GREETING RELATIVES/FRENS, I’M HERE AT NAVAJO LABOR COMMISSION HEARING. 11 NAVAJO NATION POLICE OFFICERS FILED COMPLAINT AGAINST NAVAJO NATION DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR JOHN BILLISON FOR RETALIATION, HARRASSMENT – “GESTAPO TACTICS.”
Navajo Commissioners ask every to introduce themselves:
\john yazzie, herb tsosie pgm services, eric francisco inestigator, rog linda wife eric francisco, tuly jim, david johnson frm police officer/retired, henry martin police lt., ebonne gorman princiyour pal account DPS, anna tsosie dps retired administrative assistant, harrison brewer CI, marvin curley sgt WR police district, robert platero frm DPS CI, bob etcitty capt. frmr capt billsie. frmr Chinle PD David Bryant, started as officer and then IT.
CASEY WATCHMAN
here on july 1, 2-13, at that time, records show: larson manuelito in place of ben smith.
ONLR COMMISSIONER SMITH
gentleman named in comlaint, Ron Silversmith, was my former son-in-law. Right now I have nothing against him and when we meet each other, we greet each other and shake hands but their parents, Ron’s /DPSparents, use to live by me. negihbors and helped each other lot. being here and hearing testimony, i feel i’m a fair guy. that’s my disclorure.
dps/DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY ATTORNEY
Ron Silversmith is critical witness to case, commander of Internal Affairs, division of public safety, and 3 individuals complaining about CI. before waive allowing Commissioner Smith to remain on hearing board. Need to talk with Ron Silversmith. Mr. Smith you said you are a fair person and I have appeared before u many times. u r gentleman, extermely polite, pleasure appear before u, nevertheless understand when family falls apart that it impacts relationship. so wat is your relationship? is ur daughter Silversmith ex-wife.
commissioner smith
roberta silversmith is daughter to brother so i call her my duaghter. i kind of raised Roberta when she was small. then ron came in and moved in and his parents. wud c ron’s family and know family very well.
ATTORNEY FOR DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY
you r saying before ron married daughter that lived near your?
COMMISSIONER SMITH
yes.
onlr commissioner watchman
when hearing ended, asked attorneys to resolve thru mediation and other means.
DAVID JORDAN
We met, DPS attorney Henry Howe, and I several times but we were unable to narrow issues.
WATCHMAN
mediation?
DAVID JORDAN
No
HENRY HOWE
agree w David Jordan. this is not typical matter that Labor Commission hears, regarding individual’s rights violated under Navajo employment laws. as a matter of fact, none of relief goes to resolving any of these petitioners complaints regarding their rights violated under law. this extraordinary claim is based on alleged retatliation that these petitioners claim subject to and relief is cessation of retaliation but broader than that cuz asks for DPS Director John Billison to be removed.
so it’s really impossible ot settle a particular petitioner’s concern cuz goes beyound what petitioner suffereed and settling one or two doesn’t settlem petition as whole.
while we discussed individual complaint, we didn’t talk about referring to Peace maker. agreed that scope beyond pece maker and even for commissioner, difficult sort out. for peace maker it wud be nightmare.
we don’t know about possibility of mediator, special master appointed by Labor Commission to settle facts. Special Master benefit would be to summarize instead of listening to 30 witnesses which Labor Commission is facing.
Settlement is alternative. but other ways not agreed upon. we can’t think of alternative way to resolve other than for Commission to hear.
DAVID JORDAN
We have worked hard and feel cud settle if do individually. but Henry Howe sees globally. so if question before us is whether we cud talk, then yes and we have settled issues.
ISSUES OF NOT COMPLING WITH
records have not been expunged. some payments have been made.
HENRY HOWE
i think impt for commission to keep in mind and don’t want to stray into legal arguement but touch on fact that these complaintants have alledged that DPS has engated in retaliation. i dk if complaintants word or Jordan’s words, complaint alleged “Gestapo tactics.” so when claim of non-payment of settlements.
COMMISSION WATHMAN
has records been expunged?
HENRY HOWE
well it has to be defined…
COMMISSIONER WATCHMAN
THAT WAS YOUR TASK! Get together and deal with expungement.
HOWE
impt for commissioner to hear, when Manuelito here, he said where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire – meaning if all these pple complaining that there must be someting worng. but it’s more of a smoke screen.
COMMISSIONER WATCHMAN
ok, let’s deal with policy academy closed. claim that academy shud not be closed.
DAVID JORDAN
clients believe that academy closure is harrassment.
HOWE
Council’s Law & Order Committee directed closure cuz facility in serious deterioration. Academy closed.
JORDAN
wALLACE Billy not here, his grandchild emergency surgery in Phx and he’s gone w family so ask absence be excused.
Esther Charley required be at detention hearing.
Tsosie has no more leave and unless Commissioner directs, she cannot be here without being charged “absent without leave.”
COMMISSIONER WATCHMAN
aCCPET justification for Billy, Charley. other individuals here and up to Ms. Tsosie on how to deal with employment problem and not Commissioners’ problem.
HOWE
if i may, may i consult w clients. If Ms Tsosie not here then she shud be dismissed from complaint.
