Asst. Chief Seeks to Retire on Stress Disability : Law enforcement: Official went on sick leave while being investigated by the city.

Eugene Brizzolara, the Long Beach assistant police chief who went on sick leave while he was being investigated, has filed for a stress-related disability retirement.

Brizzolara, who has been on paid sick leave since December, said in a March 16 medical claim that continuing job pressures made him “irritable, angry and short-tempered” and caused him sleeplessness, stomach cramps and headaches.

Citing conflicts with the Police Officers Assn., death threats and numerous lawsuits, Brizzolara said he was so stressed that he kept a shotgun in his office and was planning to place a metal plate and new locks on his office door until then-Chief Lawrence L. Binkley stopped him, according to the claim.

Brizzolara, 53, also filed for a regular service retirement, effective June 1, said William Storey, the city’s personnel director.

Either retirement package would pay Brizzolara, a 30-year veteran of the department, 75% of his $93,433 annual salary, officials said. But a disability retirement, if granted, would make 50% of that salary tax-exempt, a police spokesman said.

Whether Brizzolara is granted the disability retirement will be determined by medical evaluations, Assistant City Atty. Bob Shannon said. “Everybody wants to think there was some kind of deal cut, and there wasn’t,” Shannon said.

Brizzolara could not be reached for comment.

The former assistant chief left the department Dec. 20, 1991, after City Manager James C. Hankla announced that he was looking into accusations made by two high-ranking commanders that Brizzolara had tried to influence their testimony in a civil case, which named the assistant chief and the commanders as defendants. Brizzolara denied any wrongdoing.

At the same time, Hankla announced that he was reviewing Binkley’s job performance following numerous complaints by the same commanders.

Hankla’s investigation culminated in January when he fired Binkley. Although he did not find Binkley guilty of any wrongdoing, the city manager said he had lost confidence in the chief’s ability to lead the department. Hankla, however, never announced a determination of Brizzolara’s case.

“No final decision was ever made in that regard,” Shannon said. “Although Gene was mentioned, the focus (of the investigation) turned to Chief Binkley.”

A police commander who asked not to be identified criticized city officials for not reaching a decision on the accusations against Brizzolara: “You can see the embarrassment to the city if Hankla has to fire both the chief and the assistant chief. They’re just playing politics and getting rid of it as quietly as possible.”