Fresno police department fired three officers in the past three months, suspended 10

Three Fresno police officers were fired in the third quarter of 2022 as part of 15 disciplinary actions, according to a report released Monday.

The reasons for the terminations and the names of the officers were not included in the quarterly report from the city’s Office of Independent Review, which is headed up by former FBI agent and Independent Reviewer John Gliatta.

Most of the findings are listed with general yet few details while others have more beat-by-beat accounts. The California Peace Officers Bill of Rights requires that some of the details remain confidential while others are delayed from being made public.

The 15 incidents of discipline bring the year’s total so far to 40 officers, the report shows. There were 59 last year and 84 the year before that.

Discipline can range from a letter of reprimand or fines up to termination or resignation.

Along with the terminations for the quarter, 10 officers were suspended a total of 600 hours and other officers were required to attend additional training, the review says.

The report includes claims and findings generated within the department or complaints from citizens, but does not say which cases led to which types of disciplinary actions.

Discourteous treatment or conduct unbecoming of an officer

One officer was found to have abused the use of records and did not carry out their duties, the case assigned June 3 shows. That officer also entered misleading information into reports, the review says.

The City Attorney’s Office acknowledged a criminal investigation into an officer related to dishonesty, but declined to release the file citing the ongoing investigation. It was not clear if the investigation was for the June 3 case or another.

Another officer was arrested on suspicion of DUI, according to an investigation assigned March 25, the report shows.

A different officer made inappropriate comments on social media in a case assigned to the office July 12, 2021, the report said.

The report includes a few other cases, including incidents in which officers failed to turn on their body-worn cameras.

Shootings by Fresno officers

The report concluded three reviews of cases where officers fired at someone they were pursuing, and one for a man killed while in police custody.

All four cases were determined to be within police policy, the report says, and included two fatal cases and two in which the person shot survived.

The reviewer said though it was within policy for two officers to shoot 26-year-old Ryan Brooks, who had a green plastic toy gun in his hand on Dec. 22, he “felt the second series of shots by O2 (officer 2) were not warranted” because the fallen Brooks was no longer a threat as he lay on the ground.

More than a dozen shots were fired, video shows. Advocates said the officers acted “recklessly.”

Administration and performance

The report shows several cases that were sustained after officers were accused by the department of not fulfilling duties, properly documenting evidence and failing to handle firearms safely, among others.

The report notes Chief Paco Balderrama recently amended the department’s Employee Commendation policy to include an award for any officers who use “exceptional tactical skills or verbal approach or techniques” to avoid using deadly force.