The full story of Chief Michael Billdt, Part II
Below is the second installment of the history that has brought us to the current controversy surrounding Police Chief Michael Billdt.
This one will succinctly wrap recent events in a clear, understandable, chronological way. I'm doing this because you, our readers, need to understand this controversy, which has been marked by half-truths and rumors, as fully as possible.
Here goes ...
July 3: Amidst a city budget crunch, the department still sees major jumps in overall funding, but Billdt comes up with some cost-cutting measures. He wants to keep the $500,000-plus helicopter, but opts to cut community policing offices. When he first took the job, he repeatedly vowed to make community policing a priority.
From the PE: San Bernardino Police Chief Mike Billdt is proposing a new patrol plan that would increase the number of neighborhood beats, boost police presence on the streets during high-crime periods and do away with little-used walk-in offices in favor of multiagency community service centers.City Council members will consider the proposal Monday.Among Billdt's key recommendations:
_____________________________________
July 17: The City Council decides to keep vacant six officer positions. The amount saved is about the same as that required to maintain the helicopter.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - The Police Department will have to make do without funding for six sworn officers' positions following the City Council's moves to slice more than $1.3 million from the budget Wednesday. The council voted 4-3 to leave three sergeants' and three detectives' positions vacant. The sacrifice in manpower is expected to save the city nearly $654,000.
_____________________________________
July 17: Reports come in alleging that Sgt. Bradley Lawrence has a practice of illegally detaining residents. Despite the allegation coming from a fellow officer and including ample written and recorded evidence, Lawrence is allowed to continue working. Allegations also surface that Lawrence is an officer favored by the administration and, in particular, Lt. Brian Boom, known in the department as a loyal Billdt supporter.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - A police sergeant says a colleague has a practice of scooping people off the streets and detaining them without arresting them, charging them or booking them while probing for evidence to bring charges.
The exercise is even referred to by a special term, said Sgt. Mike Desrochers.
"It's called keeping them on ice," Desrochers said. "It's keeping a guy, with no phone calls, in the hopes you'll find something later. It's pretty clear that Fourth Amendment issues are in play."
It happened as recently as July 2 when a narcotics sergeant detained suspects for hours before securing a search warrant on a suspected drug dealer's home, Desrochers said.
***
Billdt said state law prohibits him from commenting on personnel issues.
When asked whether his administration permits the detaining practices Desrochers alleges, Billdt replied, "The department does not condone conduct that violates our departmental policies."
Asked whether his department would act to reassure the public that rights of individuals were protected, the chief said, "This Police Department always follows through on allegations of misconduct."
More than two weeks later, Lawrence remains on duty with apparently no reprimands, Desrochers said.
___________________________________
Aug. 8: Following days of public backlash and then a fresh allegation of unlawful acts from a second officer, Lawrence is placed on leave. Reports surface later that another veteran officer, Steve Lowes, was placed on leave weeks before Lawrence, allegedly for prodding an unidentified officer to come forward about Lawrence's alleged behavior.
Billdt did not speak directly to questions. Asst. Chief Walt Goggin spoke in his stead. Goggin said the investigation would be conducted internally, despite the charges possibly rising to criminal levels.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Police administrators confirmed Friday that embattled Sgt. Bradley Lawrence, who faces allegations of unlawfully detaining suspects, has been placed on paid administrative leave.
"He's on administrative leave as of yesterday," Assistant Police Chief Walt Goggin said in a telephone interview.
The move represents an abrupt shift for the department. Lawrence had continued to work since July 2, when Sgt. Michael Desrochers first alleged that Lawrence may have illegally detained two suspects while securing a search warrant as part of a raid at a San Bernardino apartment complex.
***
Police administration said the allegations, which some have said could rise to a level of criminal misconduct, were not being investigated by an independent agency.
"We conduct our personnel investigations," Goggin said. "Administrative personnel matters are investigated internally."
