Giuffre

Statement of the Case and Facts

On February 14, 1997, during an argument with a girlfriend, Senior Sheriffs Deputy Joseph Giuffre (Giuffre) threatened suicide. When questioned by his superiors about the incident, he admitted making the statement but denied any intention of suicide. As a result of this incident, on May 20, 1997, Giuffre was suspended from the SWAT team for a six-month period. At the time the suspension was issued, Giuffre had been a member of the SWAT team for 11 years and was ranked as a senior deputy. On September 3, 1997, which was prior to the expiration of the six-month suspension, Giuffre was involved in a dispute with his ex-wife, Winnifred Doane, over child visitation issues. During a long-distance telephone conversation, Giuffre threatened to kill Doane.

On February 3, 1998, the assistant sheriff issued a written reprimand to Giuffre stating that the threat to Doane constituted a “technical violation of the law” as well as a violation of the Kern County Sheriffs Departmental Policies and Procedures Manual. The written reprimand also stated that as a result of the two incidents, it was the intention of the sheriff’s department to remove Giuffre…