Posted on 04/10/2007 9:55:19 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
A major new scandal and another potential one have emerged in recent days at the California Highway Patrol. After past CHP black eyes involving pension spiking with dubious injury claims by the majority of retiring top managers, a disastrous no-bid pistol-buying contract, bid-rigging and a stunning number of drunken-driving incidents involving top officials, it often seems that with the CHP, what can go wrong will go wrong.
In the Inland Empire, assistant Inland division chiefs Mike Williams and Mike Maples abruptly left the CHP's employ last week amid sordid allegations. In Southern California, there are allegations that division Chief Gary Dominguez regularly commutes by train from his home in Bonita to CHP headquarters in Glendale, apparently being paid for part of his five-hour-plus round-trip.
In a meeting with a Union-Tribune editorial writer, CHP chief Mike Brown confirmed an investigation of the Inland allegations was proceeding and announced the departures of Williams and Maples. He said he was unaware of Dominguez's alleged long commute but would look into it. (Brown encouraged us to call Dominguez directly. We did. He didn't call back.)
But in a subsequent interview, Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, said there was only an Inland crackdown after Brown learned that she and Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, were about to blast the CHP for its inaction. Garcia also said she went to the Schwarzenegger administration with allegations about the Inland division, including a boss seducing a subordinate after her husband was deployed overseas by the military. Garcia said she also raised concerns about Dominguez's long commute.
Brown said he began investigating the Inland division without outside prodding, but couldn't comment on any details because of privacy rules. Government-openness expert Terry Francke told us Brown is on solid ground in arguing that the Peace Officers Bill of Rights ties his hands.
But Garcia said Brown's tactics are a “smoke screen” to hide the CHP's continuing dysfunction, and repeated her call for his firing.
Her case appears to be getting stronger. Consider Brown's contention that he is doing all he can to fix the anything-goes culture seen under predecessor Spike Helmick. If that's really the case, then why hasn't he been much more outspoken about encouraging every CHP employee to report internal wrongdoing, with promises of protection from retribution?
Beyond that, Brown's reform talk is impossible to reconcile with his decision to name Tim Clark as acting head of the Inland division. Clark was one of the officials cited in a December Sacramento Bee story as having enjoyed the hospitality of firms that won highly dubious, multimillion-dollar CHP contracts. But in Mike Brown's CHP, as well as in Spike Helmick's CHP, that's no big deal.
That's not right. We encourage Garcia and Romero to keep after the CHP – and hope that at some point, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest of the Legislature finally start paying attention.
The first TV show I ever watched at the age of 4. I can still remember the opening. “Whenever the laws of any state are broken, a duly authorized organization swings into action. It may be called the state police, state troopers, milita, the rangers, or the highway patrol. These are the stories of men whose daring, skill and courage have enforced and preserved our state laws.”
While starring in the series highway patrol, broderick crawford was without a ca. license due to his numerous drunk driving arrests. The highway patrol was not given police officer status until 1969, so they couldn’t take their weapons home, and to this day, their badges say “state traffic officer”.
Thanks for that info.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for the men and women of the CHP and other states as well. It’s a tough job, like the mail guy or gal always out there for a lousy pension.
Those that stink it up today can’t diminish the CHP’s impact on society. Without it, think Mad Max at Rush Hour.
A off duty CHP cut in front of me and made a quick u-turn while trying to pick up a hooker on Sunset Blvd. He got t-boned by a oncoming motorcycle while doing it. When the lapd arrived he tried to talk his way out of it but it didn’t work, since I decided to hang around as a witness. What’s really sad is that the hooker he was trying to pick up looked like she played for Rutgers.
A off duty CHP cut in front of me and made a quick u-turn while trying to pick up a hooker on Sunset Blvd. He got t-boned by a oncoming motorcycle while doing it. When the lapd arrived he tried to talk his way out of it but it didn’t work, since I decided to hang around as a witness. What’s really sad is that the hooker he was trying to pick up looked like she played for Rutgers.
Actually their badges say “Officer” and have since the mid 90’s.
You are a real Imus.
I stand corrected.
They were changed after they absorbed the California State Police.
‘CHP’ = Can’t Handle Policework.
so I guess that makes you a Sharpton
Sad to see a once very professional department unravel like this.
My “I have a story” story...
Once I was coming back form Las Vegas with a freind who is a LAPD Sergeant. We were speeding, about 80.
CHP yanks us over. My bud flips out his badge, and says, hey dude, I’m LAPD.
The Chippy replies, “you should know better then”, and write my bud a ticket. LOL
:O)
P
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