After the story first became public on July 16, Chief Michael Billdt said the department would not "condone conduct that violates our departmental policies."
Speaking on Billdt's behalf Friday, Goggin sought to explain that the allegations may not constitute misconduct.
"I'm not commenting specifically on this matter," Goggin said. "I can say that from a broad perspective, there may be legitimate reasons as for why somebody may be detained for the service of a search warrant or other investigations."
________________________________________
Aug. 19: A local attorney defending a man allegedly held "on ice" by Lawrence in September 2007 pens a letter to Billdt, along with the DA and FBI. In it, he alleges that unlawful detention may be common "practice" in the department.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - A top police narcotics officer committed a string of felonies in arresting a suspected drug dealer in September, a local attorney alleges in four-page letter obtained by The Sun.
The letter, dated Aug. 16, is addressed to Police Chief Michael Billdt and copied to the FBI's Riverside field office. The District Attorney's Office confirmed receipt of the letter Tuesday. An FBI spokeswoman could not confirm receipt late Tuesday.
Gary Wenkle Smith, a lawyer representing 29-year-old Gregory Parker, alleges in the letter that his client was illegally detained "on ice" by San Bernardino police before they burglarized his home in search of evidence for which they had no warrant.
Smith said Sgt. Bradley Lawrence helped illegally detain Parker and then led his narcotics team to Parker's Rialto home for an unauthorized search.
Billdt declined comment because the case is a personnel matter.
***Billdt declined comment because the case is a personnel matter.
In a telephone interview, Smith said he wrote the letter to alert officials to the depth of the situation and to prompt action.
"These are allegations of criminal conduct," Smith said. "It is my expectation that the department must go to an outside agency for investigation."
Smith said police maintain that a woman at Parker's home granted permission for a search that ultimately yielded a large cache of marijuana.
But in his letter, Smith paints a picture of pervasive, rogue policing.
"Unfortunately, it appears that this conduct of Sgt. Lawrence is not an isolated incident. Apparently, he and some of your other officers have made this kind of conduct practice," Smith wrote._______________________________________
Aug. 26: Report surfaces that the investigation into a clash between officers and residents at the Dorjils Apartments is incomplete after one-year, meaning the statute of limitations for officer discipline has expired. Billdt and Mayor Pat Morris had promised the public a thorough internal investigation and to hold wrongdoing accountable. The department and the mayor blame the unfullfilled promise in part on the community's alleged non-cooperation.
From The Sun: As of Tuesday, the investigation remains ongoing, said police Lt. Scott Paterson.
"The department's review of the incident has not been completed," Paterson said. "Because it's a personnel incident we would not comment on it further."
But Paterson did say a lack of community cooperation was a factor.
"We went out to conduct our investigation, and the people we needed to talk to didn't wish to give statements," he said.
Paterson also noted that the department responded well to the federal mediator.
"We had several very positive meetings with the community," Paterson said, pointing out that officers went through a sensitivity-training program.
Morris also noted a lack of cooperation with investigators, emphasizing that the federal mediator also was unable to get more community members to open up.
Resident Linda Hart disagreed.
"To say the community whose rights were violated is to blame for your failed investigation shows why we need an investigation from above, not from inside," Hart said.
___________________________________
Aug. 28: Major allegations surface when the police union alleges that police department leadership conspired with political leadership to squelch an investigation into inappropriate photos found on accused child molester Mike Miller's camera. The allegation is that they wanted to staunch further embarrassment of the Operation Phoenix program.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Amid rumors that politics trumped police work in a high-profile case, the police union on Wednesday declared that detectives had "their hands tied."
Police Officers Association President Rich Lawhead said the statement was motivated in part to clear police rank-and-file from blame for any slowness in the criminal investigation of Mike Miller, a former Operation Phoenix community center manager charged with child molestation.
"We refuse to stand by and allow the community's faith in our ability to solve crimes to be diminished and allow the reputation of our fine detectives to be sullied by political maneuvering at City Hall and within the department itself," Lawhead said in a prepared statement, which also calls for a City Council-led probe.
