Simi Valley Officer Sues Over Forced Retirement : Litigation: Robert C. Klamser contends that he was singled out for retaliation. A police captain is also named in the suit.

A Simi Valley police lieutenant who has been ordered to take a medical disability retirement sued the city and a Police Department captain Friday, saying they conspired to oust him.

Lt. Robert C. Klamser, 40, filed the suit in Ventura County Superior Court, asserting that he was singled out for retaliation for protecting female victims of sexual harassment by male officers and reporting an officer he believed was involved in illegal drug trafficking.

“There are significant problems of leadership that allow that kind of unethical and illegal behavior to occur,” Klamser said in an interview. “Rather than deal with the problems, they’ve chosen to go after the messenger.”

The lawsuit says Klamser was targeted because he “failed to go along with the crooked and dirty cops who abuse their position of power for their own sexual gratification and for their own economic interests, and supervisors who condone these activities.”

In addition to the city of Simi Valley, the suit names Police Capt. Richard Wright, who conducted an investigation of Klamser at the request of the department. Klamser is seeking reinstatement to his job, back pay and unspecified damages. The suit has been assigned to Judge John J. Hunter.

Simi Valley Police Chief Lindsey P. Miller denied the allegations and defended Wright, saying he “was just assigned to do a job and he did it.” Wright was unavailable for comment Friday.

“There is no conspiracy to force Klamser out of his job,” Miller said. “He makes it look like he’s the only one in the department concerned with making things run correctly.”

Simi Valley City Atty. John Torrance also denied the allegations and said the city would “vigorously defend this lawsuit.”

Torrance assailed Klamser and his attorney for issuing a three-page statement announcing the lawsuit. He called the statement “an intent to sensationalize this matter and try it in the press rather than in court.”

Klamser countered that he was only following the lead of the city, which told the news media of its plans to force his retirement the day before Thanksgiving. He also accused the city of violating state peace officer protection laws by releasing the information.

But Torrance said state law does not prohibit the city from telling the media when it files retirement applications.

Klamser, whose annual salary is $66,000, had been on paid suspension since February, pending the result of an internal investigation, the nature of which has not been disclosed. The suspension came shortly after a written complaint from a Ventura County deputy public defender concerning the department’s handling of a rape investigation involving a former police officer.

Last week, the city took Klamser off the payroll when it ordered his retirement for medical disability.

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City officials would not comment on the nature of the disability nor reveal the reasons for the retirement order.

Klamser said he was examined at the city’s request by a psychologist a week before the application for his retirement was filed.

“I don’t have any broken bones or anything,” Klamser said. “So I strongly suspect they’ll allege some type of emotional issue.”

Klamser, who has served as an international consultant on hostage negotiations, joined the department as an officer in August, 1975. Later, as supervisor of administrative services, he was chief spokesman for the department. Two years ago, he was placed in charge of detectives.