Former police chief wins $1M lawsuit over firing by city

    PARLIER, California (KFSN) -- The former police chief of Parlier has won a $1 million lawsuit after claiming he was fired for investigating a city employee.

"The mayor at the time, it was on television saying that I was fired because I was over budget," said former Parlier Police Chief Jose Garza. "The real reason I was fired -- I was retaliated because I wouldn't stop investigation of the theft of 25 over $25,000 for our records department, the police department."

On Monday, a jury ruled in Garza's favor.

"The jury found today that the investigation was the cause of Chief Garza's dismissal. He refused to break the law and shut down the investigation. He was actually ordered to stop cooperating with the DA. He refused. They fired him. Here we are. The jury said that was unlawful, and they ordered us $1 million," said Garza's attorney, Alan Romero.

Mayor Alma Beltran maintains it was not because of the embezzlement investigation.

She says the city council was waiting to see if Measure Q would pass in 202, which was needed to fund the police department, before they discussed a new contract for Garza.

She says his previous contract had ended and that he was unwilling to work without a contract while waiting for a special election on Measure Q.

"If Measure Q had already passed, if it would have passed in November and it not failed, then we would've been in a different situation, but that didn't happen and instead of working with us, he lashed back at us," Beltran explained.

Beltran doesn't believe the city got a fair chance at presenting its case in court.

In 2022, Garza became the chief of police in Coalinga, where he still serves today.

He says the case has followed him.

"I'm happy. I'm happy, and I thank the jury for the outcome. Just relieved. It's been a long three and a half years to the truth, to come out and get my reputation back," Garza said.