City Settles Lawsuit by 2 Police Officers for $290,000

Statements made about two police officers by C. L. (Clay) Bryant three years ago when he was on the Pomona City Council have cost the city $290,000.

City Atty. Arnold Glasman disclosed Tuesday that the city has settled a lawsuit filed by Sgt. Gary Elofson and Detective Raul Camargo by paying $290,000 to the officers and their attorney, George W. Schaeffer Jr. Glasman said he does not know how the money was divided, and Schaeffer declined to say.

Glasman said the payment was made without any admission of fault by the city. Bryant, who was sued along with the city, paid nothing.

Schaeffer said the settlement is a victory for the officers, who were harmed by the improper disclosure of information.

“Hopefully, it will discourage other council members from disclosing confidential information,” he said.

The suit was triggered at the height of a political controversy over the firing of a city administrator and police chief by a Bryant-led council majority. The firings, and allegations that Bryant used his office to browbeat employees and make scathing personal attacks, fueled a successful recall campaign against him.

Camargo was president of the Pomona Police Officers Assn. when it joined the recall effort. Elofson earned Bryant’s enmity by arresting him in 1984 on a drunk driving charge that was later dropped.

Three years ago at a City Council meeting Bryant said Camargo had cost the city $20,450 “for his regular trips to the shrink in Irvine” and called him a “psychiatric case.”

He also alleged that Camargo and a police sergeant “were under investigation by the Police Department internal affairs for lewd conduct and sexual harassment.”

Bryant later said he drew the information from city reports, police sources and a former Police Department employee who had filed a sexual harassment complaint. He called publicly for the firing of Camargo and Elofson.

In their suit, the officers alleged that Bryant violated their civil rights by disclosing information from confidential files.

Schaeffer said the facts in the case were not in dispute. At issue were the rights of employees to privacy and the right of council members to freely discuss matters of public concern.

Glasman said the sexual harassment charge aired by Bryant did not lead to any disciplinary action against either Camargo or Elofson.

Voters by an overwhelming margin recalled Bryant from office in June, 1990.