Police Admit High Official Revealed Confidential List

A high-ranking San Diego police official gave a confidential list of Neighborhood Watch block captains to a political consulting agency two years ago, and that list wound up in the hands of another consultant who used it on behalf of the police union this fall to urge support of the weaker of two police review boards, police officials said Monday.

Cmdr. Cal Krosch, a San Diego Police Department spokesman, declined to identify the name of the police official who originally gave out the list in 1986.

But he said the list of names and addresses of block captains was originally used to send mailers urging support of a measure to increase taxes to build more jails. The police official knew it was improper for him to release the list, Krosch said, since the names of block captains are supposed to be kept confidential.

“His motivations were honorable in trying to address a critical community problem at that time,” Krosch said. “But we have department rules and they’re there to be followed.”

The list surfaced again this fall, this time used by a Police Officers Assn. consulting agency as the union sought support for Proposition G. That measure, which creates a city manager-run police review board, was approved by voters this month.

Several of the block captains complained after receiving the mailers, saying it appeared their confidentiality had been violated.

“We found out now how it happened,” Krosch said. “And we’re taking steps to assure ourselves it does not happen again.”