Demotion Motion

Update: Garcia plans to appeal demotion for helicopter dustup, using employee roster

Monday, February 1, 2010

Fred Garcia's union representative says he plans to appeal the Sheriff's Office's intent to demote the sheriff candidate. A Skelly hearing, where Sheriff Mike Kanalakis would hear his political opponent's appeal has been scheduled for Feb. 25, says David Cariaga, business representative for Operating Engineers Local No. 3.

Internal Affairs Sgt. Rick Statham declined to comment on the personnel matter outside of reading a prepared statement: "Although I would be willing to explain why…disciplinary action has been proposed against Cmdr. Garcia I am not permitted to do this without his consent. If someone can secure his written consent we will make all relevant information available."

According to Cariaga, Sheriff Mike Kanalakis' deputy chiefs have weighed in and Undersheriff Nancy Cuffney wrote a letter that calls for Garcia to be demoted to a deputy in response to two internal investigations. The notice of intent to downgrade Garcia from commander of homeland security to deputy sheriff came down Friday, Cariaga says.

Garcia was suspended in October for criticizing Kanalakis' request to restart the sheriff's helicopter program in a letter to supervisors. For more background read "Gun Control: Mike Kanalakis' critics are up in arms, but he's running for re-election anyway."