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MEDIA ADVISORY

 

ATTORNEY JOHN GOMEZ, SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE OFFICERS TO ANNOUNCE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NAMING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S SUPERINTENDENT AS WELL AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND A SERGEANT

 

The lawsuit which includes over 9 officers alleges that the second largest school district in the state's top cop has been working to cover up illegal practices by a Sergeant he has been in relationship with for over a decade. School Police officers who are suing the district which is the only one in the county that has its own police force will also call upon the district to protect its officers and place the district’s Police Chief and his subordinate Sergeant Jenifer Gruner on administrative leave.

 

WHO: 

Attorney John Gomez, Gomez Trial Attorneys

 

Attorney Emilia Arutunian, Gomez Trial Attorneys 

 

Sergeant Jesus Montana, SDUSD School Police 

 

                 

WHAT: San Diego School Police Officers and their Attorneys will hold a press conference Wednesday to announce a major lawsuit they are bringing against the San Diego Unified School District and its Police Chief as well as its Superintendent. On Wednesday Attorney John Gomez, his co-counsel Attorney Emilia Arutunian and some of the officers suing the San Diego Unified School District will gather in front of the school district headquarters to publicly announce the lawsuit and to discuss the lawsuit as well as the concerns other officers have about the ongoing relationship and how it has affected work moral. The lawsuit is against the San Diego Unified School District and names its Chief of Police Alfonso Contreras and his subordinate, (now) Sergeant Jenny Gruner who have been in a long-term relationship for many years. According to the officers suing the district, the relationship has been known to members of the Department for a long while, the two only formally brought their relationship to the district’s Human Resources department recently. Throughout the relationship, and even before becoming chief, the officers suing the district allege that Chief Contreras used his power and influence to push Sergeant Gruner’s growth and development within the Department and covered up illegal and wrongful behavior which would normally prevent any given officer from growth within the Department or from an officer even being allowed to keep their job. Despite a criminal history, Sergeant Gruner grew within the ranks of the Department, making her way to Sergeant. In 2022, when Chief Contreras became the head of the only school district police force in San Diego County, Ms. Gruner and Mr. Contreras’ romantic relationship created extreme divisiveness in the workforce often resulting in a toxic and hostile work environment for any member of the SDUSD PD who was not in support of Sergeant Gruner. According to officers suing the district, Ms. Gruner has received immense special privileges due to Mr. Contreras’ high position. Those privileges have only intensified since Mr. Contreras’ tenure as chief, including taking training time off to attend Notre Dame football games with Chief Contreras, (photos of which ended up plastered all over social media), not having to clock in and out of her shifts properly, and other privileges. Department members also noticed Ms. Gruner took long lunches, went to the nail salon while on duty, left her shifts early, and failed to wear her uniform while on the clock. During Wednesday's press conference school police officers who are suing the district, will discuss how the school police department has become a toxic environment and will call upon the district to place Chief Contreras and Sergeant Gruner on administrative leave immediately.  

 

WHEN: 

Wednesday August 2,2023 at 9:00 AM 

 

WHERE: 

San Diego Unified School District Headquarters 

4100 Normal Street, San Diego, CA 

 

 

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