Will Paso Robles police chief be canned tonight?

March 20, 2012

Lisa Solomon

By KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

Lisa Solomon told her officers she plans to remain the Paso Robles chief of police, a claim that  appears to be up to city leaders who are slated to discuss disciplining or dismissing her at tonight’s city council meeting.

Listed as a closed session item to discuss disciplining or releasing a  public employee, department insiders say the investigative report into allegations of sexual improprieties will be discussed at tonight’s meeting along with whether or not to take action on the information in the report.

Current and former officers alike say that the 43-year-old officer, who has served as chief of police since 2007,  has sexually assaulted at least four of her men and retaliated against many others. Following several years of complaints by officers, City Manager Jim App agreed to hire an investigator to look into the allegations.

Solomon has been on a leave since March 12 and told officers in emails that she plans to return to work on March 22.

Investigation into allegations of sexual assaults

During his exit interview in October, Sgt. Brennen Lux told the head of Human Resources, Marlaine Sanders, that Solomon had grabbed his penis during a mandatory team building workshop after ordering officers to put swimsuits on and finish discussing department issues in a hot tub at the resort they were staying in. He also gave the names of other officers who claim to have been sexually assaulted by the chief.

In November, Debra Estrin, a private investigator from the Bay Area hired by city officials, interviewed officer T.J. McCall. He said Solomon grabbed his penis while he sat in her car with her husband, San Luis Obispo police officer Chris Chitty.

In December, former officer Dave Hernandez disclosed an alleged incident when Hernandez said he and another officer in full uniform entered a saloon then called the Crooked Kilt, to do a bar check.

Solomon, who had been out on the dance floor, approached Hernandez in a room full of people and allegedly pushed the officer’s face into her breasts.

“She grabbed my head and pushed it between her breasts,” Hernandez said. “I was shocked.”

The investigator, Estrin, has a history of looking into allegations of sexual harassment. In a 2008 investigation into allegations a San Leandro sergeant sexually harassed female department employees, Estrin reported most of the complaints stemmed from personality conflicts.

Estrin said in her report that she could not determine if calling subordinates names such as “baby” or “mama” was welcomed by the employees.

Allegations of illegal ticket quotas and falsified crime statistics

In addition to allegations of sexual assaults and harassment, officers contend Solomon implemented illegal ticket quotas, falsified crime statistics and illegally manipulated union proceedings.

Officer Jon Tatro recently filed a lawsuit against the department that says the chief implemented illegal ticket quotas. Ticket quotas are illegal under state law because they can pressure police to write bogus tickets to meet the department’s goals.

According to emails between Solomon and city manager App, the two allegedly used spies during negotiations last year with the police officers’ union and also had human resources director Sanders keep a list of officers attending meetings.

Amidst the flurry of complaints of alleging sexual misconduct, illegal management practices and retaliation, a handful of officers have retained attorneys who are working on filing lawsuits against the city.

During tonight’s city council meeting, following the closed session, city officials are required to inform the public of any action they take regarding disciplining and or dismissing Solomon.


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Dear any PR city counsel members reading this,

I can not be there tonight to voice my outrage at this mess Soloman has brought to our city, but I urge you to do the right thing and get rid of her. …No continued admin leave. …No golden handshake. …Fire her. Make it ABSOLUTELY clear to anyone who does a a background check on her in the future that she was LET GO, and there wasn’t a “mutual parting of ways.”

Sincerely,

Carri G. of Cayucos


Does the “employee” that they are discussing have to be there tonight?


The way I understand it….


Solomon doesn’t have to be there, but she can be present (with her attorney) in the closed session if she wants to. She and her attorney cannot speak during the closed session meeting, however.


Whether the officers filing the complaints have the right to be present in the closed session meeting, I don’t know. If they do have the right, the city of PR would have had to notify them ahead of time of the closed session meeting and their right to be there.


I first mistaking read the title as “Will Paso Robles police chief be caned tonight?”


