A Council Credibility Problem

The Orange City Council’s 3-2 vote to fire Police Chief John R. Robertson has complicated an already complex mixture of criminal investigations, conflict-of-interest charges and allegations of bad judgment. Unfortunately for the city, last week’s firing also could prompt Robertson to file a lawsuit contending he was wrongfully ousted. According to an investigation done for the council, he has a good case.

The council would have been better off delaying action until there was a clearer picture of a separate investigation by the county district attorney’s office into a scandal in the city recycling program. Under Robertson, police began the probe into charges that the city had lost large amounts of money in the recycling program but handed the investigation off to the district attorney’s office.

Two days ago, the city released the 14-page letter firing Robertson, accusing him of such things as “extreme arrogance,” not being a team player and creating a “hostile workplace.” A key reason appears to have been his investigation into who provided The Times with a copy of an affidavit in support of a search warrant in the recycling matter.

Robertson’s two supporters on the council said the chief showed courage in looking for the source of the leak. His opponents said he had disobeyed orders and used poor judgment.

A complicating matter has been City Manager David L. Rudat’s involvement in the discussions about Robertson. It was Rudat’s copy of the affidavit that Robertson wanted examined for fingerprints in an effort to find out who had divulged it. Rudat may have a conflict because his wife received a commission of nearly $14,000 for selling the house of a suspect in the embezzlement of recycling money.

The handling of the recycling and Robertson investigations has damaged the council’s credibility with residents. The former Beverly Hills police chief and city attorney who looked into the matter for the council concluded that Robertson had made mistakes but that the city would have a hard time sustaining its firing of him. At this point, this is a story in which there appear to be no winners.