Police Group Fails to Turn Over Papers

The Los Angeles Police Relief Assn. has not complied with a subpoena seeking information about the theft conviction of a former executive director of the agency, said City Controller Laura Chick.

“We haven’t received the requested documents,” said Chick, whose office issued the subpoena. “We are now consulting with and seeking the advice of the city attorney.”

Chick wants documents about the firings of two executive directors from the benefit organization.

The agency’s president, Los Angeles Police Capt. Charles Beck, attributed the delay to an effort to conform to state law.

“The reason we are reticent to comply is because both reports contain personnel information that we believe state law restricts us from releasing,” he said. “None of this is about trying to hide anything from the city.”

The relief association will cooperate, said attorney Richard Simmons. “It’s not about withholding information, it’s about laws on privacy,” he said. “No one at [the agency] is going to compromise the legal rights to privacy of any member or current or former employee.”

The nonprofit police agency oversees the spending of $50 million each year on medical benefits for officers, retired officers and survivors of deceased officers.

Chick and the LAPD Internal Affairs Department are investigating allegations of wrongdoing surrounding the firings of two former executive directors. The twin probes were launched after a former executive director, Ramona Voge, alleged mismanagement and misappropriation at the relief association.

Voge was fired Jan. 10. She said she was not told why, and will file a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination.

Chick’s subpoena asks for an internal report on allegations against Voge, as well as a report on another former executive director, Deanna Bertolone, who was convicted Jan. 9 of misdemeanor grand theft, documents show.

Reached by phone at her home in Downey, Bertolone, 57, would not comment on the details of the case, but denied any wrongdoing. “I just want to be left out of this,” Bertolone said, her voice cracking. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

She was originally charged with felony theft. Bertolone’s lawyer, Michael Levin, said the case against his client was weak, and her health was the only reason she pleaded to the misdemeanor.

“She had a good case, but she could have spent $50,000 defending herself,” said Levin. “She was sick, not sleeping, so to get it over with, she took the misdemeanor at my recommendation.”

She was sentenced to six days--time served--in jail, three years’ probation and ordered to pay restitution of $10,000, according to court documents.

Leanora Lindsey, the LAPD detective who investigated the case, said she was disappointed by the settlement. Lindsey alleged that Bertolone took more than $100,000 from the nonprofit organization.

“When I returned from vacation, a settlement was made and that’s why I was upset,” Lindsey said. “I don’t know why they settled. I proved the case.”

Levin said Bertolone had simply been paid for overtime and sick leave accumulated over 20 years. The relief association did not have complete records covering Bertolone’s entire employment, and that was a key reason the case was settled, Levin said.

The prosecutor said the outcome of the case was not unusual, and acknowledged that the agency did not have all of Bertolone’s records.

“It just seemed like a fair settlement of the case,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Martin Bean. He said most cases are settled without going to trial simply because there are not enough courtrooms in the county or time to try them.

“There’s always a difference in what I believe and what I believe I can convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt,” Bean said. “I thought that was an issue in this case and that’s one of the reasons we went for the plea.”

According to LAPD records, the case began when association board member Lt. Fred Booker noticed a check made payable to Bertolone that indicated she had grossed more than $80,000--her salary for the entire year--in the first five months of 1998.

While regular checks required the signature of a board member, overtime checks did not, Voge said. Those checks only required a rubber stamp bearing the signature of a board member, Voge said.

An internal investigation determined that Bertolone was paid $111,645 in overtime between Jan. 11, 1991, and Aug. 30, 1998.

Bertolone left work on a stress leave on July 30, 1998, according to the official LAPD crime summary written by Lindsey. When Bertolone returned to work April 1, 1999, she was confronted with the apparent financial irregularities. She denied overpaying herself.

She was fired on May 13, 1999.