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News Mar 08, 2018
“The actions of the police department are causing irreparable damages to the reputations of the police and the City,” NAACP Pasadena Branch President Delano Yarborough said. – Photo by Terry Miller
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“I was stunned,” Kennedy said when he heard that the two officers had acted within policy. – Photo by Terry Miller
By Terry Miller
In the wake of the arrest of Pasadena Lieutenant Vasken Gourdikian last Friday by Federal agents, news of yet another Pasadena cop being investigated has come to light.
“We can confirm that another Police Officer is on paid Administrative Leave and under investigation by federal authorities. Because it is a personnel matter we cannot comment further.” Lisa Derderian, interim city Public Information Officer told Pasadena Independent in a written statement.
The news comes a day after steep criticism has been hurled at Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez during Monday’s Public Safety Committee meeting at Council Chambers.
The public comment period pounded Sanchez and his dept. for numerous settlements over the years involving large amounts of money and in particular focused on the Chris Ballew beating incident that has garnered national attention, with some referring to the incident as ‘Pasadena’s Rodney King Moment.’
Consistently, numerous speakers voiced their displeasure directly at Chief Sanchez:
“The actions of the police department are causing irreparable damages to the reputations of the police and the City,” NAACP Pasadena Branch President Delano Yarborough said.
Safety Committee member Tyron Hampton, addressed Sanchez directly by saying that if he handled things differently; “the community would not be reacting like this.”
Referring to the two police officers who were involved in the Chris Ballew beating and subsequently received less than a slap on the wrist when Sanchez said they acted within policy guidelines.
Attorney Dale Groenmeir also spoke of his grave concerns, with particular regard to the beating of Chris Ballew.
“It’s outrageous that those two are still on the street,” Council member Tyrone Hampton asserted. He also criticized Sanchez for the fact that Gourdikian, a former spokesperson for the dept., received full pay while being investigated for illegally selling weapons.
Mayor Tornek who usually is a staunch supporter of Sanchez and his dept., did imply, albeit cryptically, that the Police Dept. is not necessarily immune to reform.
