Española Police officers voted 10-1 April 16 in support of a “no-confidence” measure against Española Public Safety Chief Julian Gonzales, according to union president Cpl. Jeff R. Martinez.
Martinez and union vice president Vince Crespin said they held the vote despite the fact that a similar vote in July 2007, in which officers voted 20-2 in favor of a similar measure, had no effect on Gonzales’ management style or the workings of the Police Department.
“It’s just to show him and the (City) Council and the public that we have no confidence in his ability to lead the Department,” Crespin said.
All officers in the Department below the rank of lieutenant were eligible to vote, but six didn’t show up to the meeting, Crespin said.
The officers complained that Gonzales rarely confers with them about his decisions, and when he does, he ignores their advice.
The most recent source of frustration for officers was a March 7 scheduling change that moved some officers, who had complained about having to work with a particular supervisor, from the graveyard shift to the day shift. The officers opposed the move, but Gonzales made the changes anyway.
The officers also took umbrage with Gonzales’ dismissal of former officer Abinashi Khalsa, who offered to work three months before resigning, but was instead dismissed immediately because he refused to attend the police academy. Martinez said this decision showed a lack of concern for public safety, given the fact that the Department is chronically understaffed.
“There are 13 patrolman protecting the whole city — three per night,” Martinez said. “It’s not enough. (The public) are not safe.”
Gonzales has refused to talk to the SUN since April 13. But he had said earlier this month that the Department has six vacancies.
The only other officer who agreed to comment on the vote was Sgt. Richard Gallegos, who did not attend the meeting because he had to care for a sick relative, he said. Gallegos said he voted for Gonzales two years ago and if he had attended the meeting, would have voted for him again. Gallegos, who has worked under three police chiefs including Gonzales, noted several positive changes he attributed to his leadership.
“We were experiencing a lot of lawsuits at one time, and I think that was a lack of supervision,” Gallegos said. “Chief Gonzales stepped up and said, ‘Enough is enough, we’re going to do whatever we need to do to stop those lawsuits.’ I feel so confident in Chief Gonzales because I know he’s there to direct the Department in a positive way.”
Gallegos, along with Sgt. Rick Martinez and Sgt. Christian Lopez, is in the running for a promotion for a vacant lieutenant position.
A sign posted in the records department of the facility and leaked to the SUN demonstrates the atmosphere Gonzales has cultivated at the police station, according to officers. The sign reads, “Officers are to stay away from the records departments at all times. Official buisiness (sic) only. No loitering at the police station at any time.”
“What people don’t understand is there is so much animosity within the Department, morale is so low,” Martinez said. “I’ve been with the Department over 16 years and this is the lowest I’ve seen morale.”