Penney running for Superior Court Judge

Rocklin resident and Placer County Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Penney is running for Superior Court Judge.Growing up in Loomis, the 42-year-old Penny is 1979 graduate of Del Oro High School and has strong ties to Placer County. He has served the past 9 1/2 years as a prosecutor with the District Attorney's office, and is raising four boys with his wife in Rocklin."This is a move I think I'm ready to make," Penney said. "With my experience and ties to the community, I would be an asset to the bench."As an advisor to the Rocklin and Roseville Police Departments, Penney also teaches advanced training classes for investigative police officers and is a professor of law at Sierra College in the administration of justice program. "Jeff Penney has been very active and supportive to the Rocklin Police Department," said Rocklin Police Officers Association President Terrence Roide. "His input has been crucial in deciding the direction of certain investigations and in complying with the law regarding search and seizure. I have been very impressed with Jeff's knowledge and ability. He will be an excellent addition to the judicial system."Penney's experience in Placer County has also earned him endorsements from Placer County Deputy District Attorney's Association, Placer County Sheriff Ed Bonner, Rocklin Mayor Kathy Lund, Roseville Mayor Rocky Rockholm, Lincoln Mayor Primo Santini, Placer County Superintendent of Schools Alfred Nobli, and the Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville and Lincoln Police Officers Association.As a prosecutor, Penney has worked on cases including murder, arson, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, grand theft, domestic violence, drunk driving and drug dealing. In the coming years, however, Penney believes identity theft will be brining a large amount of case loads to the bench."Identity theft is a huge problem right now," he said. "I really can't answer how to fix it, maybe thumb prints on checks? It's just too easy for people to get information like bank account numbers and commit check fraud. There's a computer program, made for small businesses, where people can just make checks."As an attorney, Penney was named "Prosecutor of the Year" in 2000 and has twice been honored by Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MAAD) for his work on drunken driving cases.If elected, he said he hopes to continue as a prominent community member. He also hopes his schedule and supervisors will allow him to continue teaching at Sierra College.?I definitely want to continue to teach, and I?ll be around town for sure,? he said. ?I have four boys playing soccer, junior golf and baseball,? he said. ?Right now life is extremely busy. Hopefully this campaign will end, and we?ll be able to concentrate a little more.?And now, he is hoping to be the decision maker on the same cases he is accustomed to argue."A judge has to have the wisdom to know the right thing to do and have the courage to do it," he said.