2008 Woodie Awards
Sgt. Noriega speaks about UPD investigation
Kevin Rand
Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
An ongoing investigation into the San Jose State University Police Department union (Unit Eight) regarding conduct related to alleged improprieties by UPD police chief, Andre Barnes, continues to lower department morale, Sgt. Robert Noriega said.
Noriega said that the university is now investigating a matter where a confidential e-mail of his was leaked to local ABC7 reporter Vic Lee.
"The sergeant who wrote this complaint questions whether Police Chief Barnes tried to use his position to get a friend hired here - a friend who was once arrested for a sex offense," said Vic Lee in an article on the ABC news Web site.
The applicant, Christopher Griffin, was applying for an assistant coaching position with the SJSU women's basketball team, according to Lee's article.
Sgt. Noriega said that the matter had been investigated previously by the CSU and no criminal activity was found.
"There was no 'smoking gun' found," he said. "Now a third investigation is being done. I don't know what's going on."
Barnes took a paid leave of absence following the apparent suicide of a former SJSU football player in August 2006 before he returned to duty the next month, according to a Spartan Daily article on Aug. 24, 2006.
Sgt. Noriega said he thought the Fall investigations, related to Katrell Collier's apparent suicide and Barnes' alleged tie to an SJSU job applicant with an alleged criminal history, were over.
He said that the executive assistant to the university president, Gerry Selter, alluded to him through e-mail conversation that President Kassing ordered the most recent investigation beginning in February. Noriega said that Selter told him he handed Kassing the previous investigation.
Pat Harris, the SJSU media relations officer, said that Kassing ordered no such current investigation.
She said she could not comment further because she did not know about the alleged investigation.
"It continues to sort of put a cloud over the department," Noriega said.
Noriega said that the university is now investigating a matter where a confidential e-mail of his was leaked to local ABC7 reporter Vic Lee.
"The sergeant who wrote this complaint questions whether Police Chief Barnes tried to use his position to get a friend hired here - a friend who was once arrested for a sex offense," said Vic Lee in an article on the ABC news Web site.
The applicant, Christopher Griffin, was applying for an assistant coaching position with the SJSU women's basketball team, according to Lee's article.
Sgt. Noriega said that the matter had been investigated previously by the CSU and no criminal activity was found.
"There was no 'smoking gun' found," he said. "Now a third investigation is being done. I don't know what's going on."
Barnes took a paid leave of absence following the apparent suicide of a former SJSU football player in August 2006 before he returned to duty the next month, according to a Spartan Daily article on Aug. 24, 2006.
Sgt. Noriega said he thought the Fall investigations, related to Katrell Collier's apparent suicide and Barnes' alleged tie to an SJSU job applicant with an alleged criminal history, were over.
He said that the executive assistant to the university president, Gerry Selter, alluded to him through e-mail conversation that President Kassing ordered the most recent investigation beginning in February. Noriega said that Selter told him he handed Kassing the previous investigation.
Pat Harris, the SJSU media relations officer, said that Kassing ordered no such current investigation.
She said she could not comment further because she did not know about the alleged investigation.
"It continues to sort of put a cloud over the department," Noriega said.
Be the first to comment on this story