Business duped by Chief of Police’s use of their donated cash!

And the story continues. The surface has just been scratched.

Officers of the Parlier police department, with Chief David Cerda’s knowledge, direction and blessing last year embarked on a campaign of local business to donate money to the department. This was an unusual request but hard financial times require thinking out of the box. Business owners in the community were told the money was to bring back a “full time officer” as quoted by Cerda. Several officers were laid off due to a budget shortfall.

Between $20,000.00 and $23,000.00 were donated. These donations were not tax deductible at the police department does not have 501©3 designation. Nuwest was the most gracious (largest) donor.

You hear talk in the community from the donors and ask yourself “who was brought back” The answer: no one. Cerda diverted the money to pay for at will, no health benefit reserve officers. The school officer is being paid for mostly by the school district. Several of these reserve officers were not fully trained as set down by the State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) before they were released in the community.

The bigger concern is that the money was purported to be used to bring a full time officer back and that was a lie. Cerda went as far as to bring on friends to work as reserves. Most are working more than 40 hours a week and being paid overtime. This cuts into the city budget further. Regular officers are not being allowed to work overtime.

My family and I would rather be served by an experienced officer than someone not so experienced if I were to choose.

This also violates the California Government code and Labor code in so far as you cannot have a reserve or at will employee doing the job of a full time government employee. All of the other Chief’s in the county know this and have discussed it at their monthly Chief’s meeting. Which by the way Cerda cannot find time in his busy schedule to attend.

Yet another reason to be embarrassed by our unprofessional, unproductive Chief of Police.