Fourth quarter findings for independent review into Fresno Police Department

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The 2024 fourth quarter report from the Office of Independent Review into the Fresno Police Department's policies and practices is now out for the public to review.

It includes one incident of officers shooting a suspect who opened fire on a sergeant sitting in his patrol car back in October.

Reviewer John Gliatta says the city having a single officer involved shooting is rare.

"I also chart over the last five to seven years, the number of (officer involved shootings)," explained Gliatta.

"It's the lowest number of (officer involved shootings) at least in the last five to seven years."

There were other concerns with three unreasonable force investigations completed from October to December.

In one of those cases, the department found an officer did violate policy.

"In that one they felt the officer may have been a little bit overly aggressive with the juvenile," said Gliatta.

"Also discourteous with the way he spoke to the juvenile and also discretion. So, they found the officer at fault."

There were also 14 cases of conduct unbecoming of a police officer, with at least one officer in violation in 11 cases.

Some of those include an officer involved in a pursuit at excessive speeds and failing to use good judgement when handling a call for shots fired.

Another incident involved an officer showing up for a scheduled shift while under the influence of alcohol.

All of these cases were investigated thoroughly by the Fresno Police Department itself.

"The department does a pretty good job of holding their people accountable, so if they found them sustained, I just move on to the next case," said Gliatta.

The report does note there were several officers who voluntarily left the department by retiring or resigning before their investigations were complete.

It adds that 36 officers received training as a disciplinary action.

Gliatta says overall, the department is making progress in holding its own employees accountable.

"It shows the training, the level of officers that they are putting on the street and the amount of oversight that they have. They want to do the same thing I want to do, have the best possible officers out on the street," said Gliatta.

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