CVAP Mailing List Used To Solicit Recall Signatures

CVAP mailing list used to solicit recall signatures
LOVE has learned that the CVAP member who engaged in political activism in the recall attempt of Mayor Winfield and Vice Mayor Barrett used police property to further his effort.

James Prunty, CVAP training coordinator, used the CVAP mailing list to solicit signatures. Prunty also publicly bashed the two on social media. You can read about it here.

Complaints lodged
Two CVAP members voiced “...concern over the CVAP email list being used to solicit signatures in a political effort, Sgt. Robert Goddard wrote Prunty in a December 18 email. “I would recommend that the email list provided by the department only be used for official purposes.”

Goddard wrote this in response to Prunty’s concern that complaints had been lodged against him. Apparently lost on Prunty was a memo issued a month earlier advising CVAP members not to be involved in political activities while representing the department. Prunty had identified himself as being involved with the department in his social media post.

Collusion? Theft?
Prunty wrote to Goddard: "The CVAP mailing list I have was provided by Gina Crawford in her capacity as then secretary of the organization [Sun City Oro Valley Posse?]. Is that considered department property?" Goddard replied that “The email list is considered 'department property' and we as a department are expected to exercise diligence in protecting personal information,” according to a subsequent email to Prunty by Goddard.

In essence, Prunty, with the aid of a third party, took police property with personal information and used it for personal gain. He and the third party had no authority to do so. Sounds like that is the definition of theft.

No consequences to date
We do not believe the Prunty has been rebuked for his actions to date by the department. As we wrote previously, we believe that the department needs to do so.
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CVAP Training Coordinator Publicly Bashes Council

Subsequent to this posting, on January, Mr. Prunty, on our Facebook page, denied that he was training coordinator. This link is to a screenshot LOVE took of the CVAP Volunteer web page in December. Note that Prunty is listed as the coordinator. The page has since been altered by the town.
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CVAP Coordinator Publicly Bashes Council
Normally, LOVE would not comment on the actions or opinions of an individual acting as such. In this case, however, the individual identified himself in social media postings, stating that:  "I have been an OVPD volunteer for years."

James Prunty is the CVAP Training Coordinator with the Oro Valley Police Department ("OVPD"). Prunty has engaged in spreading rumors about the police chief search and writing remarks about Mayor Winfield and Vice-Mayor Barrett that are personally insulting. He did this on the social media site nexdoor.com. He did this after having made similar remarks in opinion pieces in The Explorer publication.

His nextdoor.com conversation (click here to read) is entitled “The Future of Public Safety." It is replete with assertions and allegations regarding Mayor Winfield that Prunty does not substantiate.

Prunty's assertions are unsupported
Rather, they are inflammatory, written to install a false impression. For example, Prunty wrote in his nextdoor.com posting asserting that:

• Winfield included an external search to find someone who will be “loyal to the mayor, not the town.” 
• “Winfield and Nicolson began their search several months ago and found a candidate that meets their needs.” 
•  “Winfield is not a fan of Danny Sharp and therefore, will not hire anyone he [Sharp] recommends.” 
• The external search is Winfield’s way of finding “an unqualified candidate.”

Prunty claims:  “I have talked to a candidate, possible Winfield favorite. He’s unaware of the recall, and someone should look into his wife history as cap.”

If he is to be believed, Prunty has more knowledge of this alleged candidate than council. Vice-Mayor Barrett told us recently that she has no knowledge of any candidate. In addition, she told us that the council has not screened any candidate.

We wonder: What authority did Prunty use to get access to this alleged candidate? Did he use his status as CVAP member to do so? Otherwise, why would a candidate talk to him?

