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The Coalinga Police Department regrets that one of its former employees has been criminally charged for acts that allegedly occurred during this member’s employment with us. The Department by law is precluded from commenting upon personnel matters that are deemed confidential and private. However, the Department will state that it self-reported this matter to the District Attorney’s Office which had confidence in the Department and requested that it conduct the criminal investigation. The Department believes that police accountability in these times is more critical than ever. The Department has in place strict policies and practices prohibiting the type of charged conduct, as well as a zero-tolerance approach toward such unlawful conduct.
During the pendency of the criminal prosecution, the Department will have no further comment upon this matter in order to protect the due process rights of all involved.
The Department thanks the public for its confidence in our dedicated employees who each and every day make the safety of our citizens their highest priority. Our core values continue to be compassion, integrity and accountability, and we always will strive towards excellence in providing the highest level of public safety service.
I regret the need for silence on this subject. There has been a lengthy investigation involving this former employee and Coalinga Press wants to let it be known that we firmly believe in accountability. With that being said, we also believe (generally) that our legal system is capable of sorting things out and dealing appropriate punishment. While we have been silent on this incident, we have also been waiting for the opportunity to share the story. If this individual had remained in our community, it would have been more important to inform residents about what is happening so that others will not fall prey. Thank you for your understanding. When more details are released, we will be printing them. Thank you. – MBJ
