Former Santa Cruz police officer charged with sexual battery

A former Santa Cruz police officer who is also the son of Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter is facing several charges of sexual battery.

The Santa Cruz County Superior Court website shows David Gunter faces four charges stemming from November and December of 2017.

According to the Santa Cruz Police Department’s online blog Gunter worked downtown, where he was a grenadier on the crowd control team, a field training officer, a firearms and chemical agent instructor and worked in the Traffic Division.

Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills told KION that Gunter no longer works for the department. The department also can’t comment further because the matter is in the court process.

According to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Gunter was fired last year after being accused of groping four women, including three officers.

The details came out thanks to a new state law requiring police departments to be more transparent.

Earlier this year, documents revealed two Watsonville officers were fired for repeatedly having sex with civilians while on duty in 2014 and 2017.

KION reached out to Mayor Joe Gunter but he declined to comment.

David Gunter is expected to be in court March 5th.