Comments on: Tulare Police Personnel on Administrative Leave – Costing City Thousands

By: Retired City Council Member

Retired City Council Member — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:10:37 +0000

In reply to Chad.

Thank you Chad for your comments. I could not have stated it any better. Tulare citizens please stay awake and pay attention to the actions of our elected officials. Our police department is suffering as is our city. Come on Mr. Mayor and City Manager, let’s get it together…resolve this situation and move the city forward!

By: Jeb

Jeb — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 19:35:56 +0000

In reply to kelky.

The difference is Hensley wants it to be public and said he has no problem with having it all aired so the public can make up their own minds. He has nothing to hide. Jerry wanted to hide behind his issues. Big Difference

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 18:20:30 +0000

So I’m confused… the response by the City Manager to “Why are you placing the Chief on paid leave?” is to place two more people on paid leave? “It’s a process” well how about you finish one process before starting two others? You claim to not do things on a whim but this looks very whimsical. I do agree with him “If it’s something we need to investigate, I need to investigate,” You certainly do so how about you get investigating and quit wasting tax payers money. It shouldn’t take seven plus weeks without any progress.

By: Chad

Chad — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 05:35:22 +0000

So two more members of the PD’s command staff placed on Admin Leave? With no reason why? Are they also part of the double secret……..yet to be released investigation? So are (some) members of the council, mayor and City Manager going to take the rest of the command staff, sergeants and line officers hostage also? Who is next? Good men, leaders….doing a thankless, selfless, stressful job placed on Admin Leave, for what a personal vendetta, a disagreement? It’s my understanding from certain sources the mayor himself is unaware of the city managers intentions or reasons for the administrative leaves. But he agrees with the situation ( I can smell the BS) is this based on ego, arrogance or a simple distaste for TPD or maybe its Law Enforcement in general. Citizens of Tulare the men and women who are charged with your safety and protection are under siege. It’s unbelievable that you (somebody who sits on the council) even found an elderly man to speak at a meeting about the Chief being “crooked” well played council to get your jab in on that one. I guess some members of the council know how the legal system works ie, raise a fraction of doubt and get acquitted, you only need one right? Its worked for some of you at least once. 18 years doing the same job as the men you placed on leave do. 100’s of investigations, never have I seen such shady actions and I worked narcotics. So to the Mayor and City Manager as you play games with those men’s lives and careers, the police department suffers, the city suffers. Everyday some (not all) of you council members (Mr. Mayor and City Manager included) appear to be more deceitful, ignorant and corrupted by some sort of personal gain. You may have fooled or manipulated some citizens but not all of us. Great leaders have always been known to lead from the front. Not by arrogance, ego or ones own personal gain.
-Chad Rhyman

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 16:58:56 +0000

Actions that “insure” that the community is being informed that “The City has reasons” for questioning these officers’ lack of personal integrity and trustworthiness; actions “insuring” that the community will wildly speculate on the reasons behind these officers being put on admin leave; actions “insuring” reputations that have taken a lifetime to build are at risk of becoming tattered and soiled without regard to known facts. These actions aren’t considered to be punitive ……only taking away money is considered to be punitive. There should be a reasonable timeline set in place PRIOR to being placed on “paid” admin leave to actually start and conduct outside investigations (if truly needed as reasons should have already been adequately documented and substantiated). The investigation should be swift and fast enough to not be dragged out for a year or so out of fear of a lawsuit or looking out for a friend like Dorman did (look at the last two people who the city placed on “paid” leave….one for over a year and the other for almost a year). If the City feels there is ample reason enough to terminate their employment then do so……. if not then let them go back to work and “earn” the salary that they are still continuing to receive. SAVE OUR TAX DOLLARS!!!!

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 07:15:08 +0000

California law mandates that these investigations be confidential. The responses that the city is permitted to provide are extremely limited.

The reason law enforcement employees are placed on leave is that they have rights per state law, specifically California Code 3300-3313. The long and short of it is that employees who are under investigation are placed on administrative leave due to the fact that no punitive action can be taken against them unless the case is investigated and the accusation of wrong doing has been substantiated. If you send an employee home on unpaid leave it constitutes a punitive action as they are losing money. And since no punitive action can be taken until the alleged wrong doing has been investigated and substantiated, you find yourself facing these rather costly situations when more than one member of a police department is being investigated.

By: tulare vava

tulare vava — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 17:02:05 +0000

I don’t understand Tulare City government. If you have a case against a city employee, you know within 3 or 4 weeks whether you will proceed. Otherwise, you build your case against them while they are still on the job. Especially if it just involves personal behavior. This precedent of putting everyone on paid leave while you build a case has everything backwards. And it is a waste of taxpayer money.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 21:54:10 +0000

Something doesn’t smell right! Is this City Council and City Manager conducting witch-hunts for personal reasons? Breckenridge made really good money during his paid leave over so-called personnel matters (at least everyone knew what those personnel matters were). That city manager dragged that out way too long (of course Dorman was a friend of Jerry’s). Now here we go again except this time we are in the dark about what the so-called personnel matters are about. Paying out $37,000 a month of citizens money without any explanation just doesn’t sit right. If you want to keep citizens in the dark about what is really going on then at least put these guys on UNPAID administration leave.

By: kelky

kelky — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 07:14:46 +0000

What this story leaves out is Hensley wasn’t just promoted, no one retired , Hensley replace Breckenridge who was basically forced to resign after he was on placed on Administrative leave for close to a year..Same story we heard then, Its a “personnel” matter. The only time we hear of officers being place on paid administrative leave is when a officer is involved in a shooting, so whatever it it , it’s serious.