Los Banos Police Department

On December 8, 2020 at 8:07pm, the Los Banos Police Department Gang Unit stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction in the 700 block of Iowa Ave. The driver, 20-year-old Isaac Barba of Los Banos, was found to be on probation. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle, and they located two loaded firearms in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Barba is a person prohibited from owning or possessing any firearms. Barba was placed under arrest for various firearm violations. Barba was booked into the Los Banos Police Department Jail. Barba remains in custody in lieu of $350,000.00 bail.

REGIONAL STAY-AT-HOME ORDER BECOMES EFFECTIVE On December 5, due to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity levels dropping below 15% in the San Joaquin Valley, which includes Merced County, the Regional Stay-at-Home Order introduced by Governor Newsom was triggered and will remain in effect for a minimum of three (3) weeks. Effective Sunday, December 6 at 11:59 p.m. the following sectors are required to close all operations:...Continue reading

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES REGIONAL STAY-AT-HOME ORDER On Thursday, December 3rd, Governor Newsom announced a Stay-at-Home Order for regions of the State that have low Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity levels. This new Order will be triggered when any region’s ICU capacity levels drop to 15% or less. Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the region that includes Merced County, it is expected that this Order will be triggered locally in the near future. When triggered, thi...s Order would require the closure of bars, wineries, personal services (including hair salons, nail salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, etc.). Schools that currently hold waivers from the State will be allowed to remain open. All restaurants must close both indoor and outdoor dining services but can continue to provide take-out and delivery options. All critical infrastructure, such as retail stores, must operate at no more than 20% capacity. It is highly recommended by Health Officials to limit gatherings especially with others who are not from your household. Please continue to wear a face cloth covering while out in public, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently, and stay home if you are feeling sick. Further guidance and the full regional Stay-at-Home Order released by the State can be found here: http://www.losbanos.org//12.3.20-Regional-Stay-at-Home-Ord The press release issued by Merced County Public Health Department can be found here: https://www.co.merced.ca.us//Regional-Stay-At-Home-Order-1 Please continue to check the County’s website for updated COVID-19 information and statistics https://www.co.merced.ca.us/3350/Coronavirus-Disease-2019

JOIN OUR TEAM NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS The Los Banos Police Department is looking for motivated Police Officers and Academy graduates to join our team. LBPD is one of the fastest growing agencies in the central valley, with 7 new Police Officers positions added through Measure H funding. There are lots of exciting opportunities on the horizon for Los Banos, including a new state of the art police facility coming in 2023. To apply visit our website at www.losbanos.org and click the job openings tap or follow the link below: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/losbanos

2020 Reverse Downtown Christmas Parade The Los Banos Police Department is once again collaborating with the Los Banos Chamber of Commerce to provide a safe and joyful annual Christmas Parade, tomorrow evening, December 4th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. There will be a few modifications this year. It will be a drive-thru style parade, with the floats stationed along the parade route. Vehicles will enter J Street at 4th Street and slowly travel Eastbound and North on 6th Street,... where they will eventually Exit at H Street. In order to mitigate the risk of exposure to Covid-19 and comply with regulations, the following guidelines have been implemented: No one will be permitted to exit their vehicle or float. All individuals will be required to have face coverings. Each float entry will be parked at a minimum of six feet from each other. No live bands, entertainment, or vendors will be permitted. Officers and Volunteers will be monitoring individuals to maintain social distancing. Public pedestrian foot traffic will not be permitted. Feel free to contact Administrative Sergeant Ivan Mendez with any questions. Phone# (209) 827-2508 Email: [email protected]

JOIN OUR TEAM BECOME A PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER The Los Banos Police Department is now hiring Public Safety Dispatchers. Dispatching for Police and Fire is not just a job, it is a commitment to making a difference. If you are interested in a making a positive impact in your community, join our team now! To apply visit our website at www.losbanos.org and click the job openings tap or follow the link below: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/losbanos

California Dairies employees donate to LBPD food drive!!! LBPD would like to say THANK YOU!!!! to all the staff at the California Dairies, Los Banos facility, for their very generous donation to our food drive! Thank you all for your compassion and community spirit! If you’d like to learn more about California Dairies or the Los Banos facility, click here:... https://www.californiadairies.com/about/facilities Great work California Dairies!!! We also received a very kind donation from Arnold and Blanche Jorge that we delivered to Bethel Community Church and the Los Banos Salvation Army, yesterdayBlanche and Arnold, we know you weren’t interested in the mention, but your donation was too kind to not say thank you to you as well. Thank you for your caring donation to our drive and the Los Banos community!!

