Hermosa Beach’s Embattled Chief of Public Safety Fired : Law enforcement: City manager’s action comes after months of pressuring Steve Wisniewski to resign.

After months of pressuring the city’s top law enforcement official to resign, Hermosa Beach City Manager Frederick R. Ferrin fired Public Safety Director Steve Wisniewski last week, city officials said.

Ferrin notified Wisniewski, who is responsible for running the city’s police and fire departments, by registered mail on Tuesday after unsuccessfully trying to personally contact him, officials said. The firing allows the city to stop paying the former chief his $84,800 annual salary, which Wisniewski, a Rancho Palos Verdes resident, had been drawing since being placed on administrative leave March 4.

Wisniewski, 46, came under criticism earlier this year for several alleged improprieties, including misleading the City Council about a weapons trade that his department made with a gun dealer.

On the advice of legal counsel, Hermosa Beach officials would not discuss the reasons for, or the timing of, the firing. But city officials, who are expecting Wisniewski to fight his dismissal, expressed confidence in their decision.

“I think the city will prevail in this matter,” said Councilman Robert Essertier, who backed the chief’s removal. “I support the city’s action.”

Wisniewski and his attorney could not be reached for comment. But Mayor Albert Wiemans, who has defended Wisniewski, reaffirmed his support for him. “I know I am representing the minority view,” Wiemans said. “But I still support the chief.”

The most serious allegation against Wisniewski involves his role in obtaining council approval in August, 1991, for the weapons swap. While describing the deal to council members, Wisniewski failed to say that at least eight of the 40 or so confiscated weapons his department planned to trade were assault rifles.

Wisniewski also told the council that the weapons would probably be sold to “rural area” police departments. Instead, the guns were purchased by a national gun dealer.

It is still unclear whether the trade violated a 1989 state law outlawing the sale of assault rifles, city officials say.

Wisniewski, who is also accused of misusing a government vehicle and improperly supervising money for undercover narcotics operations, has had no official charges filed against him.

In the past two months, Wisniewski has requested retirement pay from the Public Employees Retirement System and filed a workers’ compensation claim. If Wisniewski can show that his unspecified disability is the result of a work-related injury or stress, the former chief can collect 40% to 50% of his top annual salary with the city for life, tax-free.