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By PORAC | April 1, 1997 | Posted in PORAC LDF News

Glenn County Deputy Reinstated

Almost one year after he was terminated as a Glenn County Sheriff’s Deputy, Todd James received justice. The Board of Supervisors unanimously ordered him reinstated and awarded full back pay and benefits.

James was charged with a number of offenses related to his work on the Narcotics Task Force. The most common allegation was that James was dishonest during 16 hours of interrogation.

An example of his alleged dishonesty and evasiveness involved his response to a question asking him to describe his duties when he joined the Task Force. He responded; “To go out and buy dope and log it in evidence and go to court.” When he later acknowledged that his job duties were broader than that the Department concluded he was dishonest and evasive. Neither the Hearing Officer, William Riker nor the Board of Supervisors agreed.

Another charge related to fabrication of documents. The hearing officer found this to be; “the most outrageous misrepresentation of the responses of Appellant Todd James. It raises a serious concern by this arbitrator on the entire veracity of the conduct of the investigation, the interrogation and the reliance on the part of the Sheriff to terminate Deputy Sheriff Todd James.”

It was noted that James had an exemplary record from the time he joined the Department. He believed he was a “good cop” whose only ambition was to remain a “good cop” until retirement. Hearing Officer Riker stated that James’ responses to the interrogation after a grueling interrogation, “spoke volumes as to his honesty and dedication to the job of law enforcement.”

Riker summed up his decision noting; “Taxpayers demand that law enforcement officers put themselves in harms way and expect them, when necessary, to live in the sewer with rats, yet if any excrement gets on their uniform while in the course of their duties they are accused of violating their Oath of Office and should, therefore, be discarded without compulsion. It appears to this arbitrator that, as a minimum, a law enforcement officer should be accorded the same rights and respect we offer to lawbreakers and consider them innocent until proven guilty.”

James was represented by LDF Panel Attorney Michael A. Tarlton.