Fresno Man Arrested After Evading Police in Stolen Vehicle On 10/22/2020 at approximately 10:59 p.m., Officer Josiah Mardirosian attempted to stop a white GMC Yukon for a traffic violation in the area of Place Road and St. Patrick’s Drive. The driver fled in the vehicle leading officer Mardirosian in a vehicle pursuit into an unincorporated area of Merced County. Officer Mardirosian ran the vehicles license plate and learned the vehicle had been stolen out of Mendota, Cal...ifornia. The short pursuit lasted about two miles and ended when the driver eventually stopped the vehicle in the area of Phillips Road between Ward Road and Place Road, where he surrendered to officers. Charles Crooper, 40 of Fresno was wanted in connection with outstanding felony arrest warrant for violation of probation. He was charged with vehicle theft, felony evading, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, and receiving stolen property. Crooper remains in custody at the Los Banos Police Department in lieu of $102,001 bail.

LBPD sends a huge thanks to our friends at Starbucks # 14504!!!! Next time you stop by the Starbucks located in the shopping center near Target, please tell them thank you for us! Nothing keeps a 24/7 operation running like a good cup of coffee!

LBPD’s Code Enforcement team is here to help! The goal of the Los Banos Police Department's Code Enforcement team is to improve quality of life issues in Los Banos. Those efforts include enforcing our municipal code and abating nuisance behaviors but the team also leads the way in our response to assisting those experiencing homelessness. Regarding enforcement, our goal is always to gain voluntary compliance through our education efforts. To assist in educating our reside...nts we provide an informational pamphlet of our most common violations. Enforcement is only part of the team’s duties. LBPD’s Code Enforcement staff routinely works with our partners at City Public Works to keep our trails and public spaces clean and open for use. The team is also responsible for working with and coordinating City efforts with those experiencing homelessness in our community and we are very proud to have been involved in a number of successful efforts to house individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. Under the Supervision of Sergeant Ivan Mendez, our Code Enforcement efforts bring community based organizations, County Behavioral Health staff as well other County contracted service providers together to help identify, support and improve the lives of those in need of assistance. Taking our partners for Ride-along’s with our team to locate and help identify those in need is not uncommon. Our goal is to always be compassionate and supportive of all our resident’s needs. We need your help too! Is your property clean, neat and orderly? Has your car been parked on the street too long? Please conduct an inspection of your own propertytake pride in your belongings and make your neighbors proud! If you have a question for our Code Enforcement team, or know someone experiencing homelessness who is in need of or wants assistance, we want to hear from you. Call Dana at (209) 827-2546! We understand that some issues may be sensitive, if you’d like to report your information anonymously, you can under the Anonymous Complaint Form icon, here: http://www.losbanos.org//departme/police/code-enforcement/ All reports of violations or requests for assistance are investigated by our team.

Celebrating Halloween safely during COVID Halloween starts each year’s holiday season and while we navigate COVID-19, we want everyone to have the opportunity celebrate Halloween safely. We’ve checked with our friends at the Merced County Department of Public Health; and guidance this year regarding celebrating Halloween comes from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). ...Continue reading

Shooting Victim Dies at Modesto Area Hospital On October 18, 2020 at approximately 9:55 p.m., Los Banos police officers responded to the 400 block of Park Warren Drive for a report of a shooting. Officers arrived and found a 34-year-old man suffering from two gunshot wounds to the upper body. Detectives learned the victim was outside in his garage with the door open just prior to the shooting. A vehicle, unknown make or model, pulled into the driveway and at least one per...son got out of the vehicle and began shooting at the victim. The suspect and vehicle fled in an unknown direction following the shooting. Sadly, the victim died this morning as a result of his injuries at a Modesto area hospital. The shooting appears to be gang motivated, but many details of the shooting remain unclear. Detectives are very early on in the investigation and are continuing to talk to witnesses and review evidence. We are asking anyone with any information to contact Detective-Sergeant Jesse Ceja at (209) 827-7070, ext. 2507. Our gang unit is working closely with Detectives to track down leads and piece together a timeline of events. If you live in the neighborhood surrounding this incident and have home video surveillance or other information that may be useful, we encourage you to contact Sergeant Ceja. While we continue to pursue these investigative leads vigorously through the hard work of our staff, and the assistance of our allied agencies, never underestimate your role. Regardless of how small you believe the tip may be, we encourage you to contact us, your information may be vital to our investigation! To leave an anonymous crime tip call (209) 827-2545. If you have access to a computer and the internet, you can leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the contact page, simply click on the report graffiti and other crime link or contact the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org.

