Chief’s Role in Release of Names Reported
Former San Diego Police Chief Bill Kolender ordered the release of a confidential mailing list of Neighborhood Watch block captains to an advertising firm promoting a tax increase to build new jails in 1986, according to the ad agency and three highly placed police sources.
The list was used again in a political campaign this fall. Chief Bob Burgreen, who recently succeeded Kolender, apologized to the block captains and ordered an investigation into how the list got out.
Kolender denied Tuesday that he ever violated the confidentiality of the list before he retired as police chief this summer. But Joe Charest, executive vice president of Gable Agency, and three police sources said Kolender was instrumental in releasing the confidential list.
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