Santa Clara County

Sources within the San Jose Police Department have confirmed that sworn staff is leaving their ranks faster than the department can replace them.

As it stands, between two and four officers are leaving each month, they said, and the number of recruits that are graduating from academy classes is less than what they'd hoped for.

It's estimated that the number of sworn staff could fall below 990 by July of next year, which would mark the first time this number has fallen below 1,000 since the Regan administration.

Unless things change, that number could drop below 950 by July 2017.

Retention is a …

The San Jose Police Department may have denied having any records about a spy drone program, they've recently changed their tune.

It's not that they don't have one of these devices, they said, they've simply not flown it yet.

A few weeks back the SJPD said they didn't have any documents that supported the purchase of an aerial drone, but after some gentle pushing by the media, the paperwork managed to turn up.

Not only was there a purchasing slip, there was also an accompanying grant application to the federal government asking for assistance.

According to documents, the drone was acquired by the …

San Jose may have once bee known as one of America's Safest cities, but my how things have changed.

Crime rates in the Silicon Valley have officially surpassed average rates in both the United States and California, but arrests are fewer and farther between.

A report released by an independent auditor found found that police response times for certain types of emergency have nearly doubled, the department is clearing fewer and fewer crimes.  Some question whether low morale among officers is among the leading culprits.

Many officers are jumping ship to take better paying jobs at other agencies, according to sources within …