Police Chief Michael Billdt and others in local law enforcement said the police union's statement does not relate to the facts of the case.
Billdt said no City Hall official pressured his department to ignore evidence.
"He (Mayor Pat Morris) told me to conduct a complete and thorough investigation. He has never given any direction on how to complete or conduct the investigation," Billdt said.
___________________________________
Aug. 31: A survey of other area departments reveals that Billdt's decision to internally investigate Sgt. Lawrence's potentially criminal allegations is unusual practice.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - When Sgt. Bradley Lawrence was accused of criminal misconduct by a fellow police officer July 2, he was allowed to continue working.
About a month later, a complaint lodged by another officer, alleging more constitutional violations, resulted in police leaders putting Lawrence on paid leave effective Aug. 7.
Lawrence is now the subject of an internal investigation, police leaders have said.
But questions have grown louder in recent weeks about whether an internal investigation is appropriate in this case, or consistent with common police practices.
A survey of several area policing agencies shows a general alignment in the way each handles criminal or procedural complaints against officers.
For the most part, agencies stick to a practice of investigating complaints of non-criminal behavior internally while bringing in an outside agency, usually the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, when the behavior would be criminal.
"Most of our policy violations are done in-house through an internal- affairs department that reports to the chief," said Fontana police Sgt. Jeff Decker. "As a general rule, if there was a criminal allegation, there would be an internal and separate investigation into criminal activity done by an outside agency."
***
In San Bernardino, Billdt has steadfastly declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Lawrence and the investigation into his conduct, citing state law prohibiting him from discussing personnel matters.
Lawrence has a checkered history, including standing trial for allegedly threatening to tie a child to the back of his patrol car during an interrogation in 1989.
_____________________________________
Sept. 1: Retired Lt. Don Soderbloom articulates his complaints against Billdt, including that he launched baseless investigation against him to sully his career after he called Billdt out on allegedly trying to strongarm a local business into discounting a banquet. A state investigation into the allegations is ongoing.
From The Sun: Retired Lt. Don Soderbloom alleges that Police Chief Michael Billdt initiated investigations into his conduct in retaliation for a publicized memo accusing top administration officials of attempting to extort gratuity from a local restaurant.
Soderbloom alleges that Billdt and now-retired Assistant Chief Frank Mankin launched a baseless investigation into his conduct after he embarrassed them with accusations of attempting to bully the owner of the Castaway Restaurant into accepting less money than he was due for hosting the San Bernardino Police Department Reserve Banquet.
Soderbloom, a department veteran whose qualifications had many in the department thinking he would one day be chief, has taken his complaint to the state Department of Industrial Relations' Retaliation Unit, which opened an investigation into the matter in June.
"The essence of my complaint is the fact that Police Chief Michael Billdt and then Assistant Chief Frank Mankin fabricated a criminal complaint against me, which resulted in a frivolous DA investigation, in retaliation for my having voiced my opposition to their attempt to extort a gratuity from a local business," Soderbloom wrote in his complaint to the state department.
Billdt disagreed.
"Mr. Soderbloom's allegations are without merit and are an attempt to deflect personal responsibility for his conduct," Billdt said in a e-mail, adding that state law prohibits him from elaborating on the investigation.
"In regards to the three questions in your e-mail, state law, including the Police Officers' Bill of Rights, severely restricts the department from commenting on personnel investigations," Billdt wrote in an e-mail to The Sun. "Under these circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to comment here on the details of those investigations."
___________________________________
Sept. 2: Union members openly call for Billdt's ouster, and accuse him of an array of misconduct, including deliberately destroying the previous chief's ability to lead.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Police Chief Michael Billdt and four other city officials will not be not be forced to answer questions under oath to the City Council.
But Billdt now must face the ramifications of his own officers publicly criticizing his leadership. The city's police union is now on record stating that officers want a new chief.
