Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

 

Page 3

 

ADDA Calls Upon Gascón To Release Personnel Files

 

By a MetNews Staff Writer

 

In a “Dear George” letter, the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys has urged former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón, a candidate for district attorney in the Nov. 3 general election here,  to release his personnel files as a member of the Los Angeles Police Department and two other police agencies.

The communication to Gascón was from ADDA Vice President Eric Siddall.

Neither Gascón nor his campaign committee responded to requests for comment made by the METNEWS on Thursday.

The ADDA has endorsed the reelection bid by incumbent Jackie Lacey.

Siddall wrote:

You launched your campaign for Los Angeles County District Attorney with the statement that you wanted to make the County “more transparent and more accountable to the public.” Should not that transparency effort include you?

You have not released your Los Angeles Police Department, San Francisco Police Department or Mesa Police Department personnel files, including complaint investigations of misconduct, despite public calls to do so. You have not answered if you were ever asked to participate in the LAPD Ombudsman program to mediate allegations against you by your former peers or subordinates.

Leaders lead by example; somebody who claims transparency as a core value should demonstrate by deed and not word their commitment to transparency by letting the public see everything they have done while employed by the public. For you, the details of your prior public employment are in your law enforcement personnel files. There is no legitimate reason at this time for you to refuse to release your personnel files and Ombudsman participation.

Your refusal to release in full your personnel files and Ombudsman participation raises questions about what is in those files. Is there something you don’t want the public to know?

As far as any files reflecting participation in the LAPD Ombudsman program, steps can be taken to ensure the confidentiality of the other party to any case. Simply redacting the name while ensuring the record contains the general nature of the dispute, i.e., sexual harassment, hostile and uncomfortable work environment, will suffice to inform the public.

Finally, you were quoted as saying,. “As a career law enforcement officer who spent 30 years in policing, I can tell you that good police officers do not fear transparency. Good police officers welcome transparency because it allows them to work effectively with the communities that they serve.”

We look forward to you quickly releasing in full your personnel files from all three police agencies, ensuring complete transparency for voters.

 

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