Newport Beach Names New Police Chief
The police chief of the Northern California city of Woodland was named Tuesday to head this city’s beleaguered department, ending a six-month search for a successor Arb Campbell, who left as chief amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Robert J. McDonell, 52, twice the acting chief in San Clemente, will return to Orange County on Aug. 2 to take over the 249-person Newport Beach department.
At a news conference in Newport Beach, McDonell said: “I think the department is ready to put this chapter of their life behind them and move on. That is exactly what I plan to do.”
Last fall, 10 current and former female employees filed a lawsuit against Campbell and Capt. Anthony Villa, alleging widespread sexual harassment. One woman alleged that the chief and Villa had raped her at a party a decade ago.
On June 10, Campbell and Villa were reinstated and then retired after they promised to drop a wrongful termination suit against the city. But the women are proceeding with their lawsuit.
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