This commentary was contributed by HPD captain, Michael Paddy. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí. 

For those who may not know me, my name is Michael Paddy. I have spent much of my adult life serving the City of Hollister and the Hollister Police Department.

Over the years, I’ve served as a police officer, school resource officer, field training officer, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, acting lieutenant, and captain. Before joining the City, I served in the United States Marine Corps Infantry with 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and deployed to Iraq multiple times.

When my time in the Marines ended, I wanted to continue serving. I chose law enforcement, and it became one of the most meaningful careers I could have imagined. I’ve had the privilege of helping people through some of the worst moments of their lives, working to prevent harm, mentoring young officers, supporting families and victims, and being part of a community I care deeply about. The job also asks a lot from your family. There are birthdays, holidays, school events, and milestones you miss because someone needs help and you’re on duty.

Yesterday, I learned that I was being laid off and placed on administrative leave. The news has left me heartbroken and angry. After years of service and sacrifice, it feels like the place I considered my home has been pulled out from under me.

I also have serious questions about how this decision was made. The Police Chief was not consulted beforehand, and neither were the other department heads. They were not given a meaningful opportunity to work through ways to reduce costs while limiting harm to city services. Department heads proposed alternatives, but those proposals were not accepted. Residents deserve a clear explanation of why.

I’m concerned about the work that will now be left undone. Who will manage the Office of Traffic Safety grant I submitted and secured for the City, which supports traffic enforcement and safer streets? Who will coordinate the $1 million cannabis compliance grant I secured for the City? And who will carry out that work now that Code Enforcement has also been laid off?

As Support Services Captain, I oversaw Detectives, Records, and Animal Care and Services. My responsibilities included supporting investigations and case follow-through, overseeing records operations, and managing animal-control services involving public safety, animal welfare, shelter operations, and dangerous-dog cases. I’m now on administrative leave, but this work still has to be done. Someone will have to take on these responsibilities, along with the grant work and my other duties.

I want people to know who in the Hollister Police Department lost their jobs: Jennifer Corona, Jenelle Hoefling, Susana Canales, Terra Casarez, Katrina De Frates, Christopher Dorn, Kristin Soares, Mayra Clemente, and Viridiana Avila, who worked in Code Enforcement and was let go on October 13. These are real people who did essential work for this department and this community. Their names represent more than positions on a staffing list, and the work they did still has to be handled by someone.

The Police Department analyst position helps track calls and workloads, identify patterns and emerging needs, prepare reports, measure whether programs are working, and support planning and grant reporting. With that position eliminated, the department loses capacity to understand where resources are needed, show the results of its work, and make informed decisions about serving the community.

The entire Records unit has also been laid off. Records staff do far more than file paperwork. They process police reports and traffic collision reports, prepare and send cases to the District Attorney’s Office, respond to records requests, and handle records that people need for court, insurance, and other critical matters. They help make sure emergency protective orders and other information are entered and handled properly. That work still needs to be done, and someone will have to take responsibility for it.

The Property and Evidence position is also essential to police work. That employee receives, documents, tracks, and securely stores evidence and property; maintains the records needed to show who handled each item; and helps locate and prepare evidence when it is needed for investigations and court. The position also handles found property and the return or disposition of items. That work still has to be done, and someone will have to take responsibility for it.

Code Enforcement is also part of the Police Department. Its staff respond to complaints and work with residents and property owners to address violations of city codes. Their work can include investigating abandoned vehicles, illegal dumping, overgrown vegetation, accumulated junk and debris, nuisance properties, and other conditions that affect the safety and appearance of neighborhoods. They document violations, contact responsible parties, conduct follow-up inspections, and work toward compliance. They also handle homeless encampment cleanups. Who will respond to those complaints, follow up on code violations, and carry out those cleanups now?

My heart goes out to all the City of Hollister employees who have been laid off or affected by these decisions, and to their families. The entire Recreation staff was also let go. Who will keep the City’s recreation programs running for the community? Those programs matter to the residents who rely on them, and the work still needs to be done. The work of all affected employees still has to be handled, often by coworkers who are facing uncertainty of their own.

The impacts reach beyond any one department. When a city loses experienced employees in several areas at once, the work doesn’t disappear. It gets delayed, reassigned, or added to the workload of the people who remain. That can mean slower follow-up on residents’ requests, delays in reports and paperwork, projects taking longer, maintenance needs waiting, and less time for staff to plan ahead or solve problems. The city’s departments depend on one another; a gap in one area can affect the work of others and the service residents receive across the community.

I also just watched a video online of the City Manager laughing and smiling while employees were protesting outside City Hall. From what I saw, her reaction came across as mocking the employees as they exercised their right to protest. I found it deeply troubling. People who have dedicated years of service to this city deserve to be treated with respect, even when they disagree with its leadership. Watching that video only reinforced my concern about the lack of leadership and professionalism shown during this situation.

I know I will find a way forward, and I believe my coworkers will too. My greatest concern is for the residents of Hollister and the people who rely on these services. These layoffs will affect more than the employees losing their jobs. They will affect investigations, case processing, grant work, animal services, recreation programs, neighborhood services, maintenance, city projects, and the city’s ability to keep up with its responsibilities.

I have not spoken publicly about these issues while serving in department leadership. I’m now on administrative leave, and I feel I can finally speak about what I’m seeing and what I’m worried about.

If you live in Hollister, please ask questions and make your voice heard at City Council. Ask how these decisions were made, what alternatives were considered, how the remaining staff will manage the work, and what the plan is to protect city services. Ask the City Manager and Council to explain the likely effects on the Police Department and other city services. Residents can also review public records and decide for themselves whether the city’s past decisions and financial outcomes deserve closer scrutiny.

I don’t know whether every member of the Council supported these decisions. If they did, residents deserve to hear why. If they did not, I hope they will take action and make sure the public understands what happened.

This is a painful day for the employees affected and for everyone who cares about this city. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I’m wishing the best to the employees who were laid off, and to everyone still showing up and doing their best to serve Hollister.

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