The Region : Police Chief Is Fired

The Huntington Park City Council has fired Police Chief Geano Contessotto, whose department achieved notoriety last fall when two former officers were charged with using a stun gun to torture a juvenile in their custody. After a closed session, the council voted unanimously for the firing but gave no official reason for it. It takes effect July 24. But individual council members said that Contessotto had ceased to be an effective department head. Councilman Herbert A. Hennes Jr. said, “I thought he was incompetent and I thought he was performing in an inadequate manner.” Contessotto, 40, did not return telephone calls. At the time of the stun-gun accusations, Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner called the city’s police force “embarrassing to all of law enforcement.” Capt. Charles Plum was named acting chief.