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San Luis Obispo County’s tarnished brass

May 28, 2019

By KAREN VELIE

Officer Trevor Shipman kept his job with the Fresno Police Department after he shot and killed a man during a traffic stop over a seat belt violation. The family of the deceased man then filed a lawsuit for excessive use of force and Shipman left the department. He then applied for a job with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department, and was hired. [Cal Coast Times]

Law enforcement officers accused of misconduct often keep their badges and move laterally to other agencies with the public unaware of their checkered pasts.

In Sept. 2015, while working for the Fresno Police Department, Shipman attempted to pull over Casimero Casillas because one of his passengers was not wearing his seat belt. Instead of pulling over, Casillas drove to a friend’s house and went inside, followed by Shipman.

Shipman, who found Casillas in his friend’s backyard holding a two inch pipe, shot and killed the 45-year-old father of five.

It’s here that witnesses and Shipman’s accounts vary. Shipman testified Casillas charged at him with the pipe at chest level, while he yelled at Casillas at the top of his lungs to stop. But Casillas’ two friends and two officers at the scene said they did not hear Shipman order Casillas to halt.

In March 2019, the jury awarded Casillas’ family $4.75 million in damages.

A decade earlier, in Dec. 2010, following a short car chase, Shipman shot 20-year-old Gerrick Franklin, a suspected carjacker, in the leg. Shipman opened fire when Franklin appeared to be reaching for a weapon. No weapon was found.

In the past few years, several lawsuits have been filed against local law enforcement agencies regarding officers who have been accused of sexual misconduct or excessive use of force.

On March 21, 2013, Jonathan Calvert, a then off-duty Long Beach police officer, attempted to detain a robbery suspect. While running from Calvert, Matthew Frushon took a cell phone out of his pocket. Thinking Frushon was armed, Calvert shot him in the back and in the elbow.

In late 2013, Frushon filed a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations, battery and negligence. On Oct. 21, 2015, the city and Calvert settled with Frushon.

In late 2016, Calvert resigned from the Long Beach Police Department and a few months later he was hired by the SLO County Sheriff’s Department.

On Jan. 24, 2017, deputies Calvert and Greg Roach shot and killed Josh Gallardo after pulling him over on Highway 101 in Atascadero because he was wanted for questioning regarding a domestic disturbance.

In early 2019, Gallardo’s wife filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against Sheriff Ian Parkinson, his department and the two deputies.

Sean Christopher McGuire

The City of Paso Robles is also facing a legal challenge over the actions of an officer previously involved in a questionable shooting.

Sean Christopher McGuire started his career in 2003 with the Farmersville Police Department, and then went to work for the Porterville Police Department in 2007.

In 2009, McGuire shot and killed a man outside of a gym in Tulare. McGuire said the man had been tampering with cars in the parking lot, he mistook a cologne bottle for a gun, and shot the man as he fled. The family of the victim did not agree with McGuire’s narrative.

In 2012, McGuire resigned from the Porterville Police Department amid rumors he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a 15-year-old police explorer, according to SLO County Sheriff’s department investigation report.

In late 2012, the Paso Robles Police Department announced it had hired McGuire.

In 2018, multiple women accused McGuire of sexual misconduct, including rape, while on duty.

On May 9, 2018, Chief Ty Lewis placed McGuire on paid administrative leave while the sheriff’s department investigated the sexual assault allegations. Five months later, McGuire resigned and left the area.

In Nov. 2018, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office decided not to charge McGuire with sexual assault while on the job even though his DNA was found at the alleged victim’s home because the sex could have been consensual.

In 2019, a woman who was allegedly raped by McGuire filed a claim against the city, saying city employees were negligent in the supervision of McGuire, and in preventing the sexual assault.


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Modern law enforcement attracts people who:


love to have special power, privilege and authority

love to enforce rules on other people

love to be above the laws that govern mundane citizens

want to use force and violence against others with full immunity

want to commit crimes in order to “catch” criminals….again with full immunity


Put their own lives first and those whom they pretend to “protect and serve” a distant second, or third if there’s a K9 involved.


People who desire that type of thing are exactly the kind of people we read about above. No surprise.


If you want better cops, you’ll never get them until we change the very nature of “law enforcement” from that of its current state of “prevention” and social engineering to a very simple concept of investigating crime and apprehending suspects.


Once you bring “prevention” into the mix, more and more stuff becomes illegal and more and more force must be used against the rule breakers…..which attracts people who love to use force on rule breakers….which leads to shooting some in the back and raping others…..again, no surprise.


It’s gonna get worse folks. 100% guaranteed.


3

A article in Auburn Journal quoted the police chief …He said : Out of 100 applications only 2 were possible hires and quite a few needed to be arrested at the interview for being under the influence of drugs and or alcohol … WOW !!!!! A Ex- Auburn police officer is in Sacramento jail awaiting trial as he is the


Golden State Killer 13 murders over 50 rapes and about 100 burgarlaries …he was fired for stealing at a convenience store while on duty in uniform …then worked as truck mechanic


17

Folks,


As this story indicates, leadership in SLO County law enforcement is lacking, and DA Dan Dow and Sheriff Ian Parkinson are the people responsible for providing that leadership.


Guess what? Voters returned both of these leaders to office last November, so it appears that most people do not believe in a high standard, and I predict these two will not step up to meet their responsibility.


We get the kind of government we deserve.


14

Who in the hell screens applicants for law enforcement positions in this county?! It’s as if SLO county welcomes all of the law enforcement rejects from around the state with open arms!! “What?? You’re a phedophile? You use excessive force? You work in collusion with local drug dealers to keep illicit substances readily available?! Welcome to SLO County! Here’s a badge! Now go wreak havoc and destroy our community as efficiently as possible!”


21

McGuire is a serial predator. He has a clear pattern of premeditated sexual assaults that were carried out under the disguise and protection of a police uniform. McGuire is a serial rapist, Period. This is not one or two incidents, it’s at least five or more including grooming an underage girl for sex, again using his position to knowingly molest a child. McQuire is dangerous and should be off the streets. Once again you can thank Dan Dow for being a worthless limp unqualified waste of taxpayer money who is the Helen Keller of major crimes, especially white guys that commit violent crimes against women. Dow is so inept, the FBI is now looking into his conduct associated with his long string of failures to carry out his sworn duty. He needs to be replaced next election!


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