When the public was invited to speak on the issue, Sgt. Steve Filson, former president of the San Bernardino Police Officers Association, spoke before the council and said the department's rank and file has lost faith in Billdt's leadership.
"I derive no sense of pride or pleasure in standing before you in these sad circumstances," Filson said. "But my conscience compels me to declare in this forum that my assessment has sunk to a level of no confidence in the ability of Chief Billdt to effectively lead our agency into the future."
____________________________________
Sept. 3: After more than a year of refusing to provide a public resume, Chief Billdt relents, revealing that he has by far the thinnest educational credentials in the county, perhaps the state. He has no legitimate college degree. Suddenly, Mayor Morris' pronouncements about Billdt being among the state's best look more dubious.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Roughly 20 years ago, a handful of local police officers of varying ranks enrolled in August Vollmer University, popularly known as "Augie U."
Those in the Police Department at the time say the program cost around $3,000, lasted less than two years and featured classes at the local station, taught by law-enforcement professionals.
Police Chief Michael Billdt was among the students. When Mayor Pat Morris announced in March 2006 that he would keep Billdt as interim top cop, Billdt said he'd earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the Orange County-based school.
He didn't mention that the school was not accredited and was defunct.
With the Police Department gripped in a number of crises - questionable investigations, open mutiny by rank-and-file officers, allegations of criminal investigatory misconduct - questions about Billdt's qualifications have re-emerged.
The embattled chief steadfastly declined to provide the public a resume outlining his qualifications, which is common practice among area department leaders, until Wednesday. But that hasn't quelled swirling speculation that Billdt may have been hiding a weak resume.
***
Billdt stood by his degree from Vollmer University.
"It was a good program. I learned a lot from it," Billdt said, quickly adding that it was only a portion of his resume.
"If you look at my command experience for the last 14 years, that's what's prepared me to lead the department, in addition to my other education and ongoing in-house training," he said.
___________________________________
Sept. 3: Billdt responds to calls for his dismissal, brushing aside union concerns.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Responding to officers' demands that he be replaced, Police Chief Michael Billdt on Wednesday issued a statement dismissing criticism of his leadership style as being the product of personal disagreements.
The chief asserted that current friction arose from his sticking to what he listed as core values - "commitment to public service and safety, integrity, loyalty, respect for the law and accountability."
"I am fully committed to these values in my management and leadership of the department," Billdt said. "Unfortunately, adherence to these values can occasionally cause an officer or employee to disagree or become angry for personal reasons.
"While this reaction is understandable, it is unfortunate to see it spill over into baseless allegations and inflammatory statements that are destructive to the department's morale," Billdt continued.
Mayor Pat Morris, City Manager Fred Wilson and the Police Management Association also issued statements in support of Billdt.
Morris credited Billdt with overseeing a drop in crime.
___________________________________
Sept. 3: The council deals Billdt two major blows, rejecting his recommendations to continue funding a helicopter and to promote Lt. Brian Boom, who supervised Lawrence, to captain.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Police here will have to rely on the sheriff's helicopter for air support after the City Council decided to use money for personnel instead.
The decision was made Tuesday, when the City Council finally approved a budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30.
____________________________________
Sept. 3: Police union delivers a landslide 76 percent vote of no-confidence in Billdt. This is a major statement, given that Morris and Billdt had consistently characterized the problem as the product of a few, isolated, noisy malcontents.
From the PE: The city's police union emphatically called for change at the top of their department Tuesday, saying that Chief Michael Billdt's "autocratic and self-serving" leadership had created an atmosphere of paranoia, favoritism and dysfunction.
Appearing before the City Council, the San Bernardino Police Officer Association's past president read a statement describing affairs inside the department as "deplorable."
It ended by hinting at what may be the union's next move: taking a vote of no confidence in Billdt's ability to remain chief.
