Advisory board votes to decertify Fresno officer who admitted fabricating emergency calls
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Summary
After POST investigators presented recordings and body‑worn video, the advisory board voted to advance for decertification a Fresno officer who acknowledged placing three anonymous calls that prompted emergency responses to a former partner's residence.
The advisory board voted to advance for decertification POST case 2316280 after a division presentation that concluded a Fresno Police Department officer fabricated three emergency calls to prompt responses at a former partner’s home.
Law enforcement consultant Robert Tripp told the board the division found clear and convincing evidence that the officer made three anonymous calls on Aug. 10–11, 2023, reporting an ongoing violent disturbance when no such disturbance was occurring. Tripp played excerpts from the calls and body‑worn video from responding officers as part of the presentation. "He admitted he placed the 3 anonymous calls to the Fresno Police Communications Center," Tripp said in his summary of interviews and investigative findings.
According to the division, the calls were prioritized by dispatch (a priority 0 call on Aug. 10 and priority 1 on Aug. 11), caused responses by officers driving lights-and‑siren blue‑light calls, and disrupted the victims and other building residents. The division said the respondent admitted in both the department internal‑affairs interview and a POST interview that he fabricated the reports in hopes the former partner would contact him.
POST recommended considering certification action for dishonesty and for acts that violate the law; the division cited Penal Code provisions and commission regulations governing false reports and material misrepresentations to public agencies. After deliberation in closed session, the board reconvened and voted to pass the motion to decertify and forward the matter to the commission for an evidentiary hearing.
