Former SDPD Officer Files Wrongful Termination Claim

OUT TOP STORY TODAY. A SAN DIEGO TRIBUNE WATCHDOG REPORTER