PARLIER – A Fresno County civil jury sided with former Parlier chief of police Jose Garza in his wrongful termination suit against the city of Parlier. Now, Garza is owed $1 million in economic damages, as well as pain and suffering, which must be paid for by the city.
On Sept. 16, 2024, Judge Jonathan Skiles read aloud to the court six questions the jury had to consider when rendering its verdict. One question spoke to the heart of Garza’s suit against the city.
“Was Jose Garza’s refusal to terminate an investigation a contributing factor in the city of Parlier’s decision to remove him?” asked Skiles. “Yes.”
In 2020, then-Parlier Chief of Police Garza received information that over $25,000 was missing from the city’s records department. The assumption was the money had been embezzled. Garza contracted with an outside agency to launch an independent investigation.
“This agency handles investigations for smaller agencies that don’t have the resources to handle investigations of that magnitude,” Garza said.
The investigation indicated that records clerk Juan Torres was involved in the theft. As the investigation unfolded, it named Rosalia Solis, records supervisor, as also being involved.
“And that’s where it went downhill from there,” said Garza. “She’s (Solis) a Parlier girl. She was well-known by both council members who voted me out as well as the mayor (current Parlier mayor, Alma Beltran).” The two council members were Trinidad Pimentel and Diane Maldonado – neither sits on the current city council.
Garza said the machinations against him began in spring 2021. He said Beltran and then-City Manager Sonia Hall attempted to quash the investigation.
“They tried to sweep it under the rug by stopping the investigator from further communicating with the district attorney,” he said. After launching the administrative investigation, where he enlisted the aid of the outside agency, Garza initiated a criminal investigation, which he brought to the attention of the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.
From Garza’s point of view, it was clear the city, under the guise of Beltran, was doing everything in its power to stop him from investigating Solis. The city was less charitable towards Torres.
“One of the employees (Torres) accused was terminated without due process, before the investigation completed,” said Garza.
The ax fell on Garza not long after – he was terminated on April 1, 2021.
“The mayor and council in closed session fired me on April 1,” he said.
However, Solis kept her job. “She returned to work the day after I was fired. The investigation was terminated the day after I was fired,” said Garza.
A TALE OF TWO FIRINGS
Over the 3 1/2 years Garza’s saga unfolded – from April 2021 until now – Beltran maintained Garza’s termination had nothing to do with the investigation but, rather, was due to Garza’s refusal to honor his employment contract. She also said that because Measure Q failed to pass on the November 2020 ballot, there wasn’t money to pay Garza – statements Garza flatly said were lies.
“After I refused to stop (the investigation), the mayor started saying I was over budget. I wasn’t. Back then (2021) and like she is saying with her lies now, she said it had to do with Measure Q. But in court we had clear and convincing evidence, along with testimony, stating otherwise,” said Garza.
He pointed out that after his contract expired in March 2021, the city refused to renew the contract he presented to the city. Garza said the mayor accused him of not working within the budget, which was yet another lie.
“The contract they presented to me specifically stated I wouldn’t get any raises unless Measure Q passed,” said Garza. He added that when his attorney showed Beltran when she was testifying on the witness stand, she replied she had never read the contract.
Garza said he was fired simply because he refused to stop investigating Solis. Everything else is a distraction. At the time he was terminated, Garza had been police chief for 3 1/2 years. During that time, he said he had a good working relationship with the mayor and did an excellent job as chief.
“I cut crime almost in half,” he said. “I did everything that was asked of me.”
And while he is happy with the verdict, he is saddened by the fact the embezzlement case was never resolved – the district attorney dismissed the case for lack of evidence.
“The sad part of the whole thing is a (police) chief will continue an investigation until you get a conclusion,” he said. “They left it unanswered with no one held accountable.”
After being fired, Garza accepted the job as the chief of police in Coalinga in 2022. He said the verdict finally puts a lid on the episode.
“It’s a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “The truth came out even though the mayor continues with her lies. For me, moving forward, I have a city to protect and a department to head.”
