“I plan to pay attention to everything that’s said and then make a decision based on that,” LaChasse said.
Citing workplace privacy laws, city officials would not comment on the letters, but police officers close to the situation confirmed that at least 10 had been issued as of Tuesday.
Officers who received disciplinary notices and weren’t already on paid leave were walked out of police headquarters last week and assigned to their homes, they said.
Among those officers who received a notice of proposed termination was Capt. Bill Taylor.
“The city of Burbank is a cesspool of corruption, from the city attorney’s office, to the city manager, to the ex-police chief,” his attorney, Gregory W. Smith said Tuesday evening. “And we are going to root out this corruption in the courts.”
The former deputy chief sued the city in September alleging that he was demoted after identifying, among other issues, discrimination against minority officers to then-Chief Tim Stehr.
If LaChasse determines that it was 51% likely that officers committed the alleged acts, they would be found guilty. The disciplined officer could then take legal action against the city or appeal to an arbitrator, who would make their recommendation to City Manager Mike Flad, officials said.
“I would hope that anyone who makes a decision like this . . . that you’re only guided by the facts and what’s sitting in front of you,” LaChasse said.
