Tulare City Councilman Carlton Jones is at the center of yet another controversy involving the Tulare Police Department.
In a statement issued to local media by Jones on August 25, Jones describes an alleged confrontation between himself and TPD officer Lt. Jarod Boatman. Boatman, according to Jones’ statement, later filed a “criminal police report” in which Boatman accused Jones of challenging the officer to a physical fight.
“In this report Stg (sic) Jarod Boatman accused me of a crime, stating while walking to my car after a council meeting that I stopped, took an aggressive stance, removed my arm sling (less than 2 weeks after surgery) and challenging (sic) him to a fight,” Jones wrote.
Jones Claims Innocence
Jones also claims an investigation into the incident by Fresno attorney Dan Rowley cleared him of any wrongdoing.
“I was lucky that my entire walk to my car was caught on surveillance video and showed that I did not do the things I was accused of in Boatman’s report,” Jones wrote.
The altercation between Jones and Boatman began during a meeting of the Tulare City Council, and continued later in the parking lot after the meeting concluded, according to a source who spoke under condition of anonymity.
Fight to the Finish
According to Jones, Boatman told the officer who took his statement their aggressive confrontations were likely to continue.
“Officer Jarrod (sic) Boatman told the investigator that he doesn’t think this will end between me and him until we fight,” Jones wrote.
Jones, in his written statement, claimed Boatman is preparing to kill him. The officer’s report about the confrontation with Jones, the councilman said, is an attempt to establish a false history of aggression on Jones’ part.
“I’m afraid that Officer Boatman is trying to create a fake situation to shoot me,” Jones wrote. “I’m worried about my safety and the safety of my entire community. Knowing an officer will lie and make a false claim should concern us all.”
A Personnel Matter
According to Jones, City Attorney Mario Zamora has refused to release Rowley’s investigation into the confrontation. Jones claims the report establishes there was no wrongdoing on his part.
Zamora, however, said the report could not be released because it addresses a confidential personnel matter.
“The report involves Boatman, so that makes it a personnel issue,” he said. “The Records Act says we’re not to give them out, unless there are certain circumstances.”
Keeping Them Honest
Jones says there is a larger issue that must be addressed: Boatman’s honesty.
“Tulare PD and the Tulare County DA’s Office knows that Officer Boatman made a false claim and has yet to do anything,” Jones claims. “The public should be made aware, and any case that Boatman has testified in should be reviewed.”
Under the so-called Brady Rule–established by the 1963 US Supreme Court Case Brady v. Maryland–prosecutors must reveal to defendants whether a police officer has a history of giving dishonest testimony. Jones made a passing reference to Brady in his statement regarding Boatman.
Zamora, while not able to discuss particulars of the alleged incident between Jones and Boatman, said the Brady Rule is clear.
“Dishonest officers must be identified,” he said.
He also said accusations of misbehavior are frequent for civil institutions.
“It’s pretty common in every agency, especially one that deals with a criminal element,” Zamora said. “Anyone can file a complaint.”
Should it be discovered any member of the TPD was dishonest in an official report, city policy is already in place to deal with such situations.
“In that instance, the police department has an internal affairs investigator and it would be investigated,” Zamora said.
Records Act Violation
Despite the reasoning behind Jones’ statement to the press, it appears he is again releasing confidential matter detailing a confidential personnel issue. Such disclosures are a violation of the California Public Records Act.
Previously, the city was sued for the wrongful termination of Tulare Chief of Police Wes Hensley by Visalia attorney Michael Lampe. In the suit, Lampe claimed Jones obtained a copy of a confidential report that detailed results of an investigation into the behavior of Hensley and shared portions of it with members of the public. Jones allegedly posted part of the report on his social media accounts.
According to Lampe, Jones release of the report on Hensley would result in “multiple damage claims against the city.”
Several members of the TPD, Lampe said, had contacted his office, and Jones would likely be a co-defendant in several cases.
‘Anticipated Litigation’
If Jones has violated Boatman’s privacy, Mayor Jose Sigala believes there should be consequences.
“Councilmembers should be accountable just like anyone else in the city when it comes to complaints of harassment, intimidation or whatever,” he said.
Sigala, however, has not made himself familiar with the details of the incident between Jones and Boatman. He has also not read any report on the incident.
“I’m assuming there’s a report,” Sigala said. “I haven’t seen it.”
A special closed session of the city council was scheduled for Tuesday evening, September 3. Listed on the agenda for the meeting were three conferences between the City Council and its attorneys. The first of the three lists “six items of anticipated litigation” as a topic for discussion. A second item describes a consultation regarding litigation stemming from a “complaint made by existing city employee,” while a third discussion was to focus on two more “items of anticipated litigation.”
