Santa Ana to Cut Ranks of Police on Limited Duty

In an unprecedented move, the Police Department will force the mass retirement of 21 officers, with a total of 401 years of experience, by year’s end, mostly because of job injuries.

Police Chief Paul M. Walters said the early medical retirements were necessary because the ranks of officers on limited-duty jobs, such as desk assignments, have swelled in recent years, reducing the number of slots for officers who can do the full range of police work.

But many within the rank and file say the move will cost the department valuable bridges to the community and its own past, and they question whether the ousted officers and detectives have really outlived their usefulness.

Walters said in a recent interview that the decision to retire the officers, including some he once sat beside in academy classes and patrol cars, has been one of the most difficult of his career: “It’s not easy to force people to leave before they want to go. I’m trying to look out for their best interests and the interests of the agency, and to handle it with as much compassion as possible.”

In March, the department sent letters to the 21 officers, telling them to get medical clearance to return to full duty or to retire by year’s end.

“It came down to numbers,” Walters said. “We couldn’t create jobs for these people, and the positions are too valuable not to use as fully as we can. It is hard to see some of these people go; we’re losing part of our organization. But none of us are irreplaceable. We can’t be.”

Officer Dennis Sebastianelli, 45, a patrol cop and burglary investigator for 23 years before a knee injury, said: “Leaving was not something I wanted to do. It’s hard to get used to, it’s tough to get used to it. . . . The whole thing could have been handled better. Most of us are sorry to go.”

But some, such as 28-year Officer Matt Michalski, who has suffered through a back injury in recent years, said they were looking forward to it: “Technically, they did force us out, but they did give us time to get our affairs in order. I’ve got no complaints.”

The 21 medical retirees include detectives who handle juvenile crime and missing persons, burglaries and fraud, along with patrol officers who worked in the office or community outreach jobs after their injuries. Their medical problems were, in most cases, neck and back injuries.

These retirees join eight regular retirees with a combined total of 176 years of service and include department spokesmen Sgt. Bob Clark and Officer Jose Vargas.

“The guys leaving are quite a bunch, and they will be missed,” Clark said. “These are contributors, not people marking time.”

The loss of the eight “regular” retirees of such experience would, in a typical year, be considered a major blow for this 362-officer agency. Combined with the 21 medical retirees, the wave of departures has rattled an agency that adorns its modern hallways with photos and memorabilia from its treasured past.

“Nobody has ever seen this much history and knowledge walk out the door,” said Don Blankenship, president of the Santa Ana Police Officers Assn. “We might see five or six guys leave in a year, but something like this? Never. Only time will tell, but I think this is a significant loss.”

The forced retirements also have sent a chill through the ranks, Blankenship said.

“This is kind of a cold place, but it isn’t completely heartless,” said Blankenship, who is organizing a Dec. 3 party for all the retirees. “But this is pretty rough. It’s like, ‘Let’s go out and get a new toy. We broke the old toy.’ ”

Blankenship said part of the motivation is cost savings. The less-experienced replacement officers will draw smaller salaries than the veterans.

The medical retirees will receive monthly payments from a retirement fund equal to 50% or more of their salaries, depending on their years of service.