"Over the years I've watched varying levels of decay affecting the mindset of our officers but never rising to the level I am now seeing," said Steve Filson, a 27-year veteran of the city's police force. "Secretive closed-door meetings, interoffice memoranda, which amount to little more than divisive finger pointing, and more."
___________________________________
Sept. 5: Billdt fires back, saying he will not step down. Billdt and Morris proffer a number of arguments, including that the vote is a "snapshot in time," that labor-management relations will always have "tensions," and that Billdt's strong ethics and accounability measures have sparked backlash from officers he disciplines.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Police Chief Michael Billdt said he plans to stay at his post and attempt to resolve the divide between himself and rank-and-file officers who delivered a landslide vote in condemnation of his leadership.
"I'm committed to this town. I'm committed to this department," Billdt said in a telephone interview Friday.
"My plan is to stay the course," he added later.
Billdt spoke the morning after 135 of 178 sworn officers at a police union meeting cast votes of "no confidence" in his leadership.
Police union President Rich Lawhead called the vote "overwhelming."
Lawhead all but called for the chief's ouster in a news release, citing allegations of favoritism, inconsistent disciplinary measures, retaliation and ruling through "fear and intimidation."
"It is time for the mayor to decide if he will continue to protect his political appointment, Chief Billdt, or put the community first and restore effective leadership ... ," Lawhead wrote in a statement.
Mayor Pat Morris still supports the chief. Morris said the union's vote captures officers' views during a "snapshot in time" but does not signal an unbridgeable gap between Billdt and the city's cops.
"Tensions between management and labor rise and fall," Morris said. "These are moments of great tension."
___________________________________
Sept. 6: Billdt and Morris offer to talk to union to ease tensions.
From the PE: The day after a San Bernardino police union vote condemning Police Chief Mike Billdt's leadership by a 3-1 margin, Billdt and Mayor Pat Morris said Friday that they will welcome a discussion with union leaders.Morris called the 135-to-43 vote in favor of a resolution of no confidence "a sampling of the general viewpoint of those in attendance, really kind of a snapshot at a moment in time."
__________________________________
Sept. 11: In a shift, Mayor Morris says he is open to bringing in an independent set of eyes to examine the department.
From The Sun: SAN BERNARDINO - Mayor Pat Morris said he's open to the idea of bringing in a third-party consultant to examine problems in the Police Department.
Strife in the department has become public recently in the wake of the police union's vote of no confidence in Chief Michael Billdt.
Morris and union leaders met for several hours Wednesday night. City Council members Esther Estrada, Tobin Brinker and Chas Kelley also participated.
Union leaders have accused Billdt of creating a paranoid atmosphere in the Police Department by playing favorites.
Morris said the breakdown in police-labor relations stems from disagreement on how the Police Department handles use-of-force reports, internal-affairs investigations and allegations of criminal misconduct by officers.
"Perhaps in this instance, because they (those issues) are so important to the officers and the community, an outside expert can assist us," Morris said.
10 Comments
Leave a comment
About SB Now Blog
Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
Ironically it just happens to be promotion time in the SBPD. If Billdt survives beyond this week he'll not doubt have the opportunity to reward his few loyal supporters with promotions. We'll again get to see guys like Dave Harp who typically finish last everytime they rely on their skill in the process, miraculously come out on top.
...or Kimball, who leans to whichever way the wind is blowing at the time, or Lemos who has a propensity to literally & figuratively shoot his own people in the back & needs to attend the AA 12 Step program, or Goggin, affectionally known among the rank & file as Osama Bin Goggin, or Boom, a morph between Kimball & Billdt-spineless with an attitude.
This is the legacy and gifts Billdt is leaving SB. Wow, we can't wait.
We're forgetting about Sgt. "druknen hit & run in a police car" Potts. Surely he is due some reward after his attempt to intimidate those who spoke out in the POA meeting. Maybe Billdt can promote his old Carnival Cruise buddy straight to Captain. Since Potts is loyal and getting ready to retire he certainly meets Billdt's criteria for captain.
