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SLO police chief travels on the family plan

January 21, 2015

disney worldBy KAREN VELIE and DANIEL BLACKBURN

San Luis Obispo Police Chief Steve Gesell attended 13 conferences during 2014. Expense records show that some of the conferences turned into family trips and the city footed the bill.

A two-month investigation by CalCoastNews has uncovered multiple violations of city policy and what appears to be abuses of taxpayer money.

In one instance, Gesell took his wife and daughter to a convention in Orlando, disguised that fact on his travel and meal reimbursement requests, and was repaid with city taxpayer funds. City policy does not permit city employees to charge taxpayers for a spouse’s travel and meals.

Gesell, who recently started his third year as the city’s top cop, has not responded to requests for comment. As the CalCoastNews investigation began to wrap up, rumors began about whether Gesell was still in his $157,508 position. SLO Police Lt. Bill Proll said Tuesday he has been instructed not to answer CalCoastNews reporters’ questions, and was not permitted to say if Gesell was still the city’s police chief.

Steve Gesell

Steve Gesell

City Manager Katie Lichtig said late Tuesday, “There is no change in his employment status.”

A public records probe into Gesell’s travel expenses during last calendar year revealed multiple apparent violations of city policy and misuse of public funds. Gesell, like other department heads, approves his own expenses; the city’s financial expense policy does not include oversight of these individuals. The Finance Department’s Barbara Hage processes reimbursement payments, but she does not review the claims, according to City Clerk Anthony Mejia.

In September, the city agreed to reimburse Gesell for the cost of attending the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in Orlando the following month. In his request, Gesell said attending the training would help him to “better plan for issues facing law enforcement and facilitate the implementation of the department’s strategic plan.”

U.S Airways confirmed Gesell purchased a “special” where one higher-priced, base-rate ticket would allow two others to fly for $46 each, plus tax.

The city’s Financial Management Manual specifies “air travel on city business should be coach class.”

Gesell also demonstrated a taste for upscale hotel accommodations. Of 19 hotels offering special rates to chiefs attending the IACP convention, Gesell chose one of the most expensive, the Rosen Center Hotel.

The event’s host provided a list of discount room rates from $75 to $205. Gesell elected to spend $225 to stay in a VIP room, his own receipt shows.

But city rules call for officials to stay in less expensive lodging.

“In general, you should stay at the most reasonably priced accommodations available consistent with the purpose and goals of your travel,” city policy says.

Travel during the event was provided at no charge by event sponsors. Nevertheless, Gesell’s wife rented a car in Orlando. The city then reimbursed the chief over $400 for the rental car and parking.

City policy also limits reimbursable meal purchases to city employees only. The city authorizes $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $35 for dinner. Gesell regularly requested amounts exceeding the per diem limit, and the city reimbursed him for two to three entrees in a single meal.

The city Financial Management Manual requires employees to eat in moderately priced restaurants when planning to charge the city for their meal.

Gesell got the city to pay $39 for an Oct 26 lunch at Mei Asian Chinese Buffet. The lunch buffet at Mei Asian Chinese Buffet costs $8.50 per adult. The reimbursement paperwork appears to show that the bill was charged on one of the Gesell’s personal credit cards at 2:19 p.m.

The conference was in progress when the chief’s lunch bill was being paid. The city paid $3,322 for Gesell to attend the conference.

As an additional perk, the conference included an evening at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park for the chiefs and their families.

“We’ve reserved the entire Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park just for you!,” the conference website says. “All night long, you’ll have unlimited access to incredible rides and attractions like the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Jurassic Park River Adventure, and the magic and excitement of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Hogsmeade. It’s an entire universe of action and thrills—and it’s all yours!”

Though required to provide itemized receipts, Gesell often substitutes his personal and city credit card slips. In some cases, the chief claimed to have lost records, providing no receipts while asking for reimbursement.

Though the Orlando event lasted only four days, Gesell spent eight days in Florida.

On Oct. 29, the day after the event ended, Gesell and his family drove to the Everglades, a three hour drive from Orlando. In the evening, Gesell purchased two meals at Quinn’s on the Beach for $58.83, and then billed taxpayers, city records show.

Gesell attended another training event in February, this time sponsored by the California Police Chiefs’ Association. Gesell and SLO Police Capt. Chris Staley split expenses paid for with city credit cards.

Although the conference had an association board meeting on Sunday, Oct. 23, and did not officially begin until Monday, Gesell checked into the Monterey Portola Inn and Spa the Friday before.

Gesell charged the city $46.34 for breakfast on Sunday, Oct. 23. During his stay at the hotel and spa, Gesell regularly exceeded the permitted per diem rate with purchases that included items from the children’s menu.

Staley did not arrive until Oct.21, gas purchase records from an Atascadero service station show.

Councilwoman Carlyn Christianson, told about the apparent problems with Gesell’s travel reimbursements, declined to look into the matter. She told CalCoastNews that she “has a full time job” and has “no interest” in reviewing Gesell’s records and violations of policy.

“Each employee is responsible for following these practices,” city policy says. “Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, termination of employment or criminal prosecution.”

Gesell and San Luis Obispo City Manager Katie Lichtig did not return requests for comment before this article posted.

Get links to investigative news stories, like CalCoastNews on Facebook.

Giselle reimbursement requests by karen velie


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Is it really expecting too much from our professional leaders to be ethical, to play by all the rules, and to refrain from taking advantage of the tax-paying citizens?


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Please be careful, CCN, these little men are not beyond using anything at their disposal to exact revenge for shining a spotlight on their tax-leeching-bloated uselessness.


