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Former Atascadero police chief steps in for King City

February 28, 2014

King City PoliceDennis Hegwood, the former Atascadero police chief who was terminated shortly after being cleared of rape charges, took the helm of the King City Police Department as interim chief late Wednesday.

King City Attorney Roy Hanley said that Hegwood, who Hanley worked with in Atascadero, is the right man for the job. Hanley said that the rape allegations that plagued Hegwood were fueled by closed-minded reactions to a biracial sexual relationship.

In 2004, a woman claimed Hegwood had raped her but later said the sex was consensual. Even so, city officials found fault with Hegwood having sex with a business acquaintance’s wife while on city time.

After first asking him to stay, city officials determined Hegwood should resign because ‘he had lost his moral authority,” and agreed to support Hegwood’s plan to apply for industrial disability, according to the resignation agreement. Atascadero also agreed to give Hegwood a total payout for health benefits, sick and vacation leave of $64,650.

On Tuesday, six King City police officers, including the former and acting chiefs of police, were arrested on felony charges including conspiracy, embezzlement and bribery. The brother of the acting chief was also arrested in the scheme which involved impounding the cars of mostly unlicensed drivers, then selling them when the cars’ owners were unable to pay towing and storage fees.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate allegations of corruption. In addition, the department is currently under an FBI investigation after several thousand dollars that officers seized from bank robbers went missing.

Hanley suggested King City hire Hegwood, who assisted over the past year in an internal affairs investigation into King’s City’s police department.


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All these law enforcement agencies had severe budget problems not too long ago!

They are not slowing down with new vehicles, equipment and fast but easy citing equipment.

Examine the cost of any citations.

Now, examine your local, county and state taxes all around and about us.


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This sounds like slotown without the arrest. It reminds me of the Utilities guy who got a free 1954 Chevy from a contract Public Works Inspector who got fired for taking bribes for signing off on various projects that did not meet standards (substandard work). The utilities supervisor went to the site to inspect the allegations, but then had lunch with the PW inspector, signed off on the work, then got a free 1954 Chevy truck, then the PW inspector was fired. Oh, it also reminds me of the thief PW Inspector and labor representative who per this news source misappropriated a bat wing mower from the City and resold it for a $3000 – $4000 personal profit with his idiot supervisor signed off on. The idiot supervisor was forced to resign within the year, but old 5-fingers got lots of overtime so that he wouldn’t have to steal anymore. What a racket. Be sure to vote for Measure Y – because the City truly needs your money to pay these stellar examples of public servants. Remember, they don’t work for you, you work for them!


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Hey Ironman, this is a news site; what you have said is not news in the sense that it is not new. I could tell you Alex Madonna/Dave Romero stories until you run out of money to buy me beer. And yes, you must now pay special taxes to receive basic city services as all current taxes are wasted.


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The crime rates are dropping because criminals are being taken off the streets and put on the government payrolls. Criminals on the government payrolls aren’t going to arrest their own kind.


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We need to redefine government, it no longer serves the majority. Corruption and incompetence has taken root and now is the norm. This is not s problem we citizens can solve at the ballot box.


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There is nothing we can do about it and they “ALL” know it!


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