Solomon out as Paso Robles chief

March 20, 2012

Lisa Solomon

By DANIEL BLACKBURN

Lisa Solomon has stepped down as chief of police of Paso Robles following a tumultuous two months of relentless accusations by her own officers of sexual misconduct.

An agreement between her and the city calls for payment “within five days” of a lump sum to her in the amount of $250,000.

City Attorney Iris Ping Yang read a brief statement following a 40-minute closed session that was held after the city council’s regular meeting, acknowledging the separation. Council members left without comment.

Solomon termed her action “early retirement” and in a letter to the council blasted what she called “recent attacks on my character by unscrupulous media sources and self-serving individuals.”

CalCoastNews reported in late January that Solomon was being accused of sexually touching at least four of her officers in social situations, often in front of other sworn police personnel. Since then, other allegations from current and former officers have surfaced.

Solomon said public comment “has reached a level of indecency so great, I will no longer subject myself, my family, or my colleagues, to such invasions of privacy.”

City Manager Jim App praised Solomon after the meeting, calling her “a great asset” to the city and “a dedicated public servant.” He said he was personally distressed by Solomon’s departure.

“She has been a big part of this city for 24 years,” he said. His comments were the first regarding Solomon since the scandal broke.

Several officers told CalCoastNews Solomon emailed her former staff and said she had elected to take an early retirement. However, the officers said she is not able to collect her retirement for seven years and this is not early retirement.

Solomon’s last official day will be April 2, but she has effectively left her post and will not return. Her city-paid health benefits will cease on that day.

Capt. Robert Burton will act as interim chief until a search for a new chief can be completed.

The agreement with the city reads in part, “(Solomon) desires to leave employment, due to recent events which she believes, through no fault of either party, have caused damage to her reputation and other adverse effects.”

As part of her release, Solomon has agreed not to sue the city for any reason.


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Why do I now fear something along the lines of:


“San Luis Obispo City Manager Katie Lichtig announced the hiring of disgraced former Paso Robles Polic Chief Lisa Solomon Chitty as her personal assistant for special security affairs projects. Lichtig was unavailable for comment but three SLO City Council members expressed shock and dismay as Lichtig’s highly questionable action…”


The Chief will come out of this okay. The $250,000 is a nice send-off, plus she has her mail-order degree from the University of LaVerne to fall back on.


If all else fails, she and her husband can just learn to live on love.


I guess it comes down to what is your reputation worth? Makes $250,000 chump change.


OK, these next few weeks will be a fascinating and significant test of Picanco and the Puppets now, to determine who they listen to and work for- little Jimmy the Pied Piper of Paso politics, or the people of Paso.


link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS-7EPDR-PY


Lisa Solomon has just fleeced the fine citizens of Paso Robles and California MILLIONS of dollars with the help of current City Officials! Lisa Solomon has a current Workmans compensation case open against the City, her employment termination agreement allows her to continue with it, and if she is given a stress retirement within 12 months, Paso Robles will pay all her Medical care for life!. Industrial medical retirement is generally 50% of salary TAX Exempt for life!!! Do the math! $250K is nothing compared to this! Un-freakin believable! It is all spelled out in the agreement her a and signed yesterday!


Wake up, Paso Roblans!! We cannot afford to have this kind of waste going on! Jim App needs to go, and Solomon’s big $$$ deal should be investigated! Why are we ok with paying an immoral, lying money grubber, when our streets need repair, we need more police officers and our sewer treatment plant is out of date?????


App is absolutely one of the worst examples of a city manager I’ve ever heard of. He’s supposed to be making sure city employees don’t commit crimes. He’s not supposed to be enabling and facilitating an employee committing crimes.


The city council needs to be recalled. They have sat mutely and allowed all of this to happen. They are a big part of the problem–they cannot lead Paso Robles in fixing the problem.


The city council has to be voted out. The city can challenge her workman’s comp claim by claiming that she brought about the damages to her reputation based on her own actions. This is an easy enough case to prove based on all the credible witnesses and e-mails. Its worth it to the taxpayers for the city to challenge her insurance claim but we will need a new CC to do that. Vote out all incumbents in November. Citizens of PR, stand up and support your city and your pocket books, run for service as a Council member.


ATTENTION CITIZENS OF PASO ROBLES


The City Manager and City Council of Paso Robles absolutely do NOT care about your piblic safety.


This is evidenced by the fact that the Paso Robles Police Department is currently operating in “Safety Mode” which drastically reduces police response time due to under staffing.


Yet the current city administration can cough up $250,000.00 as severance to an incompetent, immoral and inept police chief!


If the City of Paso Robles all of sudden has this must extra cash then it would be better spent on hiring new officers to shore up the gap in service reduction which equates to “serve and protect” the citizens of Paso Robles!


THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS!


sorry for the typos… my emotions got ahead of my proof reading


They also don’t care about your ‘pubic’ safety!


The bloggers/posters on this forum had it 100% correct which must upset the people who call the regulars out of touch.


$250K for what? For screwing up? That should never happened again and city laws should be changed to prevent it. Why reward a screw up? Disgusting waste of $.


Next, App should feel the exit door hitting him in the butt.


Good work CCN.


I just want to say that Lisa is a great person, friend, and officer. I knew Lisa when her career first began in Paso. This is all to bad! Good luck to you Lisa! God has a better plan!!!

Im not buying this story-If there were problems with Lisa and sexual harassment then why did these men get in the hottub…


Old,


God has a better plan? Which God concept are you referring too? Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Jesus, or?


Barring the possible fact of Lisa’s intimidation relative to the hot tub scenario, the real question that should be asked is WHY DID LISA NEVER DEFEND IN A COGENT MANNER THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HER? Her silence in this respect was deafening! WHY? If you actually bought her lame excuse for leaving, then I have a bridge to sell you in San Francisco!


Subjectively, what her untimely departure says to me, and the comical amount that she is being paid to not embarrass or create any more turmoil in Paso, is the possibility of her having some DIRT on the city officials!!!


Because they were ordered to do so by their chief, Lisa Solomon.


Mary….if your supervisor “ordered” you to jump off a cliff would you do it? They didn’t get in the hot tub because she “ordered” them to, that’s dumb. They did it becuase they are guys (sorry guys).

Listen, I think she’s a scum bag too but going as far to blame her for the actions of some of the officers? Don’t think so.


You are right about “This is all to bad” It is not too bad but to evil and I doubt God came up with the settlement.


Thank you Daniel Blackburn and Karen Velie. You are the voice for us who feel we have no voice. Now lets clean out the rest of the stinking hole!


Paso citizens now have to get rid of App….no question about it!! Elect Gary Nemeth and he’ll do it.