Siskiyou County Police Department Unknowingly Hired Officer with Hidden Misconduct Record

“This is the secret system that covers up police misconduct — and ensures problem officers can get hired again”

Weed Police Department was unaware of officer’s history due to secret “clean-record agreement”

The Weed Police Department in Siskiyou County hired a police officer whose serious misconduct allegations had been concealed through a secret legal agreement with Los Angeles County, according to a new investigation into California’s hidden police accountability system.

Hossep “Joe” Ourjanian landed the job at Weed Police after securing a “clean-record agreement” that erased evidence of sustained misconduct findings from his personnel file, including allegations that he falsified work records and committed domestic violence while holding their infant son, according to documents obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle and UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program.

The case illustrates how secret settlements between police agencies and departing officers have enabled problem officers to move between departments across California, with rural counties like Siskiyou often unaware of hiring officers with hidden disciplinary histories.

From Los Angeles to Northern California

Twenty-five years ago, Los Angeles County was preparing to fire Ourjanian for what supervisors called “flagrant” misconduct. Instead, the county agreed to a deal that removed all evidence of wrongdoing from his file and required officials to say only that he had resigned for “personal reasons” if contacted by future employers.

After ensuring the misconduct records were properly sealed through legal action, Ourjanian was able to secure employment 600 miles north at the Weed Police Department in Siskiyou County, the investigation found.

Pattern of Movement Continues

Ourjanian’s time in Siskiyou County was part of a pattern of moving between rural Northern California law enforcement agencies. The investigation shows he later worked for Sierra County Sheriff’s Office near Lake Tahoe, where he was again accused of misconduct—this time embezzlement—and secured another clean-record agreement in 2019.

Eric Apperson, who later hired Ourjanian as Del Norte County Sheriff, said he was shocked to learn about the officer’s hidden disciplinary history when contacted by reporters.

“Are you kidding me?” Apperson said. “If you’re asking me if an officer got terminated for embezzlement, would that make a difference to me if I was hiring them? Yeah, of course, that would make a difference.”

Statewide Problem Affects Rural Counties

The investigation found that at least 163 California police agencies have used these secret agreements to conceal misconduct by 297 officers and deputies. Rural counties are particularly vulnerable because they often have fewer resources for comprehensive background investigations and may be unaware that previous employers are legally prohibited from disclosing relevant information.

“It happens in almost every agency, at every level,” said Sid Smith, a former California police chief and expert on law enforcement background investigations.

Current Status

Ourjanian most recently worked for Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office, where he rose to the rank of captain before suddenly retiring in fall 2023. Sheriff Garrett Scott said the department was investigating whether Ourjanian had lied during his background investigation, including by omitting past misconduct findings.

Scott said he plans to forward the investigation results to state regulators for possible license revocation and to the district attorney for potential criminal charges.

Ourjanian currently works as a police officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Reno, though the VA suspended him from police duties after learning of “previously sealed information about allegations of wrongdoing,” according to a spokesperson.

Reform Challenges

The practice of clean-record agreements continues despite recent state legislation aimed at increasing police accountability. California has not passed laws similar to those in Alaska, Colorado, and Kansas that restrict or ban such settlements.

The Weed Police Department could not immediately be reached for comment about Ourjanian’s employment history.

The investigation represents the first comprehensive examination of how secret police settlements have operated across California, with particular impact on smaller departments that rely on hiring officers from larger agencies without full knowledge of their disciplinary histories.

This article is based on records and interviews from an investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle and UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program.

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