Months after Madera homicide, security upgrades on hold for domestic violence victims
Delays in making changes to increase protections for victims of domestic violence and staff on the heels of a tragic death in Madera County have raised concerns, according to a program manager.
Tina Rodriguez, program manager for the department of victim services at the Community Action Partnership of Madera County, recently spoke to the Madera County Board of Supervisors about the holdup. She urged the supervisors to help expedite the changes.
“I come to you ... hoping that I can attain your support in increasing the safety and protection of staff at victim services and the domestic violence population that we serve,” she told the supervisors during a meeting Tuesday. “I have reported concerns to our agency attorney Russ Ryan, and have also reported to the Board of Directors at Community Action Partnership of Madera County, and both verbally and in writing, but I have not received any type of instruction or response on that.”
The effort to improve security comes in the wake of the killing of Calley Jean Garay, who was receiving services through the Community Action Partnership of Madera County. Calley Garay was killed, allegedly by her estranged husband Julio Garay, outside the Camarena Health Center in Madera on July 14.
Julio Garay has pleaded not guilty in connection with her death. A jury trial was postponed earlier this week and rescheduled to Feb. 9, according to Madera County Superior Court records.
The estranged husband allegedly learned of Calley Garay’s appointment after the clinic called him to confirm her doctor’s appointment. Police say he showed up around the time of the appointment and shot her to death.
The proposed security changes include updating the process for notifying agency staff about when someone approaches the shelter’s security gate, new emergency response guidelines, and revised confidentiality and transportation policies, among others.
But Rodriguez said all of that remains on hold because her agency has been waiting for its attorney, Ryan, to finish reviewing the proposed changes, which he received in September.
Ryan didn’t return several requests for comment this week.
According to Ryan’s profile, not only does he represent the Community Action Partnership of Madera County, but the Camarena Health Centers are also listed as a current client.
The fact that Ryan apparently represents both the Community Action Partnership and the health clinic at the center of the homicide case has raised questions from the victim’s family about a possible conflict of interest.
In a statement last week, Ryan denied having any conflict of interest.
Rodriguez told the Board of Supervisors that she detailed her concerns about Ryan’s delays in a staff report to her agency’s board of directors in December and, again, earlier this month.
However, she said her comments appeared to have been “deleted” from the most recent board of director’s report this month.
“I know that it was deleted when I checked the board agenda,” she told the supervisors on Tuesday.
Several agendas and report packets from 2020 for her agency’s board of directors, including the one from December, also went missing earlier this week from the organization’s website.
Why the information went missing remained unclear this week. However, while the agency didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Bee, all agendas and board packets for 2020 reappeared online late Wednesday, shortly after a Bee reporter left a telephone message with the agency.
“I strongly urge you to help me expedite a response on these matters,” Rodriguez told the supervisors.
Madera County supervisors didn’t return a request seeking comment on Wednesday.
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