Newport Officers Vote No Confidence in Chief : Police: Group gives strong signal of support of city manager’s decision to place Arb Campbell on leave.

The city’s police officers announced Friday an overwhelming vote of no confidence in beleaguered Chief Arb Campbell, just a few days after a group of prominent citizens began marshaling their political clout to seek Campbell’s reinstatement.

The no-confidence vote was taken Thursday afternoon at a local hotel during a meeting of the Newport Beach Police Officers Assn., said Detective Tom Tolman, president of the professional organization which represents the department’s 148 sworn personnel. Tolman declined to comment further.

Officers in attendance said Friday that the balloting was 127 to 13, a sign of strong support for acting Chief Jim Jacobs and City Manager Kevin J. Murphy, who put Campbell on paid leave pending the outcome of a lawsuit accusing Campbell of rape and sexual discrimination.

Department sources, who requested anonymity, said the vote was a reaction to fears that their former boss is making a bid to get his job back. They point to a meeting Campbell had Tuesday with members of the 10-4 Club, a loose-knit organization of about 30 Newport Beach citizens who support the Police Department and are influential in city politics.

The membership includes builder William Lusk, restaurateur Dan Marcheano, Balboa Bay Club President Thomas G. Deemer, and sporting goods heir Willard S. Voit. Voit, a longtime friend of Campbell, sold the chief one of his homes on the Balboa Peninsula in 1987.

Marcheano, who owns the landmark Arches restaurant, said 10-4 members are unhappy with the way Campbell was relieved of command and are considering steps to help the chief, including the possibility of replacing Murphy, who became city manager about six months ago.

On Oct. 15, Murphy put Campbell on paid administrative leave, hours after a rape allegation was leveled against the chief and one of his top assistants, Capt. Anthony R. Villa. Their accuser, dispatcher Peri Ropke, made the charge during a news conference to announce that she was joining a sexual harassment suit filed against Campbell and Villa by four current and former female employees of the department.

Marcheano said the decision to relieve Campbell might develop into a major political issue in town and that he is preparing to lobby City Council members about the situation.

“If you are going to destroy a man’s reputation, his name, and upset his family,” Marcheano said, “some people have to stand up behind him and say ‘This is not right.’ ”

Murphy, who is overseeing a city investigation into the sexual harassment allegations, declined to comment Friday.

Bruce Praet, the attorney for Villa and Campbell, said the chief believes the no-confidence vote “was orchestrated through intimidation and a conspiracy” by Murphy, insiders vying for other jobs, and the legal representatives of the women suing Campbell and Villa.

They “have made no bones about the fact that they want Arb and Tony out of office, and they’re not real concerned about the method by which it takes place, whether by lawsuit or city manager action or a no-confidence vote,” Praet said.

The no-confidence vote was done publicly when most are done by secret ballot, and the lieutenant who led the meeting is presently replacing Villa, Praet said. He also said the officers were “lured on false pretense” to a meeting they thought would only address salary negotiations.

Beno Hernandez, a legal representative for the women suing Campbell and Villa, denied there was any conspiracy, saying the no-confidence vote was held at a meeting where Campbell and salary matters were going to be discussed. He added that the vote of the officers’ association occurred because of Campbell’s discussions with the 10-4 Club.

“People became irate about that,” Hernandez said.

Department sources, who spoke on the condition that their names not be used, said morale has improved at the department since Campbell’s departure and his reinstatement--at least for now--would be a detriment to the force.

According to 10-4 Club members, Campbell met with representatives of the group for about an hour and denied allegations that he raped Ropke and condoned sexual harassment by Villa, his friend and partner in a real estate deal. Marcheano said members then discussed the matter, made some suggestions about what to do on Campbell’s behalf, and scheduled another meeting next week to finalize plans.

“I feel as though the city let Chief Campbell and Capt. Villa down by relieving them of duty,” Marcheano said. “I think the possibility that he (Campbell) has earned the right to be back as chief of police is very real.”

Some members discussed the possibility of replacing Murphy at least temporarily with former City Manager Robert L. Wynn, who retired when Murphy was appointed, Marcheano said. But he added that he has not heard much more about that suggestion.

Wynn said Friday that he has not been contacted by any 10-4 Club members nor has he heard of an effort to replace Murphy, a former city manager from Alhambra whom Wynn supported as his successor.

“I retired. I have not met with the 10-4 Club and should not,” said Wynn, now a private consultant for municipal governments. “All of this is absolutely erroneous. No one has talked to me. I am happy with what I am doing. Lots of rumors are going around.”

Deemer, who is president of the venerable Balboa Bay Club, said a number of Newport Beach citizens are concerned about the accusations against Campbell and the way he was relieved of his post.

“It’s innocent until proven guilty, and that is not what is taking place and that is not what is happening to Campbell and Villa,” said Deemer, who describes himself as a longtime friend of Campbell.

Deemer reiterated Marcheano’s position that Murphy’s decision to put Campbell and Villa on paid administrative leave could develop into a major political issue for the City Council. He added that Campbell was invited to speak to the group, which raises money and provides community support for police activities. The club name “10-4” is derived from police jargon meaning “OK.”

Members of the City Council who could be reached for comment Friday said they did not think the 10-4 Club would have much influence because the city investigation into the allegations is still underway. Two of them said they believed the city is handling the controversy properly.

“We are getting the nuts and bolts that we need, and I don’t see any bias in the investigation,” said Newport Beach Councilwoman Jean H. Watt. “I am satisfied with the way Murphy has handled this. I don’t think being put on paid leave is a mark of guilt. It is more a functional thing to do for the sake of the” investigation.

“The city is handling the situation properly, methodically and courageously,” said Councilman Clarence J. Turner. “You can’t ask for more than that.”

The City Council met Friday afternoon in a secret executive session to discuss the city investigation and the sexual harassment case that was filed in late September by two civilian employees and two sworn officers.

The women are communications supervisor Mary Jane Ruetz, 43; records supervisor Margaret McInnis, 39; and Officers Cheryl Vlacilek, 28, and Rochell Maier, 31. Ruetz and McInnis have taken medical leaves amid the controversy. Maier is pursuing a Civil Service board case to get her job back.

They allege that Villa sexually harassed them on and off the job with suggestive remarks and physical contact, such as touching breasts and others parts of their bodies. Campbell is accused of ignoring their complaints and helping to turn the department’s high command into a “hotbed of sexually offensive conduct.”

Campbell and Villa have denied the allegations, saying that they are the target of disgruntled employees who have either been disciplined or fired in the past for misconduct on the job.