This being CCN, the title made perfect sense….


Let’s hope not. Being (internally) “caned” by far too many people in far too many inappropriate settings is largely the foundation of Solomon’s long slide into the illegal and immoral cesspit she now finds herself.


The city’s agenda states that a public employee will be discussed at the closed session. There are only two people that work for the council and that is the city manager and city attorney. The chief works for the city manager and he is the one who hires, fires and disciplines city employees. Could this closed session be for one of the two employees that the city council has. We will see.

Maybe the council wil go two for one and call it a clean sweep.


I’m beginning to wonder if BOTH App and Solomon will get canned tonight ala Edge/Wilcox. I realize that would require a majority of the city council to man-up but there is always the possibility…


Oh, Crusader, that’s just like pillow-talk to me, you rascal.


If any employee has filed a lawsuit, or an intent to file suit, I believe it can be heard by the CC, because it is litigation–not because of the specific employee.


Perhaps solomon has filed legal action against the city. Now wouldn’t THAT be a kick in the pants.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2J7D4SH8DI&context=C4518930ADvjVQa1PpcFOqna-Ii6wq9Gfc2v42Q0byheHyZuiCXCo=


A quick reminder of the crap these two losers and their enablers have slopped onto the City of Paso Robles.


Slo-shank, we do not need a reminder. It’s in our face daily. Paso Robles City is a MESS. With all the ouside lawsuits and litigation and wrong doings that we as residents will have to pay for, no we do not need a reminder at all. We as citizens need to get rid of the Mayor and half the council to start with. Paso Robles needs to get rid of the good Ole Boys network and start rebuiding our city without all the drama and illegal activities our current officials engage in. We can do this. We can have a voice. We can ban together and we can win!


QUOTING ARTICLE:

In November, Debra Estrin, a private investigator from the Bay Area hired by city officials, interviewed officer T.J. McCall. He said Solomon grabbed his penis while he sat in her car with her husband, San Luis Obispo police officer Chris Chitty.


——


WTF?!?! With her husband sitting in the car, she’s grabbing the hoo-hoo of one of her subordinates?


This is absolutely incredible. solomon actually makes sure she sexually attacks her subordinates when there are witnesses. It’s a power move. She’s trying to emasculate them before their peers.


This is testimony to what a pi$$-poor manager she is. If sexually assaulting a subordinate, in front of witnesses, is the only way she can keep her subordinates in line–by emasculating and weakening them–she’s absolutely worthless in any type of leadership position.


I bet she micromanages, too.


What a HORRIBLE situation to work in. I can just imagine how officers’ stomachs turned every day when they had to go to work, wondering what fresh heII solomon would visit upon them that day.


Please join me at the Paso Robles Library beginning tonight around 6:30 to show your support for canning Solomon AND App. Please wear and article of RED clothing and bring along a sign if you like. I’m as mad as hell and I am not going to take it any longer!


I will be there. She has to go. I am just as mad as you are.


Crucify her!


She turned me into a newt!


Crusader, you are such a scumbag. Join you at City Library, you weren’t even there. I will not pay any attention to anything you say. Must be on App Camp,


Right-wing morons are SO predictable! Quoting cliched movie lines…brother.


They get the corrupt government officials they deserve !


Keep her on but lower her pay, make her a garbage woman and take away her sick leave and other bennies for a period of 10 years. In fact make her the head of a local recycling center. Praise her daily and tell her she can retire when all the trash in the city is gone. Hey forget it.


I will take the job. Just fire her and take her bennies away. I mean this in the nicest way possible.


You can’t just “take her bennies away” but you certainly can refrain from piling them on.


Unfortunately part of the discussion would include here is your outrageous pension and lifetime healthcare.


Well IF the information we have been told about to date is true, then I would hope that to save the city further low moral and or future lawsuits, that they tell her, that her sevices, public and private, are no longer required.


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