One of the three items may involve Councilman Greg Nunley’s demand the city pay him $16.5 million to compensate him for damages to his reputation and his business stemming from reports Nunley had failed to meet payment deadlines established with the city regarding several of his real estate development projects.
“Council obviously rejected the claim (by Nunley),” Sigala said. “From what I understand, you have six months from that time to file a lawsuit.”
Nunley’s six months will expire in mid-October.
When is the city going to do something about getting these 2 off of council? Nunley and Jones are obviously partners in trying to bring down the city. Nunley wanting $16.5 million dollars for claiming he was treated “unfairly” by city staff (what a laugh) and Jones’ continued vendetta against the Tulare PD!! Is he still holding a grudge because he has a history of being arrested by the PD? Let it go man.
Mr. Jones it appears that you are doing everything to slap the face of the organization and the community you represent. You speak out of both sides of your mouth. You are a bully. You don’t get your way, so you huff and puff and try to blow the house down. Quit trying to cause harm to the Tulare Police Department and the City. Leave Boatman alone, it appears you are the one pursuing and trying to start something. He is a good person and a dedicated officer and is not deserving of your continued character assassination attempts. The City will not be able to sustain the litigation costs and settlements it will be faced with as result of your actions as well as the actions of your buddy Nunley. Do everyone a favor, if you truly care about this town, walk away and go back under the rock you crawled out from.
The problem with surveillance video is that it doesn’t have an audio to go along with it or perhaps the camera angle doesn’t clearly show every body movement. But the bigger problem Carlton has is that he has time and time again shown this city just who he is….and many of us believe him. Carlton is the least credible person that sits on the city council, he’s even less credible than Nunley. Everyone is holding their collective breath just waiting until we see the last of both you and Nunley.
You never seise to amaze me Carlton. There’s no depth to which you won’t stoop. You are the most disgusting person this city has ever known. I use the term “Person” loosely by the way. To this day I am dumbfounded as to how you’re still able to identify yourself as member of our city council. The amount of money you have costed the City of Tulare is astonishing and it continues to grow with every one your little tantrums. You should be ashamed of yourself. I hope this is the final nail in your pathetic political coffin!
Carlton Jones is the biggest joke Tulare has ever seen. If Jones had a pot to pee in someone would sue him for all his slander. He is a bully and hides behind his position and uses the cities dime to defend himself with our tax money. He should be recalled. That should have been done a long time ago. I hope someone sues him and takes his retirement so he has to work the rest of his miserable life.
Carlton Jones is JOKE! Where’s the big bad MMA fighter, the one who spends his life on social media verbally bashing everyone and all of a sudden he is scared! Are you kidding me! This is almost as entertaining as his Lampe interview. He is crawling out of his own pathetic skin knowing that he is going to be sued, sad thing is…he doesn’t have a pot to piss in. Doesn’t own a home, can not afford tags for his vehicles in a timely manner, sues EVERY CITY he works for and that includes TULARE. And he’s scared…I call BS he needs another lawsuit to help out with all his claims! Good luck with that dirtbag, let us know how all that works out for ya!
I don’t know why Tulare has a problem with this guy. He employs the same tactics and displays the same personality traits as their savior in the white house, yet they complain about those very same things in their diatribes against Jones. They willingly voted it into the white house and they’ve been having to deal with it on a personal, local level with Jones… Sounds about right.
On a funny note, they also sound exactly like those snowflakes they like to so heartily tell to keep their mouths shut and deal with it or leave. So how’s that advice being taken when the tables are turned?
I’m sitting here chuckling reading this. Carlton is being Carlton. He’s that kid we’ve all seen that screams and cries constantly because his Mommy is not paying enough attention to him. Sadly, every time he whines, it costs us Tulareans $$. And trust me I have friends who work for Fresno City, and he has not been a model employee there wither. Get rid of this guy!!
Time’s up for Carlton. Tulare will vote him out in next election (whether recall or regular).
Why is Carlton Jones not being recalled ?? I have asked this many times. Talk about someone being threatened, HE is the one who threatens other people.
He can only be recalled by the people that live in his district and they believe all his crap! Tried and could not get enough signatures. So all we can do is support the guy running against him in the next election (or run his ass over!😂)
Recalls aren’t free….they cost money. If you are going to talk about a recall then you should include information about the time and money involved. It isn’t easy to pull off. Until the next election the best that can be done is to minimize interaction with Carlton. As a narcissistic bully it is the attention that he graves and he will say and do anything to make sure attention is paid toward him. Carlton needs to be shunned as much as possible.
Yes, Linda, “run his ass over.” This is the type of thing that keeps this stupidity going. It’s all fun and games until somebody actually does run his ass over. Good job.
Shame on Linda – you care to comment on, “I’m afraid that Officer Boatman is trying to create a fake situation to SHOOT ME,” Jones wrote. This is the type of hyperbolic crap which shows Carlton ineptness to be on the council. He already failed the city as a Mayor.
