One Glendale officer involved in alleged joyride to Vegas reinstated, 2 others lose their jobs

Civil Service Commissioners on Wednesday voted to reinstate one of three Glendale police officers who were fired for allegedly taking a patrol car on a joyride to Las Vegas.

Commissioners voted 4 to 1 to reinstate Patrick Hamblin as a Glendale police officer, city spokesman Tom Lorenz said. He must still absorb a 90-day work suspension without pay, Lorenz added.

“We support the findings of the Civil Service Commission,” Lorenz said. “It’s their job to make these determinations…It’s obvious in their findings; they do uphold very strong standards for employees in the city of Glendale.”

Hamblin, who stopped working on April 1, will also be reduced from a Step 6 police classification to Step 3 officer, Lorenz said. Step 1 is reserved for probationary officer while the highest Step 6 is for top performers.

Commissioners voted 3 to 2 to uphold decisions made to drop two other officers — Fernando Salmeron and Mike Ullerich — from the department, Lorenz said.

Salmeron and Ullerich were no longer working for the department as of March 29.

Sources who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the investigation have confirmed that the officers took the patrol car to Vegas, but officials have refused to discuss the case.

The commission is set to officially issue its findings on Oct. 12.