By Jeff McDonald / San Diego Union-Tribune / Dec. 26, 2021
Top commanders in the San Diego Sheriff’s Department directed their subordinates to enforce some evictions during the past year while others languished for months, according to documents and a longtime sergeant.
Sgt. David Pocklington, who retired earlier this month after 28 years with the county, said he saw political motivation in the orders given to him and deputies under his command in the Court Services Bureau. Pocklington said he believes the evictions were orchestrated to help Sheriff Bill Gore and Undersheriff Kelly Martinez. Although he did not provide evidence of any quid pro quo arrangements, he said evictions executed on behalf of neighbors of both Gore and Martinez and for a union official had sewn suspicion in the department.
Martinez is running to replace Gore as sheriff. Pocklington, who supports David Myers in next year’s election, said he was disturbed by what went on.
“Citizens of San Diego County expect their sheriff to apply the law equally and fairly to all,” he said. “This was not done.” Instead, “Sheriff Gore manipulated evictions, treated the most vulnerable of our community like pawns in a chess match in order to gain political endorsements for Undersheriff Kelly Martinez and her run for sheriff,” he said.
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