SJ Police Officers' Association Votes Not To Proceed With No Confidence Vote Against Police Chief

SAN JOSE (KCBS)—The San Jose Police Officers' Association voted on Tuesday not to proceed with a no-confidence motion requested by one of its members against Police Chief Chris Moore.

San Jose has had an increase in murders and other crimes amidst budget cuts that have shrunk the department from 1,409 officers and trainees in 2007 to the current force of 1,056 cops.

SJPOA President Jim Unland said, however, that the vote should not be misinterpreted as a vote of confidence.

"We didn't proceed with a no-confidence vote against the chief but we have a lot of members, including me, who think he should be more vocal publicly about what's going on in this department, about the staffing issues, about the public safety impacts that staffing and rising crime are causing," he said.

Last Friday, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed came to Moore's defense saying that the chief is not to blame that he has been doing a good job contending with difficult budget cuts.

Unland also expressed his concern about the current perception of public safety officers.

"We have a mayor that's been on the attack for 18 months. All of public safety, including Fire [Department] feels almost villainized during this whole Measure B process that somehow all the ills of the world are because of police and fire pensions."

Chief Moore responded to the no-confidence request by saying he understands and shares the frustrations of the rank and file.

"What they don't know or realize is that that I am doing a lot and have down a lot behind the scenes to work with the mayor and the council to let them know exactly that," he said.

KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:

"I realize that is a mistake—I need to be out more publicly telling that story," Moore continued.

The recommendation for no confidence was put on Tuesday's agenda by police officer and SJPOA board member Howard Johnson, who explained the beleaguered department's frustration.

"This weekend in San Jose's Evergreen neighborhoods there was another shooting. In that area alone, burglaries have increased this year by 146 percent over last year," Johnson said.

"City Hall has failed the community and the POA members are frustrated by the Chief's seeming inability to vigorously speak out against the continued erosion of the staffing, safety and morale of the San Jose Police Department."

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)