Public Integrity Unit

Public corruption is the breach of public trust and/or abuse of position by an elected, appointed, or hired public official.  Violations of public trust and/or abuse of position are reviewed by the Public Integrity Unit of the District Attorney’s Office. 

The Public Integrity Unit is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of ethics, transparency, and accountability in government and public service. Our mission is to serve the community by ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of public officials, institutions, and agencies. Our duties to the community are as follows:

I.    Reviewing Allegations of Wrongdoing:

• We are committed to thoroughly and impartially reviewing allegations of misconduct, corruption, fraud, and other violations of ethical and legal standards within the public sector.
• Our inquiries are carried out with the highest degree of professionalism, integrity, and diligence to uncover the truth and protect the interests of the community.

II.   Preventing and Deterring Corruption:

• We develop and implement preventive measures and policies to minimize the risk of corruption and unethical behavior within government agencies and institutions.
• Our educational initiatives raise awareness about the importance of ethical conduct and the consequences of corruption.

III. Engaging with the Community:

• We actively engage with community members to listen to their concerns, collect information, and provide a channel for reporting suspected wrongdoing.
• We promote civic participation and collaboration in the pursuit of public integrity.

IV.  Safeguarding Whistleblowers:

• We protect and support whistleblowers who come forward with information about wrongdoing, ensuring their safety and providing a mechanism for confidential reporting.
• We review allegations made by whistleblowers and take appropriate action when violations are substantiated.

V.   Ensuring Fair and Just Outcomes:

• We work to ensure that inquiries and actions taken as a result of our findings are fair, and just, and uphold the principles of due process and the rule of law.

Our commitment to the community is unwavering, and we recognize that public trust is paramount to effective governance. The Public Integrity Unit is dedicated to maintaining the highest ethical standards in the public sector and fostering a community where citizens can have confidence in the integrity of their government.

If you know about a breach of trust and/or an abuse of the position of an elected, appointed, or hired public official, please download a copy of our Public Integrity Inquiry Request form. For your appointment, please bring the unsigned form to the District Attorney Public Integrity Unit, located at 222 E. Weber Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202 where your request form will be checked in and submitted for review.

District Attorney Ron Freitas looks forward to working with the community to ensure that our public systems are fair and just for all!

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Officer-Involved Critical Incident Unit

The District Attorney heads the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office and is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in San Joaquin County.  The District Attorney's Office holds the significant responsibility of investigating officer-involved incidents, a duty that is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring justice. When law enforcement officers are involved in incidents such as shootings or the use of force resulting in serious injury or death, the DA's office must conduct thorough, impartial investigations to determine the legality and appropriateness of the officers' actions. This involves meticulously gathering and reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and collaborating with independent investigative bodies when necessary. The DA's office must balance transparency with the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation, providing the public with timely and accurate information.

The responsibility of the District Attorney is, "within his or her discretion," to "initiate and conduct on behalf of the people all prosecutions for public offenses." (Cal. Government Code § 26500.)

The mission of the SJCDA Office's Officer-Involved Critical Incident Unit is to ensure that such cases are investigated in an independent, fair, thorough, and expeditious manner to ensure justice and maintain public trust.

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Welfare Fraud Unit

Welfare fraud refers to the act of intentionally providing false, misleading, or incomplete information or using dishonest means to obtain or continue receiving public assistance benefits, such as cash assistance, food stamps, or housing subsidies. This can include, but is not limited to:

• Failing to report income, assets, or changes in household circumstances that could affect eligibility for benefits.
• Providing false or fictitious information about one's identity, residence, or family composition.
• Using someone else's benefits or allowing unauthorized individuals to use one's own benefits.
• Selling or trading benefits for cash, goods, or services that are not permitted under the program rules.

The district attorney’s office may work with San Joaquin County Human Resources Agency, or other relevant public assistance agencies to gather evidence and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to pursue a case. We work to recover fraudulently obtained benefits and deter others from committing welfare fraud by raising public awareness about the issue, highlighting the potential consequences, and ensuring that cases are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Ultimately, we must protect public resources and ensure that welfare programs are not abused, so that benefits are available to those who genuinely need them.

Request a Welfare Fraud Inquiry

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In-Home Support Fraud

There are aged, blind, or disabled persons who are limited in their ability to care for themselves and cannot live safely at home without assistance. This group includes those individuals who, with assistance, would be able to return to their home from a state hospital, skilled nursing facility, or a board and care home. The appropriate assistance may be provided through a county-administered program known as the In-Home Supportive Services Program ( IHSS).

The primary function of the IHSS program is to keep the elderly, blind, and permanently disabled, in their own home setting for as long as possible as opposed to In-Patient Long-Term Care. This program is MediCal driven and funded by the federal, state, and county governments, but administered by the local county. In San Joaquin County, this function is performed through the Human Services Agency (HSA).

IHSS fraud involves individuals who submit fraudulent time sheets for work they did not perform or were not authorized to perform. In San Joaquin County, allegations of fraud are investigated by the IHSS Fraud Task Force. This collaborative venture is comprised of California Medi-Cal Fraud investigators from the California State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), investigators from the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation (SJCBOI), the San Joaquin County District Human Services Agency (HSA), In-Home Supportive Services Unit (IHSS) Quality Assurance Fraud Unit staff, and their fraud investigators.

Request an IHSS Inquiry

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