The Firing of Chief Robertson

I am writing [as an attorney representing] the city of Orange and its public officials about the recent articles and termination of Police Chief John Robertson.

There were two simultaneous issues which ultimately resulted in the chief’s termination. There were two separate investigations of the chief by independent, outside investigators which resulted in findings of wrongdoing by the chief.

Following City Manager David Rudat’s recommendation to terminate, the chief was given an opportunity to explain to an outside hearing officer why the termination should not proceed. The result was a one-sided presentation--the chief’s presentation.

Nevertheless, the outside hearing officer found that the chief violated appropriate professional procedures; went far beyond the bounds of propriety; should have realized that he and some of his staff should be suspects or at least witnesses; jeopardized the investigation; and violated a specific order from his superior. He absolutely did not exonerate the chief on 11 of the 14 charges as you reported Feb. 25.

In addition to the significant findings of misconduct, the outside hearing officer stated that there was significant evidence of a hostile work environment. And, finally, the hearing officer found that there is an honest concern and a loss of confidence by the city manager in the chief.

It is our belief that your articles took a sympathetic view toward the chief.

The chief’s conduct raises serious concerns about ethics and integrity. The city was compelled to take action to protect its citizens and the members of the Police Department. This is not a popularity contest, and the plain truth is that we hold our public officials to a rigorous standard.

DEBRA L. BRAY

Orange

* Our communities continue to be filled with ethnic and racial tensions. I’d like to ask the council members of Orange if they are aware of former Police Chief Robertson’s distinguished record as police chief of Garden Grove in regard to diminishing ethnic tensions with the Vietnamese community.

Do they know that it took him four years to solve a crime within the community, but that in the process he taught Vietnamese refugees that Garden Grove had a law enforcement world they could trust--unlike the savage police forces in the Communist country they had left behind?

The council should be aware, because of comments addressed to them recently by Orange resident Lupe Hurtad, that the chief is a hero to Latinos in the barrios of Orange--a “really great man.”

Do the council members and the city manager of Orange understand the significance of what Hurtad had to say? In what was probably the most heartfelt statement of the evening, did the council actually hear him when he reported that his neighborhood had become livable, that gunshots and gang activities had decreased markedly because of Robertson’s presence and accessibility to that neighborhood, and that losing Robertson would be an incomprehensible loss to them? I see council indifference to Hurtad as a subtle form of disfranchisement to his people.

The smoke around this issue leads many of us to believe the city of Orange is, in fact, as Councilman Dan Slater so aptly said, “involved in a fishing trip” with the express intent of “burying Chief John Robertson.”

PATRICIA K. GAUNT

Tustin

* Enough is enough. How long do we residents have to endure the mismanagement by our elected and top appointed officials in the city of Orange?

First they lost millions of taxpayer dollars in an investment fiasco, then another set of millions in the Orange County bankruptcy, and now another $6 million to $10 million by the city’s trash and recycling contractor. It is time for new leadership.

This “good old boy” network and accompanying patronage at City Hall has stifled any new thoughts or ideas. It has spawned micro-management by the mayor and led to ineptness as can be seen by true examples of the Peter Principle in our city manager, personnel director and acting police chief.

What is really amazing is that the current city leaders think the voting public in Orange is stupid! They think we have not noticed this recent loss of millions of tax dollars by Orange Disposal. They think we can’t see through their efforts to divert attention away from this issue by picking on an excellent police chief, John Robertson. What this leadership did to Robertson is despicable.

MEL SAVAGE

Orange

* Regarding the alleged trash fraud and the firing of Police Chief John Robertson in the city of Orange: Something stinks at City Hall, and the odor is not coming from the former chief’s office.

I hope city officials know that most voters have a keen sense of smell.

KATHLEEN VALDEZ

Orange