Two officers under a looming serious misconduct investigation after fatally shooting a man in the…
Two officers under a looming serious misconduct investigation after fatally shooting a man in the back in 2023 have won their arbitration fight, meaning they’ll be reinstated by the Tulare Police Department, Chief Fred Ynclan confirmed Thursday. The city agreed to a $4.5 million settlement in 2023 with the family of Joel Villegas, a father of four children and three step-children, who appeared to be running away from officers when they fatally shot him on April 16, 2023, according to the family attorney and body-worn camera video. Both officers — Adan Barragan and Daniel Bradley — were put on paid leave by the police department. The Police Officers Standards and Training, an agency that regulates officers, listed their POST certification as temporarily suspended beginning in September 2024. But, in February, the suspensions were removed after the officers won their arbitration cases. A spokesperson for POST, Meagan Poulos, said the regulator was going forward with a serious misconduct investigation, which is still pending. Ynclan said the officers were not yet back on the job but the arbitrator had informed him they were to be reinstated. He declined to comment on the case, noting the ongoing investigation. Villegas’s widow, Delilah Navarro, was represented in her litigation with the city by Joshua Henderson, a San Mateo-based attorney. He expressed shock over the news the abitration came down in favor of the police. “It’s outrageous. I think it’s a cop-friendly process,” he said. “I find it to be very troubling because I think the video is very clear it’s an unjustified killing.” Read more at fresnobee.com ✍️ Thaddeus Miller #tulare #559 #police
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