Newport Takes Step to Fire Police Captain in Lawsuit

Saying that an internal investigation has produced evidence of sexual harassment, city officials on Friday moved to fire embattled Police Capt. Anthony J. Villa Jr., who has been sued by 10 former and current female employees of the police force.

Mayor Clarence J. Turner said that Villa, a top aide and friend of Police Chief Arb Campbell, will be served with a formal notice of termination, clearing the way for hearings to determine whether he will be fired. “We issued notice of intent to terminate his employment with the city,” Turner said. “This is one of the steps we obviously have to take.”

“Thank God, finally,” said Margaret McInnis, a records supervisor who has alleged in a civil rights case that she was harassed repeatedly by Villa. “I’m just glad the city is finally doing what it promised it was going to do.”

The lawsuit, brought by McInnis and her co-workers, has plunged the Police Department into one of the most startling controversies in city history. All allege that they were sexually harassed by Villa, and that Campbell did nothing to stop the abuse, although he knew about it.

Police dispatcher Peri Ropke has also accused Villa and Campbell of raping her 11 years ago during a drunken party held by officers at a local landfill. As a result of her accusations, City Manager Kevin J. Murphy placed Villa and Campbell on paid administrative leave in October.

When reached at his home Friday, Villa, 47, referred all inquiries about his potential termination to his attorney and city officials. His attorney, Bruce Praet, could not be reached for comment, however. Murphy also declined to discuss the matter.

The termination notice is the first step in holding so-called Skelly hearings, a confidential procedure required by state law when police officers are being considered for discipline or termination.

During the process, Villa, a veteran officer whom Campbell promoted to captain in 1986, will be allowed to respond to the charges against him. If his firing is upheld, he can appeal to the city’s Civil Service Board for reinstatement. The process can take about 60 days.

Turner said the city decided to move against Villa because the city’s own internal investigation into allegations of sexual discrimination at the department turned up evidence indicating that Villa harassed female co-workers.

A special attorney hired for the investigation released preliminary results of that probe to the City Council on Dec. 14. The evidence shows that a hostile work environment existed at the department, he told the council, and a judge indeed “might find that conduct of a sexually harassing nature occurred.”

Sources said the investigation, which included interviews of about 170 employees, also turned up indications of other problems within the beleaguered department.

“Based on the information I have, it is my opinion that Villa’s termination is inevitable,” said Bino Hernandez, an investigator for Law Enforcement Representation, a private firm working for the women who have sued the department.

Earlier, Hernandez, the women and their attorney, Steven R. Pingel, criticized the city for moving too slow in its effort to determine whether sexual harassment existed at the Police Department. They questioned whether any investigation by city officials would be objective or independent.

“It’s not unexpected, but it has caught me by surprise,” said Mary Jane Ruetz, a communications supervisor in the lawsuit. “If it’s really true, and he is terminated, it would be the first step in curing the wrongs as this city promised it would cure.”

Although the city has moved to fire Villa, Hernandez said it was the pressure of the women that resulted in the investigation in the first place, and that more sweeping remedies are needed to correct widespread problems at the department.

“They would not do it until these women, these courageous women, stood up and put their lives and careers on the line,” he said. “Only then did they take notice, and that’s the shame of it all.”

Murphy said the city has not taken action against Campbell because the chief still has not been interviewed in the ongoing investigation. Campbell canceled his interview on Nov. 11, citing health problems, city officials have said.

Throughout the controversy, Campbell and Villa have denied wrongdoing, arguing in court papers that they are the victims of spurious charges from disgruntled employees who either have psychological problems or want to cover up their own misconduct on the job.

They specifically contend that Ropke has confused the Newport Beach party, at which she says she was raped, with another sexual encounter involving two different men while she was employed by another police department.

Most of the sexual harassment allegations appear to be leveled against Villa, who is accused of harassing the women on and off duty with suggestive remarks and physical contact, such as touching breasts and other parts of the body.

Three of the women charge that the situation with Villa became so bad that they avoided him by taking alternative routes through the police station, hiding in restrooms or calling in sick.

All the women contend they were discriminated against in their careers and were either fired or disciplined after complaining officially of sexual harassment.

“I think the proceedings against Villa will only lend credence to our allegations and the complaints about the intolerable working conditions at the Police Department,” said Molly Thomson, a dispatcher.

The original lawsuit was filed on Sept. 24 by Ruetz, McInnis, Officer Cheryl Vlacilek, and fired Officer Rochell Maier. Ropke joined the case Oct. 15. Since then, five others, including an officer who was once decorated for bravery, have entered the lawsuit.