HUNTINGTON BEACH : Resignation Spurs Vice Squad Probe

City Councilman Peter M. Green said Friday that the police chief and city administrator are conducting “a thorough investigation” of police vice squad procedures following the probe and subsequent resignation of vice squad Lt. Michael Biggs.

Biggs, who was being investigated for allegedly frequenting massage parlors alone, resigned Tuesday. Police Chief Ronald E. Lowenberg said Biggs’ replacement will be named after the vice squad is reorganized.

Mayor Thomas J. Mays said that while on official business, police officers are supposed to go in pairs into massage parlors to avoid being compromised. Mays said Thursday that the Biggs investigation had turned up no evidence of misuse of city funds.

Green said Friday that he had conferred with City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga because he was concerned about the vice squad incident.

The investigation is focusing on procedures, not Biggs, Green said. The councilman added that he didn’t think any revelations in the Biggs incident were likely to arise and that he considered the case essentially closed since Biggs had resigned.

“I understand that he (Biggs) is a very fine man,” Green said, “and the fact that he resigned would indicate he would prefer not to have more publicity focused on him.”