Moreno filed a lawsuit against the city of Fowler because of the inconsistencies in reporting policies.
But resident Tiffany Rodriquez says she filed over 20 different complaints to the police department for over two years that ranged from sexual assault, domestic violence and restraining order violations, and help never came from the police.
Budwig later told the Fresno Bee that he didn't think Jamgochian intended not to file the cases, but things "got away from him and it snowballed."
Derek Thomason, a support systems manager for the Fowler Police Department hired to help Jamgochian file cases with the district attorney, admitted at the meeting that he was the whistleblower who led the grand jury into the investigation. He said he acted after he noticed the stacks of cases piled up in the chief’s office.
John Moreno was a Fowler police officer for over 24 years before resigning shortly after Chief Jamgochian was appointed chief.
The 11-member CRB was created in 1994 to help investigate community complaints against police. It has subpoena power, can interview witnesses and review police documents and video. If it finds an officer committed misconduct, the board can only recommend discipline. The police chief has the final say.
The allegations were similar to Jones’ case. The CRB found Smith used excessive force and lied in a report.
His work history only became public because state lawmakers repealed section 50-a of the state’s Civil Rights Law. That made files related to police discipline and findings of misconduct accessible to the public. Lawmakers made the change after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. Chauvin had 18 complaints levied against him in 19 years.
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The city later settled Crawley’s lawsuit against Smith and the city for $200,000.
Last year, the city settled two of the lawsuits for $400,000. One stemmed from a case in which Smith fractured the arm of a Nottingham High School student when he was a school resource officer and the other from when Smith tackled a man filming an arrest. The third lawsuit is pending in federal court.
Smith and another officer wrote in their reports that they told Jones he was under arrest, that Jones took a fighter’s stance and that he yelled “f—k you” at the officers. Smith alleged in his report that he shoved Jones down and that Jones resisted arrest.