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Victims urge Sanger council to pursue police accountability amid complaints about department handling
Summary
During public comment at the March 5 council meeting, multiple victims and residents accused Sanger police of mishandling complaints and urged the council to address alleged cover-ups; speakers said Measure S funding and department practices have not resolved underlying problems and asked for investigations and better victim support.
Several people who identified themselves as victims of past misconduct spoke during public comment at the March 5 Sanger City Council meeting, accusing the police department and others of failing to act and demanding accountability.
Moses Hernandez, who identified himself as a longtime resident, criticized comments made by the city attorney at a prior meeting and said that Measure S funding has not fixed problems in Sanger’s police department. He urged the council to reconsider measures that create permanent funding without sunset provisions and said more oversight of how funds are used is needed.
Another speaker accused department leaders of taking credit for convictions that victims said were the result of their own testimony and private detectives, not department action. “How dare you sit there and lie and tell the people of Sanger that Sanger PD and Reynolds played a big part,” the speaker said, and demanded change and continued public pressure.
Selena Ruelas, who identified herself as one of Torrance’s victims, told the council that victims felt ignored and that systemic problems remain. She called for an in-depth look at department culture and procedures and said victims will not stop fighting until they see concrete change.
Other commenters raised related concerns about an additional officer they said remains on duty despite allegations and questioned why the city appeared slow to act on complaints. A resident also pressed the council about public-comment rules and said comments at a prior meeting made it harder for residents to trust elected officials.
The council did not take immediate action during the meeting; several members later suggested exploring ways to improve transparency and community trust, including the possibility of a community advisory committee focused on police accountability and protections for victims.
