San Jose Police Ban Officers from Moonlighting for 49ers
More than a dozen San Jose police officers must stop moonlighting as security guards for the San Francisco 49ers until further notice.
The decision by Chief Larry Esquivel came after revelations that when San Jose police responded to the home of Ray McDonald and his pregnant fiancee in the early hours of Aug. 31, a police officer who works security for the team was already there, said the San Francisco Chronicle.
McDonald was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, but prosecutors have not decided whether to charge him. He remains free on a $25,000 bond, and continues to play for the San Francisco 48ers.
“Due to the complexities of the investigation, both criminally and administratively, we feel that it is in our best interest to suspend all San Francisco 49er secondary employment related assignments until further notice,” Esquivel said in a statement.
The incident has fueled concerns about whether officers who worked for an Oakland security firm that contracts with the 49ers, have gotten too cozy with the team, said the San Francisco Chronicle. As many as 20 San Jose police officers have been working off-duty security for the club at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the report said.
The 49ers issued a statement last month saying the team works “with various security firms to protect the stadium, its visitors and our employees. Like most security firms, the firms we partner with hire off-duty and retired police officers for their expertise and experience.”
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
