Southeast : City Refuses to Pay Ex-Officers’ Damages

Pay your own way. That’s what the Long Beach City Council has told three former top-ranking police officials in connection with a federal jury’s award of $3.8 million to a former police commander.

The Long Beach City Council voted recently not to cover $315,000 in punitive damages for the former police brass, who were accused of verbally abusing Cmdr. Wayne Meeks, stripping him of benefits, threatening him with dismissal and making his life so miserable he had a mental breakdown in 1991.

The three former police officials--Chief Lawrence Binkley, Assistant Chief Eugene Bizzolara and Deputy Chief David Dusenbury--could not be reached for comment.

Long Beach had the option of picking up their tab. But the city has a hefty bill of its own because the jury also found on June 22 that Long Beach was liable for $3.5 million in compensatory damages.

Assistant City Atty. Robert Shannon said the city plans to file a motion requesting a new trial and, if that fails, to ask for a reduction in the award. Both motions are precursors to an appeal, Shannon said.