Los Banos Homicide Suspect Arrested in Florida Ricardo Herrera Jr., 37, of Los Banos was arrested in connection with the July 23, 2020 shooting death of a Los Banos man in the 800 block of East B Street. Herrera Jr. was taken into custody this afternoon by U.S. Federal Marshals in the state of Florida. On July 23, 2020 at approximately 6:41 a.m., Officers responded to the 800 block of East B Street for a report of shots fired with a man down. Officers located Raymundo Rub...io Salcedo, 31 of Los Banos unresponsive near his vehicle at the intersection of East B and 8th Street. Salcedo suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body. Officers performed CPR, but Salcedo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Herrera Jr. and Salcedo were at some point involved in a relationship with the same woman and the motive appears to involve a love triangle. A warrant for Herrera Jr’s arrest on homicide charges was issued on July 24, 2020. Los Banos Detectives coordinated with State and Federal authorities to track down Herrera Jr. During the investigation, Detectives learned Herrera Jr. fled to Florida where investigators believe he has been hiding out for months. Today, after months of investigation, Herrera Jr. was arrested outside a home in Clearwater, Florida. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Raymundo Rubio Salcedo. Tomorrow would have been Raymundo’s 32nd birthday and we hope today’s arrest of Herrera Jr. will bring some closure to the family. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Detective -Sergeant Jesse Ceja at (209) 827-7070, ext. 2507. To leave an anonymous crime tip call (209) 827-2545. If you have access to a computer and the internet, you can leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the contact page, simply click on the report graffiti and other crime link or contact the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org.

COVID assistance available for Los Banos residents! LBPD recognizes how difficult COVID-19 has been on our residents, and any information regarding assistance we can share is always important to us. Attached is a flier from our City Finance Department regarding an emergency mortgage/rent or utility payment assistance program. ... We encourage anyone who needs help to read the attached flier carefully, and if eligible to apply promptly as applications are due no later than October 30th. Should you have a question about the program call (209) 827 7000 and reference the emergency payment assistance program. ****For more information and program applications visit losbanos.org/coronavirus****

Thank you and Congratulations 7-Eleven Today, 7-Eleven franchisee Sukhi Sandu held the grand opening of his second 7-Eleven location in the City of Los Banos. To celebrate the opening of his new store, Mr. Sandu donated $711.00 to our annual Shop with a Cop program. These funds will go towards helping local youth in our community. ... 7-Eleven has donated thousands of dollars to help Los Banos youth over the years and we look forward to our continued partnership to serve our community.

ARREST MADE IN FATAL DUI COLLISION On October 2, 2020, Detectives obtained a warrant for the arrest of April Sadie Noriega, 35 of Los Banos in connection with the September 26, 2020, fatal DUI traffic collision in the 1600 Block of West I Street. Noriega was the driver of the 2011 Acura TL that was seen speeding before colliding with five parked vehicles. Noriega was transported to a Modesto area trauma center following the collision where she remained hospitalized overnigh...t. Detectives determined Noriega was drinking prior to the collision and her blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit. Attempts to locate Noriega were unsuccessful until today when she met with a Merced County Sheriff’s Deputy for a report on an unrelated matter. Noriega met with the Sheriff’s Deputy in the Volta area of unincorporated Merced County. The Deputy ran Noriega’s name and learned she wanted for the outstanding felony warrant. Noriega was booked into the Los Banos Police Department where she remains in custody in lieu of $250,000.00 bail. ***Original Press Release*** Alcohol Involved in Fatal DUI Traffic Collision On September 26, 2020 at approximately 7:45 p.m., Officers were dispatched to a report of a major injury traffic collision in the 1600 block of West I Street. As the officers arrived at the scene, an off-duty Los Banos Firefighter was preforming CPR on a 66-year-old Los Banos woman. Unfortunately, the woman succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers learned the 66-year-old victim was sitting in her vehicle in front of her home when a black 2011 Acura TL travelling at a high rate of speed slammed into the parked car and at least 5 other vehicles. The 35-year-old woman driver of the 2011 Acura TL had been drinking prior to the collision. The Acura driver and an adult male passenger were transported to Modesto area hospitals with injuries. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim killed in this collision. This is another sad example of the harmful consequences of drinking and driving. Alcohol and speed were determined to be a factor in this collision. The collision is still under investigation and no other details are available at this time. Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact Detective Lyle Kelley at (209) 827-7070, ext. 2533 To leave an anonymous crime tip call (209) 827-2545. If you have access to a computer and the internet, you can leave an anonymous tip at the Police Department’s web page at www.losbanos.org. At the bottom of the contact page, simply click on the report graffiti and other crime link or contact the Merced Area Crime Stoppers by telephone at 1-855-725-2420, or at www.mercedareacrimestoppers.org.

Thank you Thrive Homeschool Group We want to give a special thanks to the students and parents from Thrive Homeschool Group for the very special gift bags. Our Dispatchers and Officers are thankful for your support, encouraging words, and the goodies you provided. We were as excited as the students to take a break and meet with you this morning. We wish all of you the best, happiness, and health this school year.