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    Department of Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice Student Recognition

Capital University News
March 16, 2005

Alumni to be honored for service, excellence

The annual Distinguished Service Awards, recognizing California State University, Sacramento alumni for outstanding service to the community and their alma mater, will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 14 in the Alumni Center on campus.

The evening includes dinner, entertainment and a presentation of awards by University President Alexander Gonzalez and Alumni Board President Larry Cook. Alumna Cristina Mendonsa, news anchor for KXTV News 10, will emcee the proceedings.

Each recipient of the award has excelled in their chosen field after graduation from the university, making significant contributions to their respective communities. This year's recipients include:

Albert Nájera , Sacramento Police Chief. The Sacramentan earned his bachelor's in criminal justice in 1978, rising to become the city's 43rd chief of police in 2003. Nájera is the national president of the Hispanic American Command Police Officers Association, an active member of the local American Leadership Forum chapter and a member of numerous other police associations.

Spring 2005 l Capital University Journal
Class Notes

Don Anderson
Security matters

Name an arm of law enforcement, and retired U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Commander Don D. Anderson ('67 criminal justice) has probably been in it.

But of all of his positions, few have had the urgency as the two roles he played for the Coast Guard soon after Sept. 11, 2001. Immediately after the terrorist attacks, Anderson was activated to help form the 11th District Homeland Security Branch that now secures ports and waterways throughout California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

A year later, Anderson was named chief of the security office, and found himself responsible for field units protecting all seaports along California's coast.


“My job was to see that they had the best possible equipment, training and staff that we could manage with the limited resources of the Coast Guard,” Anderson says.

His field crews monitored and boarded as many as 200 commercial ships that arrived each week at ports including Humboldt Bay, Oakland, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Port Huemene, Richmond, San Diego and San Francisco.

The crews escorted and provided on-board security to potential shipping targets or ships that could be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

Since graduating from Sac State, Anderson has been with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve for 27 years, and has also been employed by the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento Sheriff's Department, the State Department of Boating and Waterways, the California State Fair Police and the State Department of Insur-ance Fraud Division. He currently works as an investigator for a private company, United Services Automobile Association.

Anderson says there is no doubt that the Sept. 11 attacks helped to identify stateside law enforcement weaknesses.

“Everyday, new measures are devel-oped in response to new or potential threats to this country,” he says. “I have seen many changes for the better.”

Anderson has also worked as an educator. He has taught marine law enforcement courses at the Regional Criminal Justice Training Center and was a part-time Los Rios College District instructor. He also has taught insurance fraud investigation for the State Depart-ment of Justice.

Anderson retired as an active duty commander from the U.S. Coast Guard last October. Upon retiring, Anderson had received more than 12 awards, most notably the Coast Guard Commenda-tion Medal from the Homeland Security Branch and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal for search and rescue detachment.

Anderson, who lives in Citrus Heights, raised two children with his wife Connie.


TRAVIS M. COLBY , '01, B.S., Criminal Justice (psychology minor), who earned his Juris Doctor degree from McGeorge School of Law, is deputy district attorney in Tehama County.

Capital University News
October 6, 2004

University to honor outstanding alumni

California State University, Sacramento is honoring several alumni for their service to the community during the annual Alumni Honors Luncheon as part of the University's Homecoming Week celebrations.

The Honors Luncheon will be at noon, Friday, Oct. 8 in the Alumni Center. Prior to the Luncheon, the awardees will meet with President Alexander Gonzalez, Alumni Relations Executive Director Joseph Sheley and the Alumni Board of Directors at a reception in the Alumni Center lobby.

Division of Criminal Justice
Honoree: Barbara E. Taylor

Barbara Taylor, CJ Barbara Taylor graduated with honors with a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 1983. After graduating from Yale Law School, Barbara began her legal career as an associate in the litigation departments of a large firm in New York City. She returned to California to practice entertainment law and eventually joined Beck, De Corse, Daly, Kreindler & Harris. Barbara is a shareholder in the firm and her practice areas include complex civil litigation, entertainment law and corporate internal investigations. Her practice also includes representation of defense and aerospace contractors regarding closely-regulated technology transfers and other export law issues. Her entertainment practice encompasses a wide range of contract, copyright and  intellectual property issues. Along with the American Bar Association, Barbara's professional affiliations include the Society for International Affairs, the State Bar's Intellectual Property and Litigation Sections and the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law and Litigation Sections.

