Police union speaks, says Phoenix probe sunk by politics

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SAN BERNARDINO - The city's Police Officer's Association on Wednesday issued a press release suggesting that "political maneuvering" slowed detectives' investigation into nude photos found on an Operation Phoenix official's camera.

Union President Rich Lawhead said it is "illogical to conclude that our detectives would fail to investigate" whether a nude young woman found on Mike Miller's camera was over-18. Miller, a manager for Mayor Pat Morris' anti-crime program, was arrested June 3 on more than 20 counts of alleged child molestation.

Citing concern for the department's reputation and a suspicion that detectives "had their hands tied, for nothing less than political purposes," Lawhead also expressed support for Councilwoman Esther Estrada's recent failed bid to subpoena people involved in the Operation Phoenix investigation.

Police Lt. Scott Paterson has said that any suggestion that detectives were dissuaded from investigating photos out of concern for political backlash are completely untrue.