Press Release: Sheriff Issues Statement Regarding Traffic Stops

DATE/TIME: July 25th, 2024 / 1600 hours

TYPE OF INCIDENT: Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto Issues Statement Regarding Her Contact with CHP Officers During Traffic Stops

LOCATION: 1414 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA

MEDIA CONTACT: Andres Rosas, Commander; Phone: 831-261-5492; Email: rosasae@countyofmonterey.gov

Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto has released a statement regarding her contact with CHP Officers during traffic stops shown in recent news reports.

July 25th, 2024

A MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY FROM SHERIFF TINA NIETO

As some of you may have seen recently, there have been news reports about my involvement in CHP traffic stops over the past few years for exceeding the posted speed limit.

On occasion, law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity are inadvertently pulled over as they respond to an incident. While that fact explains the majority of these stops, it does not explain them all.

I acknowledge that on one of these traffic stops last year, I was on my own personal time driving back home from Southern California. I should have been more aware of my speed. And, as some of you might have experienced yourselves, I knew I had made a mistake as soon as I saw those red and blue lights flashing behind me.

On another stop, I was on the job and working in an official capacity. Still, my task at the time did not rise to the level of a response that required traveling over the speed limit. That was my error.

The CHP officers who contacted me were professional and courteous during these traffic stops. As seen in the dash camera video, I did not use my position to seek a break or avoid a citation at any time. As with any traffic stop, issuing a citation is at the officer's discretion.

As Sheriff, I understand the importance of adhering to our traffic regulations. I should set a better example for my community, and I'm committed to doing so in the future.

Respectfully,

Tina Nieto

Monterey County Sheriff