A day after expressing concern for his deputies involved in a videotaped beating of a local man who later died, Sheriff Donny Youngblood Wednesday postponed "Law Enforcement Day at the Sheriff’s Office" "due to recent events."
The event was scheduled for Saturday. It was postponed Wednesday morning, the day after Youngblood revealed one of two supposed video recordings of the fatal beating did not exist.
In revealing the question about the videotape, the sheriff said he had placed the seven deputies involved in the beating on administrative leave. He said that status was necessary to protect the safety of the deputies in light of email and other threats. But Youngblood said the scheduloed open house was postponed in order to avoid any danger to the public.
"My concern was we want them to have a day that they can enjoy and not have it turn into something we don't want it to turn into," said Sheriff Youngblood.
David Sal Silva, 33, died after a confrontation with deputies at about 11:50 p.m. May 7.
Witnesses said they took video on two cell phones that showed deputies beating Silva with batons. Sheriff’s detectives seized the two phones within hours of the beating and on Tuesday, Youngblood announced one the phones has no video on it.
He said he has turned the phones over to the FBI to determine if video had been erased or if it simply never existed.
Law Enforcement Day is an annual open house held at the sheriff’s department on Norris Road.
“The Sheriff’s Office planned the event as a day for the community to tour our facility, view demonstrations from several of our specialized units such as the Bomb Squad and K-9 unit, and talk to the men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office protecting the citizens of Kern County every day,” according to a statement released Wednesday morning.
“The Sheriff’s Office apologizes to those community members who had planned on attending the event,” the statement said. “The event will be re-scheduled in the future.”
The event was scheduled for Saturday. It was postponed Wednesday morning, the day after Youngblood revealed one of two supposed video recordings of the fatal beating did not exist.
In revealing the question about the videotape, the sheriff said he had placed the seven deputies involved in the beating on administrative leave. He said that status was necessary to protect the safety of the deputies in light of email and other threats. But Youngblood said the scheduloed open house was postponed in order to avoid any danger to the public.
"My concern was we want them to have a day that they can enjoy and not have it turn into something we don't want it to turn into," said Sheriff Youngblood.
David Sal Silva, 33, died after a confrontation with deputies at about 11:50 p.m. May 7.
Witnesses said they took video on two cell phones that showed deputies beating Silva with batons. Sheriff’s detectives seized the two phones within hours of the beating and on Tuesday, Youngblood announced one the phones has no video on it.
He said he has turned the phones over to the FBI to determine if video had been erased or if it simply never existed.
Law Enforcement Day is an annual open house held at the sheriff’s department on Norris Road.
“The Sheriff’s Office planned the event as a day for the community to tour our facility, view demonstrations from several of our specialized units such as the Bomb Squad and K-9 unit, and talk to the men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office protecting the citizens of Kern County every day,” according to a statement released Wednesday morning.
“The Sheriff’s Office apologizes to those community members who had planned on attending the event,” the statement said. “The event will be re-scheduled in the future.”