Questions About Probe in Orange

Re “Recycling Probe Raises Questions,” Jan. 25 editorial:

The editorial correctly notes that there are many good questions being asked about the current personnel investigation involving the police chief of the City of Orange.

The public has every right to ask questions involving such a high profile city official. However, the city does not have every right to answer all of those questions. I believe if The Times reviews Penal Code Section 832.7 it will find that state law strictly limits the city’s ability to respond to questions concerning personnel investigations of police officers.

There are several items the city can address without violating Section 832.7. I believe all of us in City Hall are, as The Times put it, interested in “getting to the bottom of the inner workings of the recycling scandal.”

However, the recycling investigation was taken over by the district attorney’s office way back in August of 1997. To the extent there are any “inner workings” to get to the bottom of, I am confident that the district attorney also shares that interest and is thoroughly investigating that issue.

The city has made every effort to ensure that the police chief gets the “fair treatment” referenced in your editorial. The city hired two different attorneys from two different law firms to conduct the investigations. No limits were placed on who they could talk to or direction given on what conclusions they should reach. They reached their own conclusions.

The police chief and his attorney have all the investigators’ reports and conclusions. The city is affording the police chief an opportunity to respond to the charges before a neutral hearing officer prior to making any final decision.

The recycling probe by the district attorney goes forward unimpeded. Contrary to The Times’ editorial, neither the district attorney nor the Orange police detectives working on the case have ever, to my knowledge, lost their focus.

DAVID DE BERRY

City attorney

Orange

* Re “D.A. Reviewing Sale of Home by Ex-Recycler, Sources Say,” Jan 25:

It is a clear conflict of interest for the Orange city manager, David Rudat, to lead and direct the City of Orange in firing the chief of police for charges of misconduct relating to the Orange trash investigation.

How much longer will the mayor and council allow this travesty of justice to continue? We need Police Chief John Robertson back at work and a new city manager at the helm of Orange.

PAMELA PRATT

Orange