New CA law exposes Watsonville officers fired for having sex on job

Two Watsonville police officers were fired for sexual misconduct, according to a news report by KQED.

The news outlet reported that Officer John Espinosa was fired in July of 2017 and Jose D. Barrera was let go in April, 2014.

Details on the officers arrests were made available under a new state law that took effect Jan. 1.

According to KQED, Barrera had sex on “approximately five occasions” while he was on duty at an address on Silver Leaf Drive in Watsonville, and once in the front seat of his patrol car somewhere outside city limits. He also had sex while on duty three times at an address on Freedom Boulevard.

KQED reported that Espinosa had sex with a civilian at least six times between November 2014 and November 2016 at an East Lake Avenue address in Watsonville, “while on duty, and in uniform,” according to documents.

The Watsonville Police Department’s Police Chief David Honda released this statement:

When these types of incidents happen, they will not be tolerated. We take action even though, under previous laws, we were prevented from talking about them.

Although the investigations resulted in no criminal findings, we recommended the officers be fired. We take these types of violations very seriously.

This new law allows the public to have a better understanding of how we take action and hold accountable those officers who violate the community’s trust.

KION’s Josh Kristianto will have the full story tonight.