So glad the “top cop” is so f**king dishonest. What an excellent cherry on the top of the massive pile of crap that our city (and county) constantly amaze us with.


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Is this position necessary .. if the police chief can be out of town 14 times during the past year, why is he needed? It is obvious that he is not managing the police department nor available to provide day-to-day leadership. We are paying someone lots of money who is not around.


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In short because the city council thinks he’s being an “ambassador” for the city — touting happy town wherever he goes. It’s part of their tourist advertising program mentality.


It makes them feel important, too, to have THEIR chief turn up at all these national conventions of this and that. It’s all an ego trip for their small minds.


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It’s not like this guy’s life is on the line or anything. He has a very safe, cushy desk job…that is when he’s not busy attending 14 “conferences.” What a rip-off.


(BTW the only word more suspicious than “conference” is “consultant.” Both usually involve taxpayers getting gouged.)


And when’s the last time the rest of us stayed in a VIP hotel room for over two hundred bucks a night, with someone ELSE footing the bill? Never.


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When, oh when, will these folks come to understand that they work for, and serve US?


How can the City of SLO afford to be so nonchalant, no oversight of expenses???


Do all cities work like this?


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This city cries poor, but they’re so loaded with money a few hundred grand thrown away this way is just how they do business. But, hey, if a resident asks for safe sidewalks? That’s another matter altogether — no money for that! Have to wait your turn, buddy, and it might be six years or so.


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The entitled like Gesell still don’t get it. After years of not being held accountable by local media, CCN is now shining a spotlight on their misdeeds. Things will remain amusing until the entitled wake up and begin acting appropriately or CCN is muzzled. I’m hoping for the former.


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A chief of police needs to be beyond reproach. Gesell is not. He needs to be replaced with someone who is.


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On the surface it looks like SLOPD Chief Gesell got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.


But thanks to SLO City Manager Katie Lichtig’s policy of allowing department heads to approve their OWN expenses Mr.Gesell’s actions were authorized by…. Mr.Gesell.


And if the city boss, Ms.Lichtig, allows policy that continually fleeces the taxpayers the next spotlight should shine on Ms.Lichtigs own reimbursed and otherwise ‘expenses’.


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This is a perfect example to illustrate the great divide between a taxpayer funded government conference and the private sector. Per diem, mileage, client dinners and more are all met with strict guidelines and scrutiny in the private sector as their is a bottom line to be met.


In the government world there are the same policies but with no bottom line profit factor and no negative consequences that contribute to an atmosphere of waste and abuse.


Government on all levels from national to local have demonstrated utter disregard in spending practices of hard earned tax payer dollars. So much so that we have come to almost expect this egregious behavior as normal as the masses slip into their further apathetic comas of hopeless and powerless to do anything meaningful about it.


These so called ‘conferences’ are nothing more than paid vacations for the fat cat government bureaucrat with very little value to buck spent. And in this case of the SLOPD Chief pushing the envelope to the point of appalling and atrocious.


IS THIS NOT EMBEZZLEMENT OR GRAND THEFT TO SOME DEGREE?


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I work for the State and all travel is heavily regulated and scrutinized by several levels. If something doesn’t make sense on the claim, it is questioned, and often times not reimbursed – AT ALL. Meal per diem is not allowed if the conference is hosting a meal and all preliminary sign up paperwork for all conferences are attached to your original request. The City should NOT be allowing ANYONE to approve their own travel. That is just dumb.


You are making a generalized statement about ALL government agencies and that is just incorrect.


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smile4thecamera….


Am I making a generalized statement about ALL government employees when they travel on the tax payers dime… YOU BETCHA!


I am glad to see your expenses are regulated and scrutinized.


But you are still traveling to some worthless conference and not back at work doing your job! BTW, WHO is doing your job when you are out of town at a ‘conference/seminar’?


Your meals, your transportation, your hotel and your salary are all being paid by somebody other than you. THE TAX PAYER.


So cry me a river ‘smiley’ about your taxpayer paid vacation and please let us know who is paying for ALL of this that greatly benefits the tax payer – your ultimate employer!


AND IF YOU ARE STILL UPSET ABOUT THE GENERALIZATION PLEASE LIST ALL THE CONFERENCES YOU HAVE ATTENDED, THE TOTAL COST INCLUDING MEALS, LODGING, TRANSPORTATION AND SALARY ALONG WITH THE NATURE OF THE CONFERENCE AND THE DIRECT BENEFIT THE TAX PAYER RECEIVED FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE!


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smile4thecamera IS a taxpayer too. Don’t forget that.


There is a reason the term the 1% came about. It seems we have a 1% in Government that is ruining the reputation for the 99% of the hardworking many.


To answer your question, there are times in government where workers are required to attend trainings. An example of one such training might be Obamacare training. One might be training on working on computers if you are an IT person. For me as a nurse, it might be to attend a training on the recent measles outbreak in California if I were a government employee needing specialized training.


I cannot think of a career out there where training isn’t necessary. A well trained employee can save your life. In a natural disaster, do you want a nurse from 1942 who hasn’t left the clinic who doesn’t know what a smartphone is, or do you want a nurse who is up to date on current doses of potassium iodide from that radioactive plume just released from Diablo Canyon power plant, who should receive, who should NOT receive, and why?


Trainings do handy little things like prepare your local workers to be current, relevant, and ready. It is one of those annoying things we don’t want to have to pay for, like earthquake insurance, full coverage auto insurance.


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