Sheriff finds commander neglected his duty in Oceano

December 24, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office found that Commander Keith Scott neglected his duty when he failed to respond to multiple 911 calls during an Oceano Community Service District Board meeting in October. Scott has since been reassigned.

Following a meeting rife with confrontations and refusals to abide by the Brown Act, the attorney firm representing Oceano resigned in early October, though he said he would represent the district until a new attorney is hired. Attorney Daniel Cheung then asked the sheriff’s office to have a deputy present at the upcoming Oct. 25 meeting.

However, instead of attending the Oct. 25 meeting or sending a deputy, Commander Scott watched the meeting online while having a civilian observer in the audience.

During public comment, Director Shirley Gibson’s husband Ron Gibson chastised Director Charles Varni for allegedly verbally accosting his wife outside a meeting.

Shortly afterwards, Varni called 911 to report that Ron Gibson approached him during a break and threatened him, however Scott did not send a deputy to the meeting. In total, there were four 911 calls made during the meeting and no response.

Varni and a meeting attendee then reported Commander Scott’s failure to respond and the sheriff’s office launched an investigation.

“The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office has completed the investigation into your complaint of neglect of duty against Commander Keith Scott,” according to an email from Commander Trevor McKim. “After a thorough investigation, the complaint has been sustained. This means that the allegation of neglect of duty was found true by the sheriff’s office.”