Police Group Seeks Investigation of Department

A group of former and current San Diego police officers Wednesday asked the San Diego County Grand Jury to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of wrongdoing within the police department that include obstructing justice, falsifying reports and harassing female officers.

Rep. Jim Bates (D-San Diego) has called for federal and city investigators to look into charges by the group, which consists primarily of patrol officers who were either fired or are on inactive duty awaiting disability or early retirement claims. In the last month the officers have aired their grievances in private meetings with community leaders and businessmen.

Assistant Police Chief Bob Burgreen attacked the group’s efforts as “the height of witch hunting.” He said that the police department has not heard a single specific complaint from a named person.

“What I suspect is happening is that a number of former employees or disgruntled current employees, many of whom are not on full-duty status, have found an ear that will listen to their disgruntled remarks. . . . The civil service system wouldn’t give them the time of day, but they have found a congressman who will.”

The only former police employee in the group willing to be named thus far is Douglas Seymour, a reserve officer from 1976 to 1982. Seymour filed a $1-million lawsuit in 1983 against Police Chief Bill Kolender and the city for failing to help him overcome the emotional trauma he suffered during the time he was assigned to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. Seymour said that in his undercover role he learned of a variety of “heinous and insidious crimes” by KKK members ranging from spraying Mace in the faces of undocumented Mexicans to boasting about decapitating farm workers. The police department failed to act on the information, Seymour said.

The remaining officers, including a 17-year veteran and a sergeant, say they are reluctant to come forward because they fear retaliation by the department. However, several officers told The Times they are willing to testify before the grand jury.

Bates said he has received 10 sworn statements from officers who have alleged improper conduct by high-ranking officials in the police department. In addition, at least two dozen other officers are willing to testify if they are granted immunity, Bates said.

The San Diego congressman has asked Rep. Don Edwards (D-San Jose), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights, and San Diego City Manager Sylvester Murray to study the allegations.

While Edwards has expressed an interest, Bates said he is disappointed with the city’s response. “They are not taking it very seriously,” Bates said.

Murray said Wednesday that he has forwarded letters from Bates to the police department and asked for a formal response.

In his letter to grand jury foreman Betty Boone, Seymour wrote: “The system of due process has failed us. We have been fired, reprimanded unjustly and denied our very existance . . . . Because of the political involvement of the police chief, city council, district attorney and city attorney, we seek to come before you with oral, written and electronic evidence of sexual harassment, racism, obstruction of justice . . . and violations of equal opportunity. This is only to mention a few.”

Other charges raised by the officers include the illegal use of tape recorders to collect statements against officers and the misuse of a city credit card by intelligence officers to pay informants thousands of dollars in cash.

Seymour said that in the last month his group has met with San Diego lawyer Michael Aguirre, a former assistant U.S. attorney; former Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin; former Superior Court Judge Hugo Fisher, and Si Casady, a former newspaper publisher and maverick Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Pete Wilson in 1979.

Based on the statements by officers, Aguirre said he believes an independent investigation is warranted.

“Some of it appeared pretty serious in its implications,” Aguirre said of the allegations. “It seemed to be responsible. It didn’t seem to be something that people were just making up.”

Burgreen said the police department has been frustrated by its inability to identify any specific allegations or any former officers who are levying the charges.

“I invite them to step forward and make their claims,” Burgreen said. “This department has never backed away from investigating itself or having other agencies investigate alleged wrongdoing.”