I feel compelled to write this letter in response to a series of
letters to the editor about the current state of affairs at the San
Benito County District Attorney’s Office.
Unlike the the writers of these letters, I can say without
reservation that I am qualified to comment on these matters. I am a
21-year law enforcement veteran of the San Jose Police Department
and Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.
I feel compelled to write this letter in response to a series of letters to the editor about the current state of affairs at the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office.
Unlike the the writers of these letters, I can say without reservation that I am qualified to comment on these matters. I am a 21-year law enforcement veteran of the San Jose Police Department and Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.
I met the current San Benito County District Attorney, John Sarsfield, in 1976. I have been in professional and social settings with him on numerous occasions and have never heard or seen any bias, racial or otherwise in his words or actions.
John Sarsfield has been in office a mere nine months and is in the process of enacting several cost-cutting measures that will result in taxpayer savings and no reduction of services provided.
For example, the proposal to outservice public defender services to Monterey County, the transfer of The District Attorney investigative staff to the San Benito County Sheriff’s Department and the “legal eagles” program, whereupon private industry attorneys litigate minor criminal cases for the DA’s office at no public expense and get valuable experience at little cost to their employer.
These measures will save the taxpayers of San Benito County precious tax dollars at the time of a statewide budget crisis.
These letters to the editor contain numerous other falsehoods, omissions and distortions, such as the reference to the “Johnson case” which was handled by former DA Harry Damkar’s office, not John Sarsfield’s.
In conclusion, if those of you reading these articles want to know the “straight scoop” as the current state of affairs at the San Benito County DA’s Office, ask a cop!
Sgt. William Gonzales, San Jose Police Department