I agree with your statement. Absolutely, this is stupid, hyperbolic crap. That’s not a threat to somebody else, though, stating that you yourself feel threatened. Saying stuff like “run his ass over” is a threat to someone. There’s just no place for that and it only serves to undermine that person’s perfectly legitimate call to action for a recall.
Oh Carlton…….he has a temper. We were fb friends, don’t know if he’d call me a regular friend now or not, because once I said something about Kapernick I got deleted!
That’s funny, but kinda shallow.
He as a public servant, needs to get thicker skinned. You’d think he would have figured that out after his AG comments.
How many people in his district even attend meetings? Unfortunately the change does need to come from his district…..this is what you get with an uninformed electorate.
Here’s that one weird thing about Tulare – everyone loves corrupt and dangerous police officers!
It is my hope that the Tulare DA office will file Charges against Jones, you cannot make terrorist threats to no one let alone a police officer. I believe Lt.Boatman because Jones has a history of bullying and making threats to people, and the first thing he does is hell Rascims.leave color out of this it’s your Character, I hope and pray that the system works us tulareans he should be in jail somewhere and is it he’s still employed with the Fresno F.D. he gives F.F D.a bad Name.
Yet if forced to decide who’s more corrupt, TPD or DA’s office, it would be hard to decide. Maybe too are into that sort of thing? I’m not.
Talking about the police or a police report is NOT a violation of either the Public Records Act or anyone city employee’s “right to privacy.”Just ask the City of Lemoore how that worked out when they sued Holly Blair.
It is my hope that the Tulare DA office will file Charges against Jones, you cannot make terrorist threats to no one let alone a police officer. I believe Lt.Boatman because Jones has a history of bullying and making threats to people, and the first thing he does is hell Rascims.leave color out of this it’s your Character, I hope and pray that the system works us tulareans he should be in jail somewhere and is it he’s still employed with the Fresno F.D. he gives F.F D.a bad Name.
It is time for councilman Jones to be held accountable for his Actions his continuing behavior of bullying and threating a police officer to engage in a fight him is disturbing and unacceptable. I know Lt .Boatman is telling the truth because this is Carlton Jones M.O. he did the same thing to good friend of mine at cos in Visalia and was caught on video inside the Tulare city council chambers bullying and threating a young man and subsequently was lead away by Mr.Epps and our police department is NOT CORRUPT. Carlton Jones is Corrupt and you crossed the line when you solicited a police officer to engage into a physical Altercation I hope the D.A. file charges against you, and the Tulare police officers association union sue you for violating the POBOR ACT.
Racist Tulare at it once again
“who does the chief and his goons work for?” Is more that likely Carlton Jones ..the lame name is the first clue, the accusation of racism is the second clue …and just the fact that hes been caught using a different name while trying to secretly make it look like he’s got supporters make this a real possibility
It’s time for the Tulare police officers association, to sue this dirt bag, Jones continues to violate the peace officer bill of Rights Act this is a serious violation on his behalf
You are correct! When is the TPOU going to stand up for the hard work these men and women do on a daily basis. Unfortunately the TOOU’s past leadership endorsed this clown so let’s see if the new leadership has enough to stand up and say this is enough. Every union paying employee has a voice not just a selected few! Get out of bed with this clown! And stand by your “Brothers and Sisters in BLUE” you should be ashamed for not doing so already!
I’m surprised it took this long for the race card to get plaid. I expected it from day one actually. I just want be clear here. Carlton’s ghetto, street thug mentality has nothing to do with him being black. It’s solely due to the fact that he’s a lying POS who has displayed his propensity for bullying and challenging people to fight in public. Cmndr Queeg mentioned police reports; look up Carlton’s name with the DA’s office! You’ll find multiple reports with the same scenario. And that’s not including all of the confidential domestic violence reports. So once again, this isn’t a race thing. It’s just an ASSHOLE thing. Who’s the real liar here? Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out Carlton!
As the crime rate continues to increase in Tulare along with the blight of homelessness , a city council member continues to play games… file your report and learn to keep your mouth shut and trust the system …. geez just another reason to put out a for sale sign in my yard.
As the crime rate continues to increase in Tulare along with the blight of homelessness , a city council member continues to play games… file your report and learn to keep your mouth shut and trust the system …. geez just another reason to put out a for sale sign in my yard.
Carlton is a dirt bag and a horrible person, he’s a narcissist and a loose cannon.I feel sorry for his poor wife and he calls himself a Christian what God do you serve and what church do you attend you sick individual.I Hope the D.A. prosecute you enough is enough with your bullying and threating people and. I have Alot of respect for the men and women blue keeping us safe our police department is not corrupt you are dirt bag.
TPD, Jones, and Nunley. No wonder Tulare is turning into a shithole look who’s running the circus.