A second longtime Culver City police officer has stepped forward to sternly affirm charges of “a pattern of corrupt behavior, especially, but not only, by management” within the Police Dept., past and present.
Enthusiastically endorsing accusations leveled earlier this week in a damage claim against the city filed by retired police Lt. Greg Smith, the second officer insisted on anonymity.
“Enough of this talk, though, ” said the latter officer. “I believe matters are close to coming to a head.”
Labeling the Police Dept. “a corrupt circus,” the accuser, leaning hard on former Police Chief Ted Cooke, said, “Sometimes I think Cooke’s goal was to be as corrupt as possible.
“Corruption, followed by retaliation against those who brought it to the attention of leadership at City Hall — that has been the pattern and the practice of the Police Dept. for more than 20 years.
“Conversely, individuals who have been just as quick to cover up misconduct or corruption, have been nicely taken care of by Cooke and others over the years.”
How Much Difference?
Even though Mr. Cooke — a candidate to become interim Sheriff of Orange County — has been retired from Culver City for more than four years, the anonymous officer said his grip on the department is nearly as pervasive as when he worked there.
In those days, Mr. Cooke was known as the most powerful political figure in official Culver City. No one in City Hall, much less the Police Dept. dared to challenge his authority and unilateral rulings.
But why does the alleged corruption persist into the tenure of nice-guy Don Pedersen, the department’s first outside choice as chief in 30 years, as he approaches his second anniversary on Duquesne?
Different Types
By accounts inside and outside, Mr. Pedersen is the full-blown opposite of the legendary Mr. Cooke, hands-off, low-key and hardly a known, much less a feared, figure around the community.
Unlike Mr. Cooke, who had opinions on much of life, and was not bashful about sharing them, Mr. Pedersen does not. Nor is he anxious to openly dispense of those views he does hold.
“I don’t know whether Pedersen knew of the seriousness of the problems in the department before he came in,” said the anonymous officer.
Future Considerations
“Regardless, in my opinion, he doesn’t want to know. I think he is purposely turning a blind eye to what is going on. Why? Like a lot of individuals getting closer to retirement, he is thinking about protecting his income, his family and his pension.”
It long has rankled some veterans in the department that three past/present leaders, former Chief Bill Burck, Capt. Cerres Black and Mr. Cooke, who have interests in security firms, supposedly have managed to nearly spread-eagle the field in Culver City.
“I estimate that among them they have 90 percent of the business that is to be had here,” said the anonymous officer.
Inside Assistance?
A question: What is wrong with that?
“Conflict of interest,” snapped the officer.
But two of the three are retired from the department.
“The problem with that,” said the officer, “is that even though they are gone, they still are getting information from the inside — what property is being hit, what new businesses are coming to town.
“This is the kind of information either that other companies are not privy to or, if it’s public, Cooke and Burck will know about it before other companies hear what is going on.”
