Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Speaker A: A Mendocino County Sheriff's deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave after being suspected of a hit and run with property damage and driving under the influence while operating a patrol vehicle. The crash occurred in late April and the deputy was reportedly off duty at the time. The name of the deputy has not been released, citing the ongoing investigation.
The California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation. Bakema News got an opportunity to speak with Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Captain Quincy Cromer to learn more about the incident and what comes next in the investigation.
[00:00:44] Speaker B: It stemmed from an incident on April 24th of 2025 when it was about 6pm which is shift change for the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff sergeant with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office arrived to work at the Willup substation and noticed damage to a county owned patrol vehicle and the sergeant investigated the damage and learned the Sheriff's deputy who is assigned that vehicle did not report the damage to his assigned county vehicle pursuant to Sheriff's Office policy and procedures. So the Sheriff's deputy that was involved and issued that car or signed that car worked for the Sheriff's Office for over three years and had held assignments in patrol and the corrections Division but most recently was in the Patrol division. So Sheriff's office vehicles are equipped with video recording devices and they record all the time. So there's obviously a loop and there's a DVR or a storage hard drive in the car that saves all the recording. And so the Sheriff's sergeant started reviewing the recording device from that assigned vehicle to determine how the damage happened to that vehicle. When reviewing the video damage, the video footage from the damaged patrol vehicle, the sheriff sergeant learned the deputy had operated the vehicle while off duty and drove the county vehicle to a bar in the city of Willets. And while driving the vehicle in Willets, the off duty Sheriff's deputy collided with a guardrail on Sherwood Road causing damage to the passenger side of the vehicle.
This matter was immediately reported to the California Highway Patrol Garberville Office to investigate the traffic collision, the damage to the guardrail and the county owned patrol vehicle, the hit and run incident for felon to report the collision, reckless driving and the possibility of the off duty deputy driving while under the influence. The California Highway Patrol is still actively investigating that incident with the assistance of an investigator from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office. So it is obviously the intent and endeavor of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office to maintain transparency and accountability through the immediate immediate reporting and investigation of this incident. With that being said, the name of the sheriff's deputy is being withheld by the sheriff's office at this time to protect the integrity of that ongoing criminal investigation. Once or if that person is arrested or formally charged by the district attorney, that name could become a matter of public record. But this sheriff's deputy was. That was involved in the incident was immediately placed on paid administrative leave, which is the current protocol and process for somebody that's a government employee. And their peace officer status was suspended while this matter is being investigated. And again, we're asking anyone that may have been a witness to this, this person was in plain clothes. They were not in a deputy sheriff uniform when they were driving this vehicle off duty. So if anyone witnessed that or has any information, please call the communication center for the Sheriff's office at 707-463-4086 and press option one for dispatch.
[00:03:27] Speaker A: We asked Captain Cromer what assurances he could offer about how this case is being handled and how it reflects on broader standards within the department.
[00:03:38] Speaker B: At the end of the day, all we can do is respond to this incident because we weren't there to either intercede or interject or hopefully suggest this person makes a better decision than what they made. So our response to this is to be as clear and as transparent as possible. We're the ones that initiated the press release. We're the ones that made the public aware of this incident happening. And we are also the people that called the highway patrol, who are the experts on traffic related incidents, to investigate this matter. And we also asked the district attorney, because there are a few different jurisdictions involved here, to also assist in the investigation of this because the district attorney's office has their own investigators as well. So all I can say is that it is our, obviously our goal here to get in front of this and say this is what happened. I can't do anything to change the decisions that were made. But we can assure the public and your listeners and anyone else that reads about this incident to say we're being forthcoming with what we can release. Right now, I know there were some people upset about the name not being released. I can't release their name just like anyone else's until they're arrested or charged by the da Then it's a matter of public record. Same thing with pain administration, administrative leave. I'd referenced that before. That is the standard protocol for government employees for civil service rules is that they will be on paid administrative leave until they're either charged or convicted and then we can remove that paid leave and they could be on leave without pay, but we have to follow due process. And that's what is entitled in the law to everybody, whether they're a deputy sheriff or a citizen, to follow due process for those types of investigations. And if we were to preemptively remove their payments without due process, we would be liable for potential civil damages. So that's why we're following the protocols and also trying to be as transparent as possible in this instance.
[00:05:18] Speaker A: This incident comes amid a broader concern in law enforcement. Studies show that police officers experience higher rates of alcohol misuse than the general public, often tied to chronic stress, trauma, exposure, and the demands of the job. National research suggests that up to 25% of officers may engage in problematic drinking. In light of this, we asked the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office whether mental health and substance use resources are available for deputies who may be struggling.
[00:05:54] Speaker B: At the end of the day, alcoholism is a disease, and it's a disease that can be treated with proper counseling and other treatments. But until that person, until somebody is aware of the issue or that person accepts or admits that they have a problem and need help, it's very difficult. It's a very difficult dance and balance to say, hey, I think that you're showing these symptoms that you might need some help. And we've had those conversations with some employees and say, hey, it seems like you might have an issue here. So we have an emergency, I'm sorry, an employee assistance program, eap, we call it that. Anyone can call at any time for law enforcement or any other county employee that's offered through the county to offer assistance. They can immediately be connected with a therapist to start talking about their problems. It can be anonymous or they can provide their name. But that's sort of the initial step. We have had done check ins before in the past and we're still working on a contract for that to do regular yearly check ins with a therapist for each of our employees that is willing or, you know, wanting to do that. So if that therapist says, hey, I saw, you know, this person two years in a row, in the third year, they seem to be showing some character changes and some differences. And this is maybe concerning. They. They can at least talk to that person about resources that are available to them. But at the end of the day, we are human and we do make mistakes and we are not perfect. And it take somebody to stand up and say, I need help. And when that happens, we have many things that are in place to help that person. But again, I don't want to say this is indicative of our entire office because obviously this doesn't happen every weekend like the incident incident that we're covering. But same thing with the, the assessment that some, some people in a first responder role may be subject to alcohol abuse. Well, I get the statistics don't lie. But if somebody needs help, we have many protocols and procedures and, and other resources that are offered to those people. We have retreats that sent people into, for the, for, for first responder wellness and we do check ins with our employees when they're willing and able to do that. And then we obviously offer that EAP program and we do have chaplains as well that we're trying to build that program up again. And that can be somebody that just comes to briefings and sees our deputies or does ride alongs and, and sometimes that's a place of trust with a chaplain that somebody might be willing to talk to the chaplain about some stuff that are going on, some things that are going on in their personal life that maybe they wouldn't feel as comfortable talking to a supervisor or co worker about.
[00:08:14] Speaker A: In closing, Captain Cromer encouraged the public to come forward with any additional information. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling the non emergency line at 707-234-2100.
[00:08:31] Speaker B: We want this to be as thoroughly and comprehensively investigated as possible. So if somebody does have information. I know it's weird that the sheriff is asking for people that may have evidence related to a crime involving one of his employees to be abnormal request, an abnormal request. But we are genuinely asking if somebody has information, please call us because we want to make sure it's as thoroughly investigated as possible.
[00:08:53] Speaker A: KBUT News will continue to share updates as they become available.
