FORTUNA POLICE ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS GALLEGOS RECALL

FORTUNA -- The thin blue line dividing District Attorney Paul Gallegos from
several local law enforcement groups just got a little thicker.

On Friday, the Fortuna Police Employees Association came out in support of
the recall of Gallegos. They join the Eureka Police Officers Association,
the Humboldt Deputy Sheriff's Association and the city in their support of
the effort to oust Gallegos.

The City Council passed a resolution in favor of the recall last week,
stating that Gallegos was soft on crime. During that meeting, members of
the council asked the association to support them in the effort.

In a written release, the association said it investigates cases, gathers
evidence and forward the information on to the District Attorney's Office
for prosecution.

"We trusted Paul Gallegos to make the right decisions for the people of
Fortuna," the release states. "Unfortunately, Paul Gallegos has not lived
up to his campaign promises. He promised to prosecute 'hard drug' crimes
like the sales/cultivation of drugs."

In a written response, Gallegos responded to the association.

"For the last five months my office has aggressively prosecuted everything
from domestic violence to elder abuse to drug dealing to murder," it reads.
"In the past month we have obtained first degree murder convictions in the
Preston and Noguez cases."

The group in its release said Gallegos failed to pursue a hard sentence
against a man who possessed nearly 40 grams of methamphetamine, all in
preweighed and individually marked baggies.

"Gallegos accepted a soft plea arrangement," it reads. "The man was
sentenced to probation."

The group also points to a long investigation that revealed a marijuana
grow operation inside a drug free school zone. The man investigated in the
case claimed to have a medical need for the marijuana. The group said the
evidence showed that the man had covertly given marijuana away, the same
legally as selling it, and his Prop. 215 card was expired.

But Gallegos did not file criminal charges, the group said.

In a written response Friday afternoon, Gallegos said that filings for
violent crimes are up 23 percent over the first five months of last year,
and that the office has "responded aggressively to gang violence.

"I'm disappointed by the association's decision, but I remain committed to
working with the law enforcement community to prosecute criminals and
protect the safety and security of the people of Humboldt County."

Association President Cliff Chapman said that although members of the City
Council requested this action, the decision originated within the association.

"This was actually on our own," Chapman said. "We had already decided to
have a meeting to discuss it."

There are 20 members of the Fortuna Police Employees Association and the
vote in favor of the recall was unanimous, Chapman said.