agent -
CA DOJ is a statewide law enforcement agency and legal department with over 4700 employees and a budget of $754 million, with $233 million allocated to the Division of Law Enforcement. Besides its support of the California Attorney General's work, the Department is frequently mentioned in the newsmedia for (among other activities):
- Its laboratory work. For example, in the 1995 trial of O. J. Simpson, the lead forensic chemist from the Department testified that DNA tests on blood samples from inside Simpson's Bronco "were 'consistent with' tests on blood taken from Mr. Simpson, his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald L. Goldman".
- Its statistics, for example on weapons sales in California.
- Its assistance to local law enforcement agencies, for example a database that "cross-reference[s] criminal history and firearms possession information".
Special Agents
The sworn law enforcement personnel of CA DOJ (primarily assigned to the Division of Law Enforcement), consists of approximately 500 law enforcement officers (Special Agents). They make up a group a criminal investigators with varied backgrounds in local and federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This small, but elite, group of sworn peace officers are generally better educated and more experienced than many of their law-enforcement counterparts, and are often called upon for their expertise and ability to coordinate joint activities between local, state, and federal agencies throughout the state. Special Agents are a force multiplier, assisting agencies with expertise, equipment and personnel, whether it is running a narcotic task force, investigating a murder, uncovering political corruption, or disrupting a violent gang's operation. Small and even large law enforcement agencies within California can request supplemental assistance from CA DOJ Special Agents as necessary in today's tight economic realities.
CA DOJ Special Agent Rank Classifications:
- Special Agent Trainee
- Special Agent
- Special Agent Supervisor
- Special Agent-In-Charge
- Senior Special Agent-In-Charge
- Assistant Bureau Chief
- Bureau Chief
- Division Director
Divisions
Division of Law Enforcement
The Division of Law Enforcement ("CA DOJ DLE") is the law enforcement branch of the California Department of Justice. The division is not only the largest within the department, but also one of the largest statewide investigative law enforcement agencies in the United States. Its staff consists of sworn law enforcement officers (Special Agents), criminalists/forensic scientists, analysts, and other professional personnel. The primary mission of the Division of Law Enforcement is to enhance public safety by conducting criminal investigations, regulatory oversight, and forensic analysis of evidence for criminal proceedings. The division also assists local, state and federal agencies by providing services in specialized areas including:
- Investigation of complex crimes
- Collection and analysis of evidence
- Training and education
- Enforcing state gambling and firearm laws and regulations
- Computer forensic training
History
While the California Office of the Attorney General was created in 1850, the law enforcement and criminal investigative capabilities of the CA DOJ were not fully established until the early 20th century. However, the mission of the Special Agents within the Division of Law Enforcement can trace its origins back to the original California Rangers; the first state-wide criminal investigative and law enforcement agency created on May 17, 1853. Although the California Rangers were quickly disbanded (following their success in bringing the violent Five Joaquins gang to justice), in 1887 a new California State Police agency was formed with former rangers becoming its first officers. The California State Police merged with the California Highway Patrol in 1995, however their special investigative capabilities and state-wide law enforcement mission now reside primarily within the CA DOJ Division of Law Enforcement.
DLE Investigative Bureaus
- Bureau of Investigation (BOI formerly CBI), which provides statewide expert investigative services through special agents combating multi-jurisdictional criminal organizations, and also operates several programs including the state task force program, a special investigations team, a special operations unit, LA CLEAR, and the state anti-terrorism program. As the state's FBI counterpart, the BOI investigates a wide-variety of crimes including sexual predators, violent and repeat offenders, serial crimes, internet crimes against children, money laundering, extortion, public corruption, homicides, rapes, false imprisonment, terrorism, and much more.
- Bureau of Firearms (BOF), which "is responsible for identifying individuals who are ineligible to acquire or possess firearms" and other weapons, primarily targeting felons and others that may be in possession of illegal weapons/explosives. The BOF conducts a variety of operations, including undercover investigations for violations of state firearms laws, training local law-enforcement officials on firearms law and regulations, inspecting licensed firearms dealers, lending safety assistance to gun show promoters, locating and arresting felons in possession of firearms, and testifying as expert witnesses. The BOF also works closely with its federal counter-parts in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
- Bureau of Gambling Control (BGC), which "regulates legal gambling activities." The BGC investigates casinos and card clubs throughout California for violations of California's gaming laws. Violation of state gaming laws by casinos and clubs as well as their employees and customers are the focus of most BGC investigations. They also investigate complex thefts, robberies, scams and other crimes related to the casinos and clubs.
- Bureau of Forensic Services (BFS), which is the scientific arm of the department, whose mission is to serve the people of California on behalf of the Attorney General's Office. Forensic scientists collect, analyze, and compare physical evidence from suspected crimes via some of the most well-equipped and accredited forensic science laboratories in the country.
Division of California Justice Information Services
The Division of California Justice Information (CJIS) "facilitates the exchange of criminal justice intelligence among law enforcement agencies"
Division of Civil Law
The Division of Civil Law "both prosecutes and defends civil actions." The overall mission of the Civil Law Division is to provide skilled legal services to state agencies and officials in trial and appellate litigation which includes prosecuting and defending matters in state and federal courts and before various administrative tribunals.
Division of Criminal Law (DCL)
The Division of Criminal Law "represent[s] the People of the State of California in criminal cases."
DCL Sections and Investigative Bureaus
- Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse (BMFEA), which protects California's most vulnerable citizens and helps to safeguard the state's Medi-Cal program. The Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse works aggressively to investigate and prosecute those who rob taxpayers of millions of dollars each year and divert scarce health care resources from the needy. The BMFEA is funded via an $18.6 million federal grant program. The Bureau conducts statewide investigations and prosecutes fraud relating to the activities of medical providers receiving funding under the Medi-Cal system. The section also reviews and prosecutes reports of elder abuse and neglect of patients housed in federally funded nursing home facilities.
- Appeals, Writs and Trials Section handles post-conviction proceedings. This involves prosecuting felony criminal appeals in state court, responding to petitions for writs of habeas corpus in state and federal courts, and prosecuting death penalty appeals. Deputies also handle criminal investigations, conduct evidentiary hearings, appear in local courts to litigate recusal motions, and prosecute felonies in cases in which the local county district attorney has been recused or otherwise removed from the case. Deputies appear regularly in the California Court of Appeal, California Supreme Court, United States District Court, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and occasionally in the United States Supreme Court.
- Correctional Writs & Appeals Section represents the state in civil rights actions involving state prisoners. This section also represents the Department of Corrections, Board of Prison Terms, Youth Authority and the Department of Mental Health and their employees in cases regarding policies, practices or conditions of confinement of inmates.
- Office of Native American Affairs serves as liaison and addresses justice-related issues for California's Indian citizens who reside on reservations, rancherias and in urban communities for the overall improvement of the quality of life for Indian people.
- Financial Fraud and Special Prosecutions Unit investigates and prosecutes complex criminal cases occurring in California, primarily related to financial, securities, mortgage, and environmental fraud; public corruption, including violations of California’s Political Reform Act; “underground economy†offenses, including tax and revenue fraud and counterfeiting; transnational organized crime; human trafficking; and crimes within the scope of the Attorney General’s Bureau of Children’s Justice. Vertical teams of prosecutors, investigators, auditors, and paralegals often work with federal and local authorities on cases involving multi-jurisdictional criminal activity.
- Victim Services Unit leads California’s fight toward preserving the rights of crime victims through responsive programs, accessibility of services, and progressive legislation.
- Research Advisory Panel primarily seeks to ensure the safety and protection of participating human research subjects and adequate security of the controlled substances used in the study. The Panel Members evaluate the scientific validity of each proposed project, and may reject proposals where the research is poorly conceived, would produce conclusions of little scientific value, or would not justify the exposure of California subjects to the risk of research.
Division of Public Rights
The Division of Public Rights is involved with "safeguarding the state's environmental and natural resources," "preventing fraudulent business practices," and other responsibilities
References
External links
- Office of the Attorney General
- Law in the California Code of Regulations
- OpenJustice, criminal justice data from the California Department of Justice
