Irvine Police Officer, Accused of Molesting Explorer Scout, Resigns

An Irvine police sergeant under investigation by authorities for allegedly molesting a 15-year-old Explorer Scout has resigned following Police Department findings that he engaged in “disorderly conduct” and “misused” unmarked, city-owned cars.

Irvine Police Lt. Mike White said that Sgt. Robert Kredel, 39, a 12-year veteran of the department, “voluntarily resigned his position” on Tuesday after the department’s internal affairs division recommended that Kredel be fired. Police officials said Kredel had until Wednesday to respond to the recommendation and could have requested administrative hearings prior to being terminated.

Kredel could not be reached for comment.

Kredel’s resignation came less than a month after the parents of a 15-year-old Explorer Scout filed a $10-million claim against the City of Irvine, alleging that Kredel sexually molested the boy on an outing last summer in Northern California. During the outing Kredel was serving as an adviser to police-sponsored Explorer Post 24.

Kredel had been suspended from duty with pay since the day the claim was filed.

“As attorney for the family (of the Explorer Scout), I was heartened by the strong position that the city has taken in this matter,” R. Q. Shupe said Wednesday upon learning of Kredel’s resignation.

Irvine police declined to say whether they believe that Kredel should be prosecuted criminally, but in a carefully worded statement the department said that a two-week internal affairs investigation had revealed that Kredel “was possibly involved in misdemeanor criminal misconduct in Riverside and Calaveras counties.”

White, who heads the internal affairs division, said law enforcement officials in both counties are conducting “separate investigations into alleged criminal violations in their jurisdictions.”

White said, “No determination has been made by either jurisdiction as to whether criminal charges will be filed.”

Shupe, attorney for the scout and his family, said the Calaveras County investigation involves the alleged molestation of his client. The youth has had trouble sleeping and became suicidal after Kredel allegedly threatened him with “great bodily harm,” according to the claim filed against the city.

Shupe said the Riverside County probe involves allegations of misconduct at a ranch near Ortega Highway co-owned by Kredel.

White said the Police Department’s own investigation revealed that Kredel violated departmental regulations prohibiting “disorderly conduct” and disrespect to “all persons,” including “members of the department.”

Police said that the disorderly conduct findings involved the alleged molestation but that the misuse of city vehicles was an unrelated matter. Officials said that vehicles were not police cars but declined to elaborate.

Kredel had been an Irvine police officer since the department was founded in 1975.