SAN JOSE — After a sequence of misconduct allegations towards a number of San Jose police officers in current weeks, Mayor Sam Liccardo on Thursday referred to as for improved screening and background checks for police academy recruits and additional investigation of present officers.
Liccardo stated he was “livid” about allegations that a San Jose police officer was positioned on administrative go away in December after he allegedly traded a meth pipe to an informant in trade for info. Sgt. Christian Camarillo confirmed the incident is underneath investigation however didn’t reveal the officer’s title or particulars of the case, citing a personnel matter. The alleged incident occurred greater than six months in the past, he stated.
Liccardo additionally referred to as for legal prosecution of the officer if the allegations are discovered to be true, in addition to improved screening and backgrounding measures for these getting into the police academy and elevated supervision of present cops.
The mayor stated at a day information convention that he was “very involved” there could possibly be one thing “very critically flawed” with how the police division screens potential candidates.
“We’ve obtained to repair it,” he stated. “I count on and I do know the division is trying into this proper now and within the subsequent a number of days, we’ll be capable to establish the precise actionable steps the division will take to make sure that we don’t see information like this once more.”
The division has confronted a number of scandals in current weeks concerning alleged substance abuse amongst officers.
San Jose police officer Matthew Dominguez, 32, was arrested Thursday and charged with indecent publicity after he allegedly was caught masturbating in a household’s residence whereas he was responding to a disturbance name. He's on paid administrative go away from the police division. Dominguez has been on the drive for 4 years.
Final week, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s Workplace confirmed that San Jose police Officer De’Jon Packer, who was discovered lifeless in his Milpitas residence on March 13, died from a fentanyl overdose. A coroner’s report revealed that he additionally had alcohol and marijuana in his system.
San Jose authorities confirmed final week that they had been investigating a police officer for allegedly being inebriated whereas on obligation — and dealing the case of an kidnapped three-month-old child. The kid was discovered secure lower than 24 hours later.
Following that incident, Liccardo referred to as for elevated drug and alcohol testing for all officers to be included within the metropolis’s subsequent contract with the Police Officers Affiliation. He didn’t specify how typically the common testing would happen or when it could possibly be carried out. He stated Thursday the union has expressed willingness to barter on the difficulty. The present contract is scheduled to run out June 30; negotiations are ongoing.
On Might 6, an off-duty San Jose police officer was arrested on suspicion of driving inebriated earlier than a two-car collision in Hayward. The division confirmed it was investigating the incident.
Calling the incidents a “drumbeat of significant transgressions by younger officers,” Liccardo stated in a ready assertion that the instances don't characterize the vast majority of the division’s officers. He stated he is aware of the police chief is taking the incidents very critically and “we agree that now we have a lot work to do.”
Police union President Sean Pritchard agreed with Liccardo that the police division must “develop an motion plan to deal with the current incidents which have besmirched our division and likewise handle any management shortcomings.”
“A part of any credible motion plan should embrace a strong revamping of our present hiring and backgrounding processes and procedures,” Pritchard stated in a press release. “We're in energetic negotiations with the Metropolis on strengthening our present random drug and alcohol testing within the hopes of reaching an settlement shortly.”