James Prunty Post with picture of new council members

Prunty asserts that new council members are "inferiors.. lack trust.. lack integrity"
Take a look at the photo with the following caption at right. Prunty posted it on nextdoor.com

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors"

Prior to sharing these assertions on next-door.com, Prunty unleashed his thinking in an opinion in The Explorer. There he alleged that Winfield and Barrett lack “...trust, integrity, governance, judgment...” (Explorer: 11-27-19)

The Prunty storm has been raging for some time
Prunty's comments follow seven of his opinions published by the Explorer regarding his prior “cause”, keeping Oro Valley’s municipal golf courses. Prunty's nextdoor.com community is Canada Hills.

In these letters he asserted that the now council majority election platform included a pledge to shut down the golf courses, that they hadn’t done a strategic analysis of the golf situation, that closing the golf courses is dangerous, and that the new council members are not honest or truthful.

Once again, he provides no support for his assertions. Our research reveals that there is no such support.

The cops should remove Prunty from CVAP
Oro Valley Police Commander Chris Olson issued a memo to CVAP on November 19. The memo told CVAP that "any political activity is prohibited while on duty or acting in an official capacity."

Oro Valley history dictates that when an Oro Valley volunteer is told to stay out of politics, it means all the time, not just when they are performing their volunteer duties or "in uniform".

In 2005, a member of the town's Development Review Board was removed from the Board after speaking out against the "Outrageous Giveaway" of sales tax revenues to Vestar, the then owner of the Oro Valley Marketplace. Another member of a commission, in a later year, was also removed after speaking out about a development issue. Both were removed even though they both spoke as private citizens and not while "on duty."

Prunty has been bashing members of council publicly since May, writing demeaning remarks about them, making unsubstantiated allegations, and spreading rumors.

Is this how the police department wants our town to view CVAP? To tell people that they are affiliated with the police department while they bash their bosses and spread rumors?

Prunty's writings and postings reflect poorly on the CVAP program because he is a member of it and a program leader. He is highly visible. 

We’d be more than embarrassed if we were in their shoes. We’d do something about it....

Immediately
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Heather's Corner: Always on the Lookout For Oro Valley Police Volunteers

I'm sure you've seen them. The Oro Valley Police Vehicles marked "Volunteer" cruising the streets and business parking lots of our town. My children know them as the "candy-givers" from the thoughtful candy bags they passed out throughout our neighborhoods last Halloween. But what exactly do these "volunteers" do? It turns out they do a lot.

The Citizen Volunteer Assistants ("CVAP") Program provides is for those over the age of 50, interested in helping the Oro Valley Police Department in both emergency and non-emergency situations. And although they are not trained in enforcing traffic laws, they are extra eyes and ears around our town ensuring safe neighborhoods and businesses.

Other duties of the CVAP include:

• Providing officers with assistance at accidents, incidents and events. 
• Routinely helping citizens needing directions or assisting after their vehicle breaks down. 
• Utilize a patrol car equipped with a License Plate Reader that detects stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, warrants and missing people. 
• The Volunteers also have members on a call out team that are contacted when patrol officers need their assistance at a scene.  They have been called out for incidents including gas leaks, neighborhood evacuations as well as fatal traffic accidents. 
• Assist at public events such as Dispose-A-Med, Shred-A-Thon and National Night Out. 
• Provide perimeter home inspection for citizens who vacate homes throughout the year, known as the Darkhouse program.

Chief of Police, Daniel Sharp, says of the program, "I consider every volunteer to be an important member of the Department. Every hour a volunteer contributes to making your community a better place to live is time well spent." He acknowledges, though rewarding, the work can at times be very challenging.

It's obvious that these volunteers contribute greatly to our community and we are fortunate to have a program like CVAP.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a volunteer, more information can be found on the town's website or by calling Sgt. Amy Graham ((520) 229-5081) of the Oro Valley Police Department.
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Heather Nenadovich has lived in Oro Valley for 6 years. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She loves gardening, nature, art, and travel. Currently her two young children fill up most of her days (and nights) with chaotic bliss. Oro Valley favorites: memorial bench at the entrance of Romero Canyon Trail in Catalina State Park, Toscana Studio and Gallery, OV Fall Festival, the gumption and determination of OV residents!