An internal review cleared him of wrongdoing.
But when a radical new District Attorney, José Garza, took over, he made it his mission to criminalize policing. Garza ignored the department’s findings, reopened the case, and had both Chance and his partner indicted on felony charges of aggravated assault.
If convicted, Chance could spend years in prison — taken from his wife and three children, all for doing his job by the book.
And the message is clear: even if you're cleared internally, even if you follow your training, you can still be destroyed by politics.
I hope you will find it in your heart to send a donation to Chance’s defense.
James Brennand is a young father and a decorated U.S. Army veteran who became a police officer to continue his service back home.
But in October 2022, while working a late shift in San Antonio, James approached a car in a McDonald’s parking lot that he believed had evaded him the night before. As he opened the door and gave commands, the driver suddenly backed up, dragging James 20 feet. In that moment, James discharged his firearm.
The suspect fled, was later apprehended, and survived — but the incident made headlines.
Instead of waiting for the facts or completing a full investigation, the department immediately fired James. He was offered up as a political sacrifice — and then slapped with two counts of aggravated assault by the same DA, Joe Gonzales, who has a long record of siding with criminals over cops.
James didn’t wake up that day intending to use force.
But when faced with a sudden, life-threatening situation, he had a split second to make a decision.
And now he’s being treated like a violent criminal — while trying to raise his child and clear his name.
Please, friend, donate to his defense today.
Both of these men — Chance and James — are facing a terrifying future. Not just the loss of their careers, but the loss of everything that matters most:
Their children.
Their freedom.
Their place in their families.
That’s why I’m reaching out to you.
This Father’s Day, I’m not asking you to buy a card.
I’m asking you to make a statement.
Will you give $25, $50, $100, or more to defend fathers in uniform who are being attacked for doing their jobs?
Click here to donate now and defend Officers Bretches and Brennand.
The National Center for Police Defense was built for moments like this. We’re already providing legal support to both officers.
We’re working to protect their rights, restore their reputations, and keep them in their children’s lives.
But we can’t do it alone. The cost of a full criminal defense runs into the tens of thousands — and most officers don’t have the resources to fight back on their own.
They need you.
They need all of us.
Because the truth is, if Chance and James can be targeted, any officer can be. And when that happens — when the system turns on the very people who risk their lives to uphold it — we have a duty to fight back.
Father’s Day is about love, legacy, and sacrifice.
And no one understands that better than a police officer who kisses his kids goodbye each day without knowing if he’ll make it home that night.
Let’s make sure Chance Bretches and James Brennand make it home for many more Father’s Days to come.
Let’s prove that the American people still back the badge — and still stand by the fathers who stood up for us.
Please, don’t wait.
Make your most generous gift right now. $25, $50, $100 — every dollar makes a difference.
For justice,
Jim Fotis
President, National Center for Police Defense