DAVIS, Calif. — The Davis Police Department placed motorcycle officer Christopher Nasca on paid administrative leave in early August, approximately two months before Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies arrested him on allegations of burglary, stalking and criminal threats.
Nasca, 36, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The department has provided only a general explanation for placing him on leave, leaving unanswered what officials knew about his conduct before the October arrest.
Davis police Lt. John Evans attributed the leave to “some other personnel issues,” according to the Davis Enterprise, as reported by Hoodline. The department has not publicly detailed those issues or said whether they were connected to the allegations in Sacramento County.
The department confirmed that Nasca remains on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation continues. According to CBS Sacramento, Nasca joined the department in 2018 and most recently served as a motorcycle officer.
The Davis Police Department’s published personnel investigation policy establishes procedures for investigating allegations of employee misconduct, including investigations that could result in disciplinary action.
The department has not publicly specified what prompted Nasca’s leave or whether the administrative investigation concerns the same conduct underlying the criminal charges.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies arrested Nasca on Oct. 11 and booked him into the Sacramento County Main Jail.
KCRA reported Nov. 11 that jail records showed Nasca was being held without bail.
According to the Davis Enterprise, as summarized by Hoodline, the allegations include threatening to commit a crime with intent to terrorize, stalking, burglary and using an electronic tracking device to determine someone’s location without consent.
Neither Davis police nor the Sheriff’s Office has publicly provided details about the circumstances surrounding the alleged offenses.
The criminal complaint has not been independently reviewed, leaving the precise counts, factual allegations and circumstances of the arrest unconfirmed.
Court records cited by CBS Sacramento showed that Nasca was scheduled to appear in Sacramento County Superior Court on Nov. 12 for consideration of a motion seeking mental health diversion.
The publicly available Sacramento County criminal court calendar also identifies a mental health diversion proceeding in Nasca’s case, No. 26FE018991.
The outcome of the hearing has not been independently confirmed, and the underlying motion has not been reviewed. The basis for the request and the prosecution’s position therefore remain unclear.
Under California Penal Code Section 1001.36, a court may grant pretrial mental health diversion to eligible defendants, allowing them to participate in treatment while criminal proceedings are temporarily suspended.
To qualify, a defendant generally must have a diagnosed mental health disorder that played a significant role in the alleged offense, and a qualified mental health professional must conclude that treatment would likely address the symptoms contributing to the alleged conduct.
The court must also determine that the defendant would not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety if treated in the community. Certain offenses are excluded from eligibility.
If diversion is granted, the defendant must comply with a court-approved treatment program, and the court monitors progress through reports and hearings.
Successful completion generally results in dismissal of the charges covered by the diversion agreement. If the defendant fails to comply with the program or other statutory conditions are met, the court may reinstate criminal proceedings.
The request for mental health diversion does not establish that Nasca has a qualifying diagnosis or that the court will approve treatment in place of prosecution.
The case also raises questions about state oversight of law enforcement officers accused of serious misconduct.
California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, known as POST, oversees peace officer certification and investigates certain allegations of serious misconduct under state law.
Law enforcement agencies are generally required to report allegations of serious misconduct to POST within 10 days of becoming aware of them, although the reporting obligation depends on the nature of the alleged conduct and applicable statutory requirements.
Whether the Davis Police Department has notified POST about Nasca’s case has not been independently confirmed.
The department also has not publicly indicated whether its administrative investigation includes any examination of police equipment, departmental databases or other city resources.
No publicly reviewed evidence establishes that such resources were involved in the alleged offenses.
Davis police confirmed Nasca’s arrest publicly in November, but officials have not explained when they first became aware of the conduct alleged in the criminal case.
It remains unclear whether information related to those allegations prompted the August administrative leave or whether the department learned of the criminal investigation after Nasca had already been removed from active duty.
The department’s explanation for placing Nasca on leave nearly two months before his arrest remains an unanswered question.
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