Newport Chief, Accused Captain Tied Financially

Police Chief Arb Campbell, who is accused in a civil lawsuit of turning a deaf ear to allegations of sexual harassment by one of his chief assistants, is not only a friend of the officer but a partner of his in a real estate deal.

Property records and police department employees, who spoke only on the condition that they not be identified, reveal that the relationship between Campbell and Capt. Anthony Villa is more than a professional one. Both regularly socialize together, and they, together with their wives, jointly own 2.5 acres of property that they bought near a recreational area in Riverside County in 1982.

During their years on the Newport Beach police force, past and present department employees said, Campbell helped Villa ascend from the rank of sergeant to lieutenant, and later promoted Villa to one of four captain positions after becoming police chief in 1986.

When accusations of sexual harassment against Villa came to Campbell’s attention, according to allegations in a lawsuit suit filed last week in Orange County Superior Court, the chief did nothing to stop it and effectively “condoned” Villa’s behavior.

In the suit, four current or former female Police Department employees allege that Villa sexually harassed them on and off the job with suggestive remarks and physical contact, such as touching breasts and other parts of their bodies.

Campbell and Villa declined to comment Friday on their real estate partnership. Through their attorneys, both officers have generally denied the lawsuit’s allegations, but have declined to comment on specific accusations.

The Newport Beach City Council issued a prepared statement earlier this week reaffirming the city’s commitment to a work environment free of sexual discrimination and harassment, and said it would pursue a full investigation of the women’s charges.

One department employee, who requested anonymity, said Friday that friendships are common on the police force, and there is no harm in them. Two of the four women who brought the sexual harassment case, Mary Jane Ruetz and Margaret McInnis, are friends and often car-pooled together to work, the source said.

Neither Ruetz, a records supervisor, nor McInnis, a communications supervisor, oversee each other’s work, however.

“There is certainly no incestuous relationship (involving the women) as is alleged with Campbell and Villa,” said Steven Pingel, an attorney for the women.

Ruetz and Officer Cheryl Valcilek contend that they were fired on trumped up charges after formally complaining to their superiors and the chief about harassment and discrimination. The city’s Civil Service Commission reinstated both women.

According to the lawsuit, Officer Rochelle Maier, a reserve captain in the U.S. Army, was also fired under similar circumstances. She wants her job back, and a hearing before the Civil Service Commission is scheduled Monday night at Newport Beach City Hall.

After discussing her concerns about Villa with her superiors, Ruetz concluded that “it would be career suicide to formally complain about Capt. Villa because of the close personal relationship between Villa and Chief Campbell,” the lawsuit states.

Though Newport Beach police say they have general rules regarding conflicts of interest and professional conduct, the department has no specific regulations prohibiting business, social or financial ties between superiors and those they command.

Statewide, the California Peace Officers Assn., which represents police department managers and has 5,400 members, has promulgated a code of conduct to discourage conflicts of interests, the use of double standards, and an officer’s personal bias from affecting decisions.

Some law enforcement agencies, such as the Los Angeles Police Department, have adopted rules that prohibit close personal or financial relationships between supervisors and subordinates.

The LAPD manual states that supervisors should avoid even the appearance of a conflict between their professional responsibilities and personal relationships with other department employees.

“Generally, the greatest potential for such a conflict arises from an off-duty social relationship or an outside business interest,” the manual states. “Either situation could lead to a personal or financial interest which conflicts with a duty-related responsibility.”

Arnold Binder, a sociology professor at UC Irvine, who has expertise in law enforcement issues, said, “it becomes an ethical issue when the relationship between a supervisor and a subordinate could have an effect on decisions, some of which could be quite negative for the department. That is not to say I know about the relationship of the two officers, but the danger is certainly there.”

Newport Beach City Manager Kevin J. Murphy declined to comment Friday about the relationship between Campbell and Villa, saying he does not know all the facts. On their behalf, Murphy said both men intend to cooperate in the city’s ongoing investigation into the sexual harassment allegations.

John Lewis, an investigator and legal representative for the four women, said the joint ownership of real estate was significant. “Not only do they have a relationship on the job, but it extends into off-duty investments. It’s the reason Villa can do whatever he wants and Campbell is not going to object.”

According to property records, Campbell and Villa bought land near Skinner Reservoir in 1982. Today, it has an assessed value of about $25,500.

Prof. Binder said that close relationships between a supervisor and a subordinate, whether sexual, social or financial, can adversely impact discipline and the morale of other workers who perceive they are not being treated fairly.

“This is a general ethical issue for management. Can the job be done properly under those conditions? It’s risky and can lead to violations of ethical standards,” said Binder, who has studied law enforcement issues and wrote “The Badge and the Bullet,” a book about the use of deadly force.