Hernandez apologizes for getting angry at WC police

This just in from reporter Dan Abendschein:

Months after Councilman Roger Hernandez filed a complaint against the West Covina police officers who came to confront him at his house about an alleged domestic dispute, he apologized for getting angry at the officers.

Said Hernandez at Tuesday's night meeting: "I owe the officers an apology, because I was angry."

He didn't stop there though... he continued to insinuate the whole incident was tied to the November election, saying he was the target of a "political and dirty situation" involving a political group with ties to Mike Touhey.

As several people noted in phone calls/emails today, this was the first time Hernandez apologized for the incident, which took place in October. At the time, Hernandez suggested the noise could have come from a neighbor's condo. Read full story here.

The whole thing came up in a flare-up about the gun ordinance that Hernandez claims targets retired police officers, who will no longer be allowed to carry weapons to city hall. The ordinance also directs that all other citizens must also leave their guns at home, and appears to be a pre-cursor to the arrival of metal detectors in city hall.

Councilman Touhey brought up the incident at Hernandez's home, calling him hypocritical for being concerned about officers in the gun ordinance, but not caring about the officers he filed a complaint about in November.

Hernandez also accused his fellow council members who voted for the ordinance (not Touhey, who voted against) of having a political motivation, since one of the retired officers, Fred Sykes, ran for council as an ally of Hernandez.

Councilwoman Sanderson then interrupted Hernandez, demanding that he not "ascribe any motives" to her for how she voted.

Watch the video here It is about ¾ of the way through, during a discussion on item D5-E.

To paraphrase Rodney King: "Can't this council just get along?"