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Exclusive: SB's asst police chief 'negative' for drugs
Posted: 07.14.2010 at 2:35 PM
Ryan Wolf

Ryan Wolf is an anchor and reporter for Action 4 News.

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Arnold Garcia File Photo
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The drug test results on a body hair sample that Arnold Garcia was forced to submit, tested '"negative" for drug use, according to an Action 4 News trusted source.

This was the embattled assistant police chief's third drug test.

City leaders forced him to comply with the tests after Garcia originally failed to complete a random city ordered drug test last month.

City policy indicated it was grounds for termination.

Instead he was suspended for three days without pay, according to the city's human resource director.

San Benito city officials hit several walls during the testing process after one company in question, NTC Testing Services, allegedly brought back incomplete test results on a hair follicle provided by Garcia.

City leaders claimed they ordered a 10 panel test, which shows both illegal drugs and popular prescription drugs that have a potential for abuse in a person's system for 90 days.

NTC's owner, Susan Sanchez, refuted the 10 panel hair test was properly ordered and blasted city leaders for not following their "own policies."

The assistant chief has been on administrative leave with pay since complying with the second and third rounds of drug testing.

The last drug test would have showed potential drug use in his system for up to a year.

"Nothing was found," said a source.

He will remain off the job while a risk assessment team determines the next course of action following the "negative" drug test results.

Some San Benito police union members want both Garcia and the chief of police, George Gomez, fired.

They provided the city a "letter of no confidence" outlining their reasons why.

A meeting between city leaders isn't likely to take place until Thursday.

Stay with Action 4 News and valleycentral.com for the continued very latest details. 

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