08/21/12
In a bizarre new development, the Oakland City Administrator is accusing the federal monitor sent to investigate the Oakland Police Department of making inappropriate comments to her and more.
Oakland’s police department is teetering on the precipice just a few months from a possible federal takeover. That would be the first such takeover in the country.
City officials now have accused the man sent by the federal court to evaluate police of inappropriate conduct himself. Robert Warshaw is a former police chief and presidential drug czar.
“The timing… yes, I’m suspicious,” said Jim Chanin, civil rights attorney.
In a motion with the court, the city did not devulge details of the allegations.
On Tuesday night, the San Francisco Chronicle quoted unnamed sources saying City Administrator Deanna Santana has accused Warshaw of making inappropiate comments, holding her hand and calling her “stunning”.
Warshaw is also accused of using abusive language to describe Oakland’s police chief. KTVU talked with two attorneys on opposite sides. They said they’re not aware of what the allegations are.
“I really have no idea at this point,” said Rocky Lucia of the Oakland Police Officers Associaton.
Both sides fear the accustations might derail the real question of whether or not the police department warrant a federal takeover.
“I’s not something the Oakland police officers want to see. What they want is to see conclusion,” said Lucia.
“They’ve left us with no other conclusion so we’re proceeding toward receivership,” said Chanin.
Neither the mayor nor the city attorney nor the city administrator would talk with KTVU, saying whatever did or did not happen with the federal monitor is now the subject of a personnel investigation.
