LONG BEACH : Court Upholds Legality of Police Chief’s Dismissal
A state appeals court ruled this week that Long Beach does not have to hold a new hearing for former Police Chief Lawrence L. Binkley, who sought to regain his post after he was fired last year.
The Court of Appeal overturned a Superior Court decision last summer that ordered city officials to give Binkley a new hearing. At the time, Superior Court Judge Robert H. O’Brien said city officials violated the former chief’s procedural rights “in every respect.”
But the appeals court ruled that Long Beach officials provided Binkley with a proper hearing. The judges also said that, under the City Charter, City Manager James C. Hankla has the right to hire and fire the police chief. Hankla fired Binkley after a number of high-ranking commanders complained about the chief’s heavy-handed management style.
“It’s a complete vindication of the procedures we used and the process we used to terminate him,” Assistant City Atty. Robert E. Shannon said Friday. Carol D. Janssen, an attorney for Binkley, said she could not comment because she had not read the ruling.
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