Second of two parts
Re “I Have a Question for the Police Union: Why Now?”
[Editor’s Note: Today the retired Culver City police lieutenant resumes his evaluation of the five charges lodged against Police Chief Don Pedersen by the Police Officers Assn.]
No. 3 — Chief Pedersen refused to identify himself to a citizen, and then lied, denying he was the police chief after an irate resident asked if he was the chief at the scene of a search warrant. Department policy requires all officers to provide their name and serial number when asked by any citizen. Lesser-ranked officers would be disciplined for refusing to identify themselves to citizens.
I cannot remember any officer at Culver City P.D. being disciplined for not identifying himself to a citizen. I have known officers to give the wrong name to citizens. The bottom line is, the police chief is the ultimate source for department policy; he makes and changes policy at will. Why now?
No. 4 — Chief Pedersen’s apparent lack of willingness or ability to make many significant decisions affecting the organization has been an ongoing source of concern among department members, including lieutenants and captains. Chief Pedersen frequently takes months to make clear-cut decisions that could easily take far less time. He often delays or defers decision-making by assigning committees, only to re-direct the committees’ recommendations for further meetings, surveys or analysis. Many officers have jokingly named this practice “Death-by-Committee.” He also frequently delays decisions until he has consulted with his personal attorney, who is apparently paid through a special city fund that the chief established.
Chief Pedersen made a statement that when he came to Culver City he waited six months before he made any big changes. I have to agree with that statement. He did nothing. He was informed about major corruption inside the Police Dept. and at City Hall. His answer to that was hiring himself his own attorney paid for by the City to protect him from liability. Every one knew about this including the Police Association, City Council, City Attorney, City Manager, and still no one said anything in 2006. Jerry Fulwood was the City Manager. We had a new budget format and the money was moving faster than a game of 3-Card Monty. A 30-year lieutenant with the department had been fighting a six-month battle with City Hall over the hiding of city money in the budget. Pedersen was informed that the command staff and some members of the department were unhappy that their candidate for police chief had not been selected. He was warned that these individuals were not his friends, that they would seek opportunities to sabotage his position with the city. At the end of his first six months, Pedersen had given new meaning to the old proverb “Keep you friends close but keep your enemies closer.” I think Chief Pedersen thought to himself, “they already used the one about getting rid of the last chief using an incident involving the arrest of a Councilman’s son; they will never try that one again.” He let his enemies into his house, gave them control of all his money and his career. The citizens of Culver City have to realize what the employees of the city, especially management employees, were looking forward to in July 2007: pay raises of 20 to 30 percent, and all you had to do was remain silent. But what happened to that 30- year lieutenant who warned Chief Pedersen of the impending peril to his career? Chief Pedersen felt a person with that much experience in budget was needed on the Patrol Graveyard Shift where his voice could not be heard. But don’t feel bad for this lieutenant. He retired a year later but not before getting the big raise, too. This happened almost 4 years ago. Why now?
No. 5 — On several occasions, Chief Pedersen, either directly or through intermediaries, has attempted to intimidate members of the Police Officers Assn. from participating in their union activities, such as the aforementioned vote of no-confidence. This illegal practice prompted the CCPOA attorney to send a cease-and-desist letter to Chief Pedersen, threatening a lawsuit and a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. Because of an earlier intimidation move by the chief, a female detective resigned from her newly elected position on the CCPOA Board of Directors. Chief Pedersen insinuated that her likelihood of promotion might be weakened by her participation on the union board, which he described as “adversarial.”
For over 30 years, this is how things have been done at the Culver City Police Dept., especially for female officers. If you want to be promoted, you blindly go along with the department’s administration. If you disagree, you must remain silent. Every one in city government and the Police Association has known about this for years. They have stood by while female officers have been harassed and retaliated against. Why now?
I like the following statement in the association’s article; I have just added some of my own words to it.
These issues, including low officer morale and lack of confidence in the chief’s leadership, are not just problems for the members of the Culver City Police Dept. They are also troublesome for the Culver City community as a whole because they negatively affect the Police Dept.’s ability to provide citizens and businesspeople we are sworn to protect with the high level of public safety our community has historically enjoyed in spite of poor leadership at the chief level for the past 30 years.
The solution lies not in the needs of one man, but in what is best for the organization and the community. As demonstrated by the 86.5 percent vote of no-confidence against Chief Don Pedersen, the Culver City Police Officers Assn. Is finally committed after all these years to resolving this dilemma. It can only be solved by a change in leadership at the Police Dept.
There is one group that I have not commented on, the no-name captains and lieutenants who have remained silent through out this mess. They have remained silent for fear of losing their position or chance for promotion. Then there are those who are ready to take Pedersen’s position even if it’s only for one year because that’s a 25 percent retirement increase.
Watch out, Chief.
It’s not just the association you have to watch out for.
Wow.
This seems like deja vu, I think I said this before.
Mr. Smith may be contacted at scsinternationalinvstigations.com
