The town of Fresno positioned its police chief on paid administrative go away Wednesday because it continued an investigation into an inappropriate relationship that he allegedly had with an officer’s spouse.
“In mild of the extraordinary public scrutiny surrounding the executive investigation and in the very best curiosity of all events concerned, Chief Paco Balderrama might be positioned on paid administrative go away,” Metropolis Supervisor Georgeanne White mentioned in an electronic mail to the Fresno Police Division.
Metropolis officers confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail to The Instances.
Standing outdoors of the council chambers on Wednesday, Balderrama, who has been police chief for a bit greater than three years, instructed reporters he couldn’t communicate concerning the investigation.
“That is probably the most tough time in my life and in my household’s life,” he mentioned. “So I do ask for a bit little bit of grace. I do ask for a bit little bit of forgiveness.”
He instructed reporters to not ask any salacious questions for “click on bait.”
“It’s simply not value it,” he mentioned, including that if he wasn’t police chief the story wouldn’t obtain protection.
“However I’m the police chief and you may solid stones,” he mentioned, pointing to a reporter. “Although you’re imperfect as nicely.”
The short-term suspension comes 4 months after town launched a written assertion in February indicating that the chief had knowledgeable the mayor and metropolis supervisor that “an allegation would probably be made towards him associated to an inappropriate off-duty relationship he was concerned in.”
Deputy Chief Mindy Casto will take over the chief’s operational duties whereas he’s solely go away.
The town beforehand introduced that it had launched an investigation into the allegation and that Balderrama would proceed to function the police chief.
However that modified this week after the San Joaquin Valley Solar revealed that the investigation centered on a two-year affair the chief had with the spouse of an officer. The newspaper reported that the chief used his place to undermine the officer’s profession strikes that will have freed his weekends, which might have interfered with the affair.
The officer, who was not recognized, mentioned in a press release to the newspaper that the affair had began in August 2021 and, upon discovery, had ended through the holidays in late 2023.
Metropolis officers declined to remark additional concerning the investigation.