Fall 2004 l Capital University Journal
Class Notes

STEVE MCKINNEY , '72, B.S., Criminal Justice, was called from his job as the Sacramento District Attorney's assistant chief of the Bureau of Investigation to become an active duty soldier. His Army Reserve unit was activated for one year. He is a military bagpiper
in the division band and was stationed at Camp Parks in the East Bay. The band performed for the troops leaving to and returning from the war, as well as doing other military ceremonies and recruiting missions.

JEFF HARADA , '75, B.S., Criminal Justice; '77, Social Work, was assigned the executive superintendent for the Northern California Youth Correctional Center in Stockton, Calif.

Spring 2003 l Capital University Journal
Class Notes

Anita Wonder , '77, M.S., Criminal Justice, is author of a textbook from Academic Press titled Blood Dynamics.

Michael Kime , '83, B.S., Criminal Justice, is chief of the Madera Police Department. Kime, a Sacramento Police Department veteran of 34 years, has had duties ranging from patrol officer to police dog handler. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1997. He ended his career in Sacramento as a watch commander in the patrol division.

Michael Oster , '86, B.S., Criminal Justice, is a deputy sheriff with the Solano County Sheriff's Office. Oster, who has 12 years experience as a police dog handler and trainer, was appointed to help start a K9 program with the department.

Wallace Gowin , '89, M.S., Criminal Justice, has been appointed general manager of security for Tyco Co., based in Bangkok, Thailand. Gowin, a long-time resident of Thailand, recently left his position as director of integrated security solutions with Securicor. He is responsible for the ADT-Sensormatic company, which sells, installs, and maintains electronic security equipment such as access control, CCTV, alarm systems and electronic article surveillance devices.

John Barrow , '90, M.S., Criminal Justice, retired as chief of police with the Roseville Police Department. Barrow spent 29 years with the department.

Fall 2003 l Capital University Journal

Grads honored for achievement

Seven new Sac State alumni, one from each of the University's Colleges, received the Outstanding Senior Award at the annual Honors Convocation in the spring.

Jose Castillo , College of Health and Human Services; Willie G. Harris , College of Education; Leonard Hoffman , College Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies; Matthew K. Lettau , College of Engineering and Computer Science; Sherlyn A. Reafsnyder , College of Arts and Letters; Sita K. Singh , College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and Lisa Wilson , College of Business Administration. Castillo is a criminal justice major honored for rising above gang life to enlist in the Marine Corps and for serving as an intern with the California District Attorney's Association. Harris, a vocational education major, was recognized for his service to persons with disabilities in his position with the City of Sacramento.

Capital University Journal / Class Notes
Spring 2001

CRAIG T. JOHNSON , '71, BS and ‘73, MS, Criminal Justice, is the executive officer for the Office of Military Affairs, an operation of the CIA which provides support to the U.S. military. He serves as subject matter expert for the office director and deputy office director. Among his many assignments—including counterintelligence investigations, personnel security investigations and polygraph administration—he was also assigned to guard the head of the CIA.

JERRY ADAMS , '81, BS, Criminal Justice, was named police chief of the Lodi Police Department. Adams is the youngest top offi- cer in the department's history. Adams' community involvement includes being chair of the Lodi Boys and Girls Club board of directors, a past Lodi-Tokay Rotary Club president and 19 years as a community-oriented policing instructor at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton.

MICHAEL OSTER , '86, BS, Criminal Justice, recently returned from a year with the U.N. Civilian Police Mission in Kosovo. Oster left his position as a senior police offi- cer with the Merced Police Department after 12 years to take a position with DynCorp Aerospace, which is contracted to provide American Police Officers to the U.N. Civilian Police Missions worldwide. While in Kosovo, Oster was a patrol officer and field-training officer working his way up to the Regional Operations Center responsible for the overall running of the region.

Kirk Stratton , '92, BS, Criminal Justice, was promoted by the Coloma Police Department to the rank of sergeant. Stratton has been with the department since 1994.

Hugh McGee , '93, BS, Criminal Justice, was promoted to sergeant in the Sacramento Police Department. McGee currently supervises the bike unit in downtown Sacramento.

Photo of Janet Berry Janet Berry , '77, BS, Criminal Justice, is chair of the National Judicial College Board of Trustees. Berry, the chief judge of the Second Judicial District Court in Reno, Nev., is the first Nevadan elected to the position of chair. Berry has more than 20 years' experience in law. She received her law degree from Tulane University School of Law and her master's of judicial studies from the National Judicial College in Reno. Berry is involved with a number of community councils and organizations, some of which include the Nevada Domestic Violence Prevention Council, Nevada Hispanic Services and the National Association of Women Judges.