With Police Chief Don Pedersen facing another no-confidence vote, the Redevelopment Agency, Community Development Dept., Police Dept. and City Hall facing scrutiny from state and federal agencies, and the city’s reserve funds are quickly dwindling, what good news has the city heard about in the past few months?
The Dog Park may open again.
The track at West Los Angeles College has reopened to the community again.
We may have concerts at City Hall in the near future.
While these are good things for the community, the city is facing very serious issues no one is talking about.
The Police Dept. matters never will be resolved until the city brings in someone willing/able to clean house.
Last Friday’s accusations by one Charles Fernandez and subsequent articles are a good example of the kind of service you are receiving from your Police Dept.
Why Not Sub with Sheriffs?
Do the citizens of Culver City realize that the sergeant, the two lieutenants and the Chief of Police who responded to Mr. Fernandez’s complaint cost the taxpayers of Culver City well over $1 million per year in salary and benefits.
And what did Mr. Fernandez get?
A short letter stating “Go ahead and sue us. It’s not our money.”
Why is the city so worried about litigation? Probably because they have used the entire Liability Reserve Fund to pay for all of the management pay raises in the past few years.
At this rate, you could contract with the Sheriff’s Dept., and receive quality public safety policing and resources at hand to respond to any immediate emergency.
The outcome of a complaint like the one Mr. Fernandez presented may be the same, but the sheriffs will do it for half of the price the Culver City taxpayers are paying now, and the litigation costs will be paid by the County.
Also if you are not satisfied with the results of the Sherriff’s investigation, you can have you complaint reviewed by the County ombudsman. In Culver City, you can have the City Council review your complaint.
Good luck on that one.
I have not commented positively or negatively on the new City Manager John Nachbar since his arrival from Kansas.
The reason: I have been waiting for him to do something.
The last famous person from Kansas who visited Culver City was in 1939 when Dorothy was here. Maybe Mr. Nachbar has not pulled back the curtain yet to see who the “Wizard of Oz” really is and who is really running Culver City.
Or maybe he has and — one day close to his one-year anniversary, we will see him in the courtyard of City Hall in his red ruby PERS slippers, clicking his heels together, saying “There’s No Place Like Home, There’s No Place Like Home”
Mr. Smith, a retired Culver City police officer, may be contacted at scsinternationalinvestigations.com
