(Rowena Lugtu-Shaddox) Stockton police officers and firefighters couldn’t fill up because there was no gasoline in the pumps at their stations. “They’re ready to go to work and they go to fill their cars up. And they can’t do that,” said Det. Mark McLaughlin of the Stockton Police Officers Association, echoing the sentiments of many cops. Police sources had texted FOX40 Monday night with their worries.
“The PD and fire dept. are both out of gas and the gas companies will not service us because we r in BK” one text read.
“… the gas vendor is owed money and will no longer service to us.”
FOX40 contacted Stockton Petroleum on Tuesday afternoon. The owner, Jay McIlrath, confirmed that they ended their contract with Stockton because of the bankruptcy.
The company stressed that it fulfilled its contract with Stockton, and in no way left the city without gas.
The city told us it wasn’t their choice to end that contract with Stockton Petroleum, and confirmed that the city had been out of gas, but wasn’t sure for how long.
“Certainly we don’t wanna be standing around wondering if we could get gas or not, when we could be handling the streets,” McLaughlin said.
Cops were worried how they’d be able to do their jobs without the most basic thing — having gas in their cars.
With two more murders on Monday, now at 38 since January, cops say they already have their hands full.
“It’s the problem we face everyday, is what’s gonna happen next, to us? Are we not gonna have cars? Are we not gonna have fuel?” McLaughlin said. “As it is, we’re losing bodies everyday. So on top of that, not having fuel or bodies, it just adds to the stress that we’re going through right now.”
The city contacted FOX40 by Tuesday afternoon, saying gasoline was back in the stations’ pumps, and they were negotiating a new contract with Interstate.