Azusa Rally Seeks Return of Police Chief Who Resigned

Azusa residents rallied Wednesday to get back their police chief, who resigned last week after a city investigation found that he committed a sex act with one or more female employees at a hot tub party in July.

City officials say Chief John Broderick, 47, has received overwhelming public support since his resignation Aug. 16. But in a statement released through the Police Department, Broderick said he would stand by his decision to step down.

“I resigned because my misconduct brought extreme embarrassment to myself and the Police Department,” he wrote. “I have always accepted complete responsibility for my actions. I recognize my lapse of judgment made it impossible for me to lead the Police Department.”

With the outpouring of support, the 23-year department veteran had strongly considered trying to regain his position as chief, and felt the City Council would back him, according to family and city officials. But his opinion changed at a meeting Monday with City Manager Rick Cole.

Cole said the two had agreed to reevaluate the resignation, but in the end the former chief concluded that his actions compromised his ability to lead and that he would never again seek a position in the department. Broderick will be on inactive leave for a year at reduced salary while he uses his compensatory and vacation time.

“This guy went through a gut-wrenching decision-making process,” Cole said. “Bravely and reluctantly, as much as he wanted to resume his service, the decision he made was the right one.”

Many of Broderick’s supporters felt he was set up, because his conduct at the party seemed contrary to his strait-laced persona. Sources say someone told the chief that he needed to socialize more with his subordinates, so he went to the after-hours “shift party” in La Verne on July 29.

Some who were invited did not show up, and the event turned out to be an intimate gathering--three women, the chief and another man. There, the chief allegedly committed a sex act with at least one of the women in front of the others, sources said.

Rumors circulated throughout the department while Broderick was on vacation. Capt. Robert Garcia passed the information to Cole, who hired a Los Angeles private investigation firm to look into the allegations. Cole said there was no evidence that someone tried to entrap Broderick.

On Wednesday, officials were expecting hundreds of the chief’s supporters to show up for the rally at City Hall. But after his written statement was published in the local newspaper Wednesday, only about 40 die-hard backers turned out.

In the scorching morning sun, they gathered on City Hall’s front steps, waving signs that read: “We Want Our Chief Back.”

“Let’s protect this man,” said Walter Harville, 67. “He’s one of our beloved sons.”

“His personal life is his personal business,” said Ron Legault.

Resident Mike Lee felt that Broderick suffered a “human” lapse of judgment and should have fought to keep his job. “This whole thing is ridiculous,” he said. “That’s the worst thing he’s done in his life. You don’t turn and run for that.”

The protesters, many of whom were retired, were disappointed by Broderick’s statement, but hoped their show of support would change his mind. Some planned to raise the issue at the next City Council meeting on Sept. 7.

Mayor Christina Cruz Madrid called for a “cooling-off period” before any further decisions were made on the issue.

“There is more passion here than there was with the Rosedale project,” Madrid said, referring to the proposed 1,602-home development that voters rejected in a referendum last month. “This is a heavily charged issue.”