Newport Beach Settles With Fired Police Chief, Captain

Reversing several decisions they made over the past nine months, city officials Thursday reinstated and immediately retired fired Police Chief Arb Campbell and Capt. Anthony Villa, and agreed to pay their legal bills in a sexual harassment case filed by 10 current and former female employees.

In exchange, Campbell and Villa agreed to drop a federal lawsuit they had filed against the city, waived their rights to civil service hearings they had demanded to clear their names, and vowed not to seek reinstatement to active duty at the department.

The 16-page settlement agreement with the former chief states that the city has “no corroborated evidence that Campbell sexually harassed any female employee of the department . . . (or) that Campbell condoned any specific act of misconduct on the part of any of his peers or subordinates.”

The settlement agreement with Villa contained no such statement.

In the sexual harassment suit filed by the past and current female employees, the Police Department was depicted as “a hotbed of sexually offensive conduct.” Campbell was accused of condoning offensive behavior by Villa, who was accused of making lewd and suggestive remarks and of fondling women employees.

A female dispatcher who joined the lawsuit some weeks after it was filed also accused the two men of raping her at a drunken police party in 1981.

“It’s time to move on,” City Manager Kevin Murphy said at a news conference. “Today, we are making the decision to just look forward and not look back, and for this the agreement was necessary.” Murphy estimated that the city would have incurred an additional $500,000 in legal fees if not for the settlement.

“They’re rewarding the people who have allegedly raped and pillaged their employees,” said Beno Hernandez, a former Los Angeles police officer who represents the women in the lawsuit. “If you’re going to be a victim of sexual harassment in Newport Beach, forget it. Their total commitment is the protection of the city management. They’re going to protect their own and they don’t care how they protect it.”

Under the agreements, the city will not oppose disability retirements for Campbell, 54, and Villa, 48, who claim injuries dating back as long as 15 years. The retirement packages would provide Campbell about $50,000 a year in tax-free income and Villa about $40,000.

The city also agreed to pay each man a lump sum--Murphy estimated about $30,000--to settle workers’ compensation claims.

“I’ve been through quite a tumultuous nine months. It’s been very stressful,” Villa said. “I’m just glad a lot of it’s over, and we’re on the same team again with the same goals.”