The largest police union in San Diego County has new leadership.
The change followed a vote last month by its board of directors. And as Jesse Marx reports, the shake-up at the Deputy Sheriff’s Association could affect contract negotiations later this year and sway political endorsements.
The new vice president said the change was a reflection of discontent stemming from staff shortages and low morale. He said the new leaders have “different visions and different goals” but declined to talk about their strategy for the two years ahead.
In past elections, the historically right-leaning labor group has thrown its support behind a mix of Democrats and Republicans, signaling a more practical rather than partisan approach to politics.
Time will tell where the union is now headed. But a survey made public in 2021 showed internal opposition to candidates who were in favor of vaccine mandates. About a year ago, the San Diego Police Officers Association also changed hands following complaints that the previous president wasn’t combative enough with city officials.
Environment Report: Volcano Eruption Destroys Climate Change Data
The eruption of a Hawaiian volcano took out power to a set of key scientific instruments that have been tracking carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere since the 1950s.
It’s likely that data will never be recovered despite the federal government launching helicopters to collect back-up air samples and the construction of a secondary sample site on an even taller, neighboring volcano.
Thirty feet of cooling lava now covers the lone road leading to Mauna Loa research station, where the Keeling Curve instruments are without power.
Read the Environment Report here.
In Other News
- County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher announced his run for state Senate on Monday. He plans to run for the seat now held by Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, who will term out of office in 2024. The former state Assemblyman has been on the Board of Supervisors since 2018. (KPBS)
- Newly appointed Chula Vista City Councilman Alonso Gonzalez has an outstanding tax debt, a DUI and a foreclosed property, a review of public records by the Union-Tribune found. His tax debt of more than $44,000 has been met with concern among residents who have questioned whether he should lead the second largest city in the county, which has a $530 million budget. (Union-Tribune)
- After CBS 8 reported on abandoned shopping carts in 2019, San Diego police ramped up enforcement, leading to a nearly 300 percent increase in arrests and citations against homeless San Diegans in possession of a shopping cart. Police officers were averaging about five arrests and citations per month involving possession of a stolen shopping cart, but after the segment aired, that number jumped to 21 arrests and citations per month up until the start of Covid, according to an analysis of police data by inewsource.
- The team selected by the City Council to redevelop the Sports Arena site, will host its first quarterly public meeting Wednesday. The meeting will be open to the public and all are welcome to participate. (City of San Diego)
The Morning Report was written by Jesse Marx, MacKenzie Elmer and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.