SAN ANTONIO — The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County released a statement Thursday after sending a letter to the Bexar County Sheriff. The Association claimed that the Sheriff wrongfully terminated deputies and deprived them of their rights. But the Sheriff says he's just doing his job and that he is following all rules lined out in the department's contract with the union.
The DSABC President, Juan Contreras, says the association felt it was time to speak up.
"He’s made it a point to be a judge, jury and executioner like our past sheriff," Contreras said. "He wants to go and just fire people without them having due process. The purpose of this grievance is to say- you’re not right- you should give our people due process and follow civil service."
But the Sheriff says he is giving that due process, and that he's focused on serving the public.
"“It’s important that we get it right but its also important they be handled in a timely fashion," Sheriff Javier Salazar said. "I understand sometimes they’re not going to agree with the way things are handled in every instance- and I understand that."
The association wants the Sheriff to stop issuing "Notices of Proposed Disciplinary Action," meaning he couldn't give discipline or publicly announce it until the agency fully investigates employee wrongdoing.
The Sheriff says he'll work with the district attorney's office and if any of his procedures are out of line legally, he'll make changes.
Both the Sheriff and Contreras have said they're open to more discussion.
"We have an open line of communication and we continue to have an open line of communication and at times we’re going to be on opposite sides of an issue and that’s OK," Sheriff Salazar said.
"Let’s sit and talk about the policies," Contreras said. Let’s sit and talk- lets have a conversation. Which he had before he was elected but now he doesn’t have a dialogue."