Blog 19: Independent Component 2

I Esai Cordova, that I completed my Independent Component which represents 33 Hours and 9 Minutes of work

  The driving force behind the completion of my independent component 2 was my mentor himself. being able to work with someone and ask them any questions without feeling that i was coming off as less intelligent is a huge help to being able to get the information I need, it also helps that my mentor had over 20 years of experience in the Sheriff's department. 

  During my independent component 2, i continued mentoring under my mentor, but i approached the work differently this time, and instead of just performing my work, i asked questions about the methods behind why they did what they did, I asked for and received data on the number of cases they solve and what and how they extracted for those cases. 

The work i performed while mentoring is valid because i am not only doing lectures or interviews, I get to interact with all the technology they use or have used, take the picture below

   In this picture you can see four random objects, boots, vase a CD player, and DVD player. In each of these objects there are hidden cameras, but even more impressive is that the props here weren't just tossed in the room, each of these had to have been in the room before, so that they would be unnoticed, because the team learned to replace, not add items to a room. their reasoning goes along like this, the human subconscious notices new objects in a familiar environment, so by adding a new plant or clock, it stands out to people. however that vase? been in the office for years, people walk by without even thinking about it. another thing to note, is that all these objects are safe to bug, because they aren't moved around often, and don't get replaced often. I got to learn all their methods over the time of my independent component, and I also learned the way the operate the cases they take, prison recordings are probably the easiest parts, when they're there, they stay, and all the team has to do is press record.  

  Actually going out into the field is very dangerous, because they go undercover, and have no allies there but themselves. and they have to scope out the site they are called into to investigate. They go into small groups, and act as a repairman, or some blue collar worker. I learned that when sweeping buildings, if they find a bug, they can't remove it. because that bug may have been placed by a federal agent, and to remove it would be to interfere with a federal investigation, which leads to too many issues, so they simply inform them where that bug was placed, and to be careful about what they say there. the team fights a lot of red tape to do their work. new tech is expensive so they end up having to use ingenuity to do their work. because they'll get the work done, but they get more done when their budget is increased, and their workforce grows. I also got a view into the laws they operate under, and the technicalities they're bound by, federal, local, and state.

Febuary Blog

February has been like most days of my mentorship, not too much exciting happens. This month, I've been mostly filing away cases and recordings. Most of these cases are from prisons and include evidence given away during prison meetings. the file is either on the prisoner or the investigator. if it's the prisoner, then it's all the recordings of them, and their file. if it's the investigator then it's the multiple prisoners and suspects that they're investigating. Also this month, some of the older detectives are getting annoyed by the new detectives reluctance to do any work. the new detective leaves the second their shift is done, and goes on constant breaks. They also have been slacking off of telling the older detectives of meetings with others, new assignments, and hasn't been relay important information to them. I've put it done to being in a new unit and not being use to the motions. but my mentor and his others have some large issues with this of course. their work is serious and it's important that the work is done properly.

March Blog

It seems like mentorship is going to be much more difficult at this time. Like before, the Unit is under investigation by IA about possible misconduct by it's more recent members. these claims mainly focus on unprofessional behavior and even accusations of possible unlawful recording. These claims seem at the moment to be just technicalities and that this member is currently a victim of circumstance. However the claims of unprofessionalism seem to hold more weight, since their employment, they have neglected to inform older detectives of meetings and has left the office the moment their shift ends, not wanting to compromise their overtime. Their devotion doesn't seem to be toward their unit, rather themselves. I can only see two outcomes, either this new detective gets with the program and is more compliant with their equals, or they will end up leaving due to their own frustrations.

Blog 18: Interview 4 questions

1.  How do you feel about the financial situation of your department?
2.  What do you think that the Sheriffs Department could be doing to better fund your team?
3.  How would your work be different if there were more detectives working alongside you?
4.  Why do you think that the Sheriff Department isn't funding your team more?
5.  How do you think my Answer 1 could be better improved to speak about the situation?
6.  What would you say is the best way for the LASD to utilize you in your opinion?
7.  Do you think that the Sheriffs are experiencing an overflow of applicants?
8.  If so how would you fix this problem? automating the process, or by narrowing acceptance rates? If not, why would you say that their application process works?
9.  What do you think is the most important aspect of your work? Do you feel it's been neglected?
10.  How vital do you feel your work is overall to the department?
11. What is your experience with the effects laws have regarding your work?
12. Is their any law regarding your work that you feel is unnecessary? 
13. Would you be open to discussion with your employers regarding these laws if you thought they could be changed?
14.  Is it possible that the departments lower leveled positions are saturated at the moment?
15.  If so, How would you think that the problem needs to be solved? If not, what's keeping them from that?
16.  How have you moved from your beginning position to the work you are in now? what has helped you along that path?
17. What would you suggest to a new applicant looking to join your line of work, What advice would you give them?
18. What would you say the biggest problem is right now within your department?
19.  What is your opinion on the way to solve that problem, or if it's being solved now, your opinion on their method?
20.  What is your suggestion to people looking to go into the Sheriffs for training for other trades besides law enforcement?

Blog 17: Answer 3

My EQ is "How can the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department best utilize it's Special Investigations Unit?"

1. My answer 3 would be that the LASD needs to sort out it's job mobility issue, and fix the overflow of applicants so that wait time for application is reduced from 6 months to a more reasonable time for the largest department in the U.S.
2.
A. One detail is that there is currently a 6 month wait time when you apply to even have your application looked at as evidence as stated within their Job Applications and FAQ
B. Another would be that the current wait time to be moved from the jails to patrol is even longer, and can take years, unless you have the connections to get you moving within the system.
C. Finally, there is the fact that they're the largest Sheriff's Department within the US and receive tens of thousands of applications monthly

http://shq.lasdnews.net/content/uoa/PER/faqs.pdf
Their frequently asked Questions page, on their second page, they admit to a six month wait time from application sending, to actually getting tested.

http://shq.lasdnews.net/pages/PageDetail.aspx?id=2066
their information detail which has provide information on their sheer size, including maps showing their jurisdiction on where they can act.

The Sheriff's Department has problem with it's hiring process, they're drowning in these applications, and the problem is that their low leveled positions are filled, and they need a way to move, and to go up in the ranks. there needs to be an overhaul in their system to get lower level workers either moving, or out of there.

January Blog

During January, I learned more on the interviewing process within the Unit. As I've said before, the Special Investigations Unit is made up of 6 members. these members include 5 detectives and 1 sergeant, there used to be 10 members but they've been since moved down to their current employees. recently a new member has been interviewed and hired by the unit early in the month. The turnover rate for new positions within the unit shifts every few years, changing based on if any member may have left or not. This new member has served for 4 years as an investigator within the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department and applied to this unit due to their proficiency in the field.
The interview was headed by the Sergeant, who asked the applicant about their experience as an investigator and what skills they have within the Units field of work. I wasn't around for the bulk of the interview, but learned from my mentor it went on for half of a shift. In the end, the Sergeant had decided that this new applicant showed enough promise within their expertise to join the unit. They are now taking over a spot that was removed because the previous detective had recorded conversations between others unlawfully and was discovered.

Blog 16: Answer 2

1. My EQ is, "How can the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department best utilize their Special Investigations Unit?"
2. The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department can best utilize their Special Investigations Unit by better funding them, and by providing them with more employees, and giving them constant up-to-date training for advances in technology and methods.
3. The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department could be better utilizing their SPI Unit by removing the unnecessary, bureaucratic laws that bind them at the moment, and discuss which of these laws is necessary.
4. a. The LASD has three form of recording consent laws, whether it be dual, all, or single party consent, It is unnecessary to have both dual or all party as their descriptions are almost completly identical.
b. The Los Angeles Sheriff County has little in place to protect its detectives from being accused of breaking these laws and little to save them from loophole exploitation.
c.
5. Faturechi, Robert. "Narcotics Wiretap Catches Voice That May Be Sheriff's Captain's." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
It can be seen that even the Sherifffs aren't safe from recording at times. and nothing hurts the reputation of other detectives than one being caught doing something wrong.
6. Friedersdorf, Conor. "Eyes Over Compton: How Police Spied on a Whole City." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.  This Source shows the bad PR that the sheriffs recieve whenever they try to monitor or patrol the city in newer, more sophisticated and safe ways. They are pressured into using older methods that put more people in danger.
7. To conclude the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department may have been pressured into it's downsizing by citizens who were upset at the methods they were using, and wanted them to shift over to more comfortable, familiar methods used previously.