First in a series
Re “Sexual Harassment at the Police Dept.? City Thinks So and Launches a Probe”
Retired police Lt. Greg Smith was the least surprised person in the neighborhood — next to his wife Yvette, also a former officer — when the news broke that City Hall had launched an investigation as of last Friday into sexual harassment complaints filed by at least one woman, possibly two, in the Police Dept.
The Smiths battled the department over sexual harassment allegations during the 1990s, and in 1997, Mrs. Smith received a medical disability retirement.
Mr. Smith closely studied a 446-word City Hall memo that was distributed among the Smiths’ former police colleagues last Friday, and one section arrested his eye.
“The most interesting part discussed retaliation,” he said. “What kind of city is this when you have an investigation about harassment and you have to send out a warning not to retaliate?
“To me, that says the city is confirming this is the way things are done in Culver City — when someone complains, the person will be retaliated against.
“I have been told the police union has been warning their members not to speak to the investigators without an attorney present. According to my informant, union members have been told ‘Make them advise you of your rights. Don’t make any voluntary statements.’
“The last big investigation we (in the Police Dept.) had, where they brought an outside investigator to look at a series of allegations, all individuals at the recommendation of the Police Chief (Ted Cooke) and the Police Officers Assn., were advised not to say anything to the outside investigators. Not to cooperate.
“My opinion is, this investigation will go the same way as the last one in 1997.
“I am convinced the association is telling their members the same thing this time, not to cooperate. People will go into these meetings, some will make positive statements, some negative statements.
“Those who make negative comments — the ones who say ‘yes, it is true that harassment is happening’ — will be retaliated against.”
In what form?
“The last time, people were demoted and fired. Five officers were demoted or terminated.”
How much time should the investigation require?
“Not long. My prediction is the findings will be as the last time. Even though supporting evidence will be brought out in support of harassment and retaliation charges, at the end, the city will hire a team of outside attorneys.
“They will pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend the wrongful acts of police management and police officers in the city of Culver City.
“The bottom line is, whatever acts they uncover, action will not be taken against the proven violators. Retaliation will occur against people who reported these incidents, and, as I said, the city will spend all of that money defending wrongful acts.”
(To be continued)