Mark my words. If Billdt oversees the Lieutenant's process, Brad Lawrence will do very well. Just because he is under investigation does not make him inelligible for promotion.
Wait- you forgot (now) Detective run over a pedestrian in a crosswak with a police car Crocker.
Mr. Rogers,
You synopsis of events is very detailed and compelling. It's obvious that the San Bernardino Police Department has been mismanaged for years. But, let us not forget that the MAJORITY of officers are trying to do the right thing! Have officer's made mistakes? Absolutely. Have they been disciplined for those mistakes. Most assuredly. Maybe not as harshly as some people would have liked. However, keep in mind that Police Officers are also convenient scapegoats for false accusations. Is there anyone who can say they have never made a mistake? I don't think so. The bible says let he who is without sin cast the first stone. If people look honestly at their own actions, I don't think anyone in the city myself included, would be able to throw a single stone.
The real issues here are as you describe. Failed leadership and it's effects on the community and the police department. The Police Officer Code of Ethics set the standards for law enforcement officers at every level. They don't change once you reach Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain or Chief. Somewhere along the line, the SBPD's administration forgot that. Politics became more important than ethics.
The Peace Officer's Bill of Rights protects officers from corrupt prosecution, just like the Constitution and Bill of Rights protects citizens. Any flagrant manipulation or abuse of either is bound to lead to the fall of our civilization.
People in power need to be held to a higher standard. Mayor Morris and Chief Billdt need to be held accountable. It has become apparent that they will not hold themselves to that standard. This will only happen if the citizens of San Bernardino and the City Council demand that justice be served.
"ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY!"
"Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely" ever hear that old saying? There is corruption in City Hall, Police and Fire. The all lie and change the facts and cover up the facts they can't change. I have met a couple of the neighbor hood police over the years and have found them rude and full of themselves. And I was reporting a crime! Guess it was too much to ask them to work.
Knowing people in City Hall, the stories I hear are astounding. Lies, lies and more lies. We can only hope that Fred Wilson will get them all jobs in HB. Otherwise he will have no one to cover up his blunders. Wait and see how many follow him over there. After 14 years of city manager, what has SB got to show for it? Crumbling rec centers, brown park lawns, too few underpaid parks & recreation employees to actually supervise the buildings, much less Operation Phoenix. Why would we take on OP when there isn't even enough money to staff the rec centers and keep the kids from tearing up the place???? Has Morris even been in them? To see the holes in the walls constantly being repaired and the leaks in the roof? And the maintenance department that has been cut and cut and cut until there is no one to do the repairs? They don't even have a plumber or electrician anymore. How the heck do you do repairs without people with those skills? I guess the plumbing and electrical just won't go bad, I guess Mayor Morris has decreed that they won't.
I pray for the day the Sun writes an expose on all three. I'm sure that employees will talk if you let them be anonymous.
You know this city is corrupt when the Unions make sure that Fire makes less than the dangerous job of being a Police Officer in this city. And you know the departments are mismanaged when both Police and Fire has such huge overtime numbers. No private business would ever let that happen, they would hire more employees! DUH... Bring in stand by Fire personell when someone calls in sick, THUS NO OVERTIME! You can't tell me there wouldn't be people willing to work on call like that in hopes of being hired on full time when an opening came up? Look at the number of people that are begging to get hired as firemen??????
What about all of the lawsuits (past, present, and future)? Has anyone looked at all of them - the amount of money that we the taxpayers are already paying, and going to pay in the future? Billdt(PD) has had plenty, so has Fratus(FD), and now here comes Operation Phoenix.....
You think we have a deficit now? just wait.....
To anonymous and Certain (from the first 5 posts):
I am in no way defending the chief or the POA. As you should know by now, both sides have their stories and somewhere in between is where the truth lies.
But it seems to me that you are sure spewing a lot of personal name-calling. So why don't you add your own names to the list? Maybe "I'm too much of a COWARD to give my real name" blogger. Sounds appropriate to me.