2 Officers Were Bound by Friendship, Career

They were the best of friends. One a seasoned officer at the zenith of his career, the other his eager, young protege filled with extraordinary promise.

All that ended during a predawn raid Wednesday with three bright flashes from a shotgun in a smoke-filled hallway.

The student was dead, the mentor left holding a 12-gauge.

“I’m not a man of the arts, but ‘Greek tragedy’ is probably the best term to describe what happened,” Cmdr. John Crombach said of the death of Oxnard Police Officer James Rex Jensen Jr. “It’s tragic in just so many ways.”

It wasn’t supposed to be that way.

If ever there were a cop you could depend on, friends say, it is 43-year-old Sgt. Dan Christian.

“You had total faith in his abilities when crunch time hits,” Cmdr. Joe Munoz said. “He’s the consummate pro, extremely respected by his peers. You couldn’t ask for a better SWAT officer.”

Christian, who joined the department in 1977, was appointed to the highly competitive Special Weapons and Tactics team in 1980, which is considered a department honor. In 1993 he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and last year he was given command of the department’s Street Crimes Unit.

It was there that he gained a reputation for his tough stance on gangs. With Oxnard’s gang violence on the rise, Christian fought hard and often with his superiors to turn his part-time unit into a full-time gang squad.

“Doing sweeps just once in a while doesn’t get the job done,” he said in a recent interview. “We need to be a consistent presence.”

Christian worked long hours, sometimes more than 20 at a time, maintaining a high profile on the streets. His message was blunt, but popular with many in the community: “They choose to be gang members, we choose to enforce the law.”

Wednesday’s incident was the first time Christian was involved in a shooting, officials said.

Christian’s reputation for outspokenness, mixed with dedication and tremendous enthusiasm, spilled over into his SWAT duties, where he was a team leader.

The officers under his command have always been fond of Christian and extremely loyal, giving him a policeman’s ultimate compliment.

“I’d put my life in his hands any day,” Officer Mike Williamson said after the shooting. “Danny’s a mentor to a lot of guys.”

Considered one of the department’s best marksmen, Christian--now on paid administrative leave--was also in charge of the firing range. He chose an affable young rising star and fellow marksman to be his range assistant: James Jensen.

Christian and Jensen had a lot in common. Both were charismatic, skilled and enthusiastic.

“God gave Jim all the tools; he had it all,” Crombach said. “He just needed refining.”

That’s where Christian came in.

“Dan was an elder version,” Crombach said. “Jim wanted to be just like him. They were such excellent friends. Dan took pride in his development.”

Hanging in a plexiglass case in a Police Department hallway was Jensen’s most recent commendation. He was named “Super-Sleuth of the Week” for quickly apprehending an armed burglar just last week.

Beside Jensen’s name on the certificate is the name of the officer who came to his aid and helped him apprehend the suspect: Sgt. Dan Christian.