Los Gatos Residents Wary After Police Department Hires Officer Fired From SJSU
LOS GATOS (KPIX 5) – Residents in Los Gatos are demanding answers after learning an officer had his badge taken away at his previous job with another department.
While working for the San Jose State University Police Department in 2016, Officer Jonathan Silva severely beat a man in the library during an arrest.
The incident left the man with broken ribs and a collapsed lung.
An independent investigation found Silva used excessive force and the university fired him. Silva then appealed and got back his badge, only to later resign.
The officer is now working for the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department and residents are calling for Silva's hiring to be put under scrutiny.
"I see a uniform, I see safety. I see a uniform, it stands for something. And if behind that uniform is someone who is hurting another human unjustly, I have a problem with it," said Connie Whitcraft, a Los Gatos resident.
For now, the town manager is releasing only a statement which said in part, "For all officers...there is a thorough background investigation. Once hired, the town continues to invest in training."
As for San Jose State, university leaders said they stand by their decision to fire Silva.
