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

by Gene Ruda
Lets just see where that 20 to 23K in donated money from various businesses and community members to beef our department back up went.
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.
by Gloria S.
In reading your post I believe you meant to say Sun West another contributor that supports Parlier Police Department is Maxco. These are the two bigger companies in our town. They have always been a big supporter of our local law enforcement and it is appreciated. I remember hearing Chief Cerda going around collecting funds to help bring back one of the officer's he had to lay off. I was even in the council meeting when he stood in front of the council and bragged about being able to get the money donated from the local businesses and others from the community. But I never heard Chief Cerda announce who the money assisted in bringing back to work. I know I seen a lot of new faces of officers but I'm told they are part time officers the reserves. But this money was told to us it would go to bringing back one of our officers who had been serving our community that was recently laid off during that time. But from what I'm told by some of the police that didn't happen because the department was suffering financial problems. So where did our money go then if it didn't help one of our dedicated officers the department laid off? Hope not to pay the salaries of the 3 new sergeants Chief Cerda promoted right before laying off 3 of our officers. As well am a little confused, how did that help make the town I live in safer by making 3 new bosses and getting rid of 3 worker bees? I don't know why mistake after mistake this Chief is allowed to stay in charge. In the past I have seen many Chiefs serve Parlier but if they started making bunch of mistakes they would be replaced to save the department, not sacrifice the staff of the department to save the Chief. Then what Chief Cerda going to patrol alone. Not good business sense you ask me. I sad at what has been happening to our police officers. They try hard but always get beat up by the Bosses.
by Frank T.
Labor Laws? I thought you said you lived in Parlier. If you know any history of the Parlier Police Department you would know Parlier PD has been throwing good officers to the waist side for years and who cares about labor laws, they don't. Parlier Police Department administration, that would be the Chief, does what ever he wants regardless of the rules. Just look at what has been going on that was even presented to the Council. You have a rogue sergeant out there that does what ever he wants off duty and is still patrolling the streets of Parlier. You have an officer bring the wrong doing to the attention of Chief David Cerda and the City Manager and they fire him. Then this former officer has the courage to bring it to the council honoring his oath, and that very same sergeant is still working our streets.

Why would any of the rest of the crew of that department come forward. They would just get fired too, and the bad apples who do what ever they want would start coming after them as well.

Parlier has a good police department with the right leadership it can get put back on track and regain the honor and trust lost within the city.
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