California Statewide Law Enforcement Association
My union, My Choice!
Ricardo Sanchez is starting his third decade in law enforcement on behalf of the people of California. He started his career with the former California State Police department shortly before it was legislatively merged with the California Highway Patrol. Right afterward, he joined the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as an investigator.
During his 26 years with DMV, Mr. Sanchez has won numerous awards for his undercover work, including the Department’s gold and silver commendations. Sanchez has worked with the FBI and received a letter of commendation from the Secret Service. He is one of a few DMV investigators who has obtained one-million-dollar arrest warrants for suspects. He obtained two. He has served as range master and defensive tactics instructor to fellow sworn peace officer DMV investigators. Sanchez also worked as an Internal Affairs (IA) investigator and conducted background investigations for new hires. In addition, he assisted his department in educating Spanish-speaking Californians about identity theft and consumer fraud.
In addition to his duties as a DMV investigator, Mr. Sanchez serves as Chief Financial Officer for the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA), which represents 7,000 police, fire, investigator, inspector, and emergency personnel employed by the state of California. He also serves as president of the CSLEA affiliate, the California Association of Law Enforcement Employees (CALEE), which represents a variety of public safety professionals at the state departments of Justice, Food and Agriculture, Parks and Recreation, as well as at agencies such as the Museum of Science and Industry and the State Fair. Sanchez also serves as the CSLEA Membership Chair, and serves on the CSLEA Political Action Committee, the CSLEA Foundation and is currently appointed to the CSLEA Negotiation team.
A native Californian, Mr. Sanchez was born in McFarland in Kern County. He grew up in Gilroy where he was a competitive wrestler, winning the Santa Clara County championship in 1979. He received an Associate of Arts degree in criminal justice from Hartnell College in Monterey County and later a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union Institute and University in Sacramento. Mr. Sanchez has attended the FBI Academy’s defensive tactics and range master training seminars in Ventura. He has served on the California Council of Criminal Justice and chaired San Benito County Fair Board. Sanchez has twice been appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the Pharmaceutical Board and is currently serving his second four-year term. He was also appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the Mexican American War Veterans Memorial Enhancement and Beautification Committee whose task it was to restore and beautify the El Soldado Memorial which pays tribute to Latino veterans at the State Capitol. In addition, Sanchez is the president of a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that honors Mexican American war veterans – El Soldado Latino.org. Sanchez is also supportive of the California Latino Legislative Caucus.
For his community, Sanchez is a past Master of the San Benito Masonic Lodge, where his portrait hangs next to the father of author John Steinbeck. He has also assisted in coaching wrestling, football and baseball. Sanchez currently participates with the CSLEA Foundation in conducting fraud prevention seminars teaching consumers how to protect themselves against identity theft and other consumer related issues. One of his more memorable moments was sharing the stage with Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the UFW.
Former Sacramento television and radio anchor and reporter Teri Cox brings decades of journalism experience to lead CSLEA's Communications Division. As Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Cox oversees CSLEA's news center which involves websites, articles, photographs, video production, newsletters, blogs, and CSLEA correspondence. Read More
Joel started his law enforcement career in 2008 for a sheriff’s department in California. In 2013, he transitioned to a State of California investigator. In 2019, he was elected as CAFDI vice president. In 2021, he was elected as president of CAFDI. Joel also serves as an officer safety instructor for his department. Joel looks […] Read More
Kasey Christopher Clark is CSLEA Chief Counsel and oversees the CSLEA Legal Division, which is comprised of six (6) attorneys and one (1) legal secretary. He is also Legal Administrator for the CSLEA Legal Defense Fund. Mr. Clark performed his undergraduate work at the University of California at Santa Barbara and obtained his juris doctorate from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Read More
CSLEA Supervising Legal Counsel David De La Riva is a graduate of Whittier College School of Law and San Diego State University. After graduating from law school he gained valuable experience in negotiations and enforcement of collective bargaining agreements working for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) from 1997 through 1999 and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) from 2001 through 2002. Read More
The California Association of Regulatory Investigators and Inspectors Mr. Ineichen (In-I-Kin) leads are the state’s green police, home protectors, and product safety experts who make the environment we breathe and the waters our commerce travels on cleaner, as well as ensuring the goods and services we buy are up to legal code. Mr. Ineichen’s investigators […] Read More
Peter Mitchell, a native Californian, is the son of Greek immigrants and proud to be an American. Mitchell is a bi-partisan, political analyst of California Politics for over 17 years. In January of 2002, he was honored to form P.M. Consulting, Inc. P.M. Consulting, Inc. is a political/public affairs firm specializing in: Independent Expenditures; comprehensive […] Read More
California Highway Patrol dispatchers are the first to answer nearly all of the state’s 911 calls from cell phones which amounts to more than nine million calls a year . As a dispatcher for more than 27 years, more than 18 of them as a CHP public safety dispatcher at the Merced CHP Communications Center, […] Read More
Ricardo Sanchez is starting his third decade in law enforcement on behalf of the people of California. He started his career with the former California State Police department shortly before it was legislatively merged with the California Highway Patrol. Right afterward, he joined the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as an investigator. Read More
Kasey Christopher Clark is CSLEA Chief Counsel and oversees the CSLEA Legal Division, which is comprised of six (6) attorneys and one (1) legal secretary. He is also Legal Administrator for the CSLEA Legal Defense Fund. Mr. Clark performed his undergraduate work at the University of California at Santa Barbara and obtained his juris doctorate from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Read More
Alan Barcelona leads one of the most diverse and distinctive law enforcement associations in the country, a statewide organization that is the central thread in the public safety net of California. Read More
Chantha was elected as CAFDI vice president in 2021. Read More
CSLEA Legal Counsel Andrea Perez graduated cum laude from Sacramento State University with a degree in Psychology. She obtained her juris doctorate from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Perez served as Associate Managing Editor for the Transactional Lawyer Law Review and was a Certified Law Student […] Read More
CSLEA Senior Legal Counsel Ryan Navarre graduated from the University of California in San Diego with degrees in Psychology and Economics. During his undergraduate studies, he gained valuable experience working in the legal division of a bio-technology corporation. Mr. Navarre attended Loyola Law School where he earned his juris doctorate in May 2006. Read More
Jim Vitko is a graduate of Southwestern University School of Law and the University of New Haven, Connecticut.He has been a member of the California State Bar since 1998. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Vitko brings more than a quarter century of law enforcement experience to his position, which includes work as a peace officer with the California Highway Patrol, Medical Board of California and the California Department of Justice. Read More
Shane Lavigne is a Legilative Advocate for Capitol Advocacy. Prior to joining Capitol Advocacy, Shane was a Legislative Advocate for a boutique lobbying firm in Sacramento. While at the firm, Shane was responsible for clients in the insurance, healthcare and financial services areas. Read More
California Highway Patrol dispatchers are the first to answer nearly all of the state’s 911 calls from cell phones which amounts to more than nine million calls a year. Read More
Kenneth Ehrman began his law enforcement career in 1994 as a Correctional Officer with the California Department of Corrections. Read More
Wendy began her career as a Food and Drug Investigator for the California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch in 2001. She was hired as part of a new unit that developed educational content and classes for the food industry. Later, she transferred to a field position where she performed food-safety inspections, investigations, […] Read More
Khos started his career in public service with the Bureau of Automotve Repair in 2018 as a Program Representatve I in the Audits and Inspections Branch. As a member of the Audits and Inspections Branch Khos performed inspections that were used to survey the effectiveness of California’s emissions reductioon program, better known as Smog Check. […] Read More
Prior to her employment at CSLEA, Ms. Harper-Gopaul worked at an AM 15 law firm, where she represented a large financial institution in consumer litigation matters. While at the AM 15 law firm, she was involved in the firm’s pro bono practice, which focused on representing individuals seeking asylum in the United States. Read More
The California Association of Regulatory Investigators and Inspectors Mr. Ineichen (In-I-Kin) leads are the state's green police, home protectors, and product safety experts who make the environment we breathe and the waters our commerce travels on cleaner, as well as ensuring the goods and services we buy are up to legal code. Read More
Marcus Nenn and the members of The Association of Deputy Commissioners (ADC) team up to protect millions of Californians from unscrupulous housing providers. Deputy Commissioners and District Representatives make up the ADC, and its President, Marcus Nenn, has experience in both agencies. Deputy Commissioners for the California Department of Real Estate regulate the licensing and […] Read More
Robin began her career with the California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch in 2001. Currently she is the Branch Training Officer/Branch Rangemaster overseeing the Officer Safety Training program. Robin is looking forward being a part of the CAFDI board. Read More
To say Dwaylon Calhoun is a dedicated public safety and protection professional just might be an understatement. Mr. Calhoun has dedicated nearly his entire life to serving his country and the state of California. As an Inspector II for the Dental Board of California, Mr. Calhoun makes it his business to root out fraud and […] Read More
My name is Steve Fulton and I am a Public Safety Dispatcher at the Indio Dispatch Center. I started with CHP in April of 1998 and currently serve as the CSLEA site representative at the Indio Dispatch center. I was elected to the CHP-PSDA board of directors as the Border Division representative in 2007 and have also served as the Secretary and Treasurer since 2009. I […] Read More
Jennifer Dernoncourt has been employed with the California Department of Justice since 2000 where she started in the Riverside laboratory as a student assistant. Her current assignment is a senior criminalist, assigned to the biology, alcohol and crime scene departments of the laboratory. She is a member of the California Association of Criminalists. Ms. Dernoncourt […] Read More
Ricardo Sanchez is starting his third decade in law enforcement on behalf of the people of California. He started his career with the former California State Police department shortly before it was legislatively merged with the California Highway Patrol. Read More
Angenette has served as a public health official for 18 years in retail food, air quality, drug, and tobacco enforcement. Angenette celebrated her 12th year, as an Investigator with the Food and Drug Branch, in June 2022. She is an officer safety instructor of multiple disciplines. Throughout her career, Angenette encourages team building. She has found […] Read More
I have been an active member of CSLEA since 2016. I serve as the Site Representative for my office and have been a Board Member since 2020. Prior to my current position, I served as a Steward with the union AFSCME when I worked for the DSS as an LPA. I have worked for the […] Read More
Hello, my name is Tara Oceguera and I am from the Stockton area. I started with CHP in the Merced area in 1999. I love my job and am blessed to still feel that way, after 17 years with the department. I enjoy being the Valley Division Union Rep, and the voice of our dispatchers. I […] Read More
I have been a CARII board member since 2016 and currently hold the board position of Treasurer. I am currently a Program Representative I for the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Field Operations and Enforcement Division. I work from the Riverside field office that covers the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties). BAR actively […] Read More
I began my career with the California Highway Patrol as a Public Safety Dispatcher in 1998. I have always worked at Golden Gate Communications Center. I have served on the CHP–PSDA board for approximately 13 years. Most of my duties as Board Member and Site Representative consist of negotiating fair rules at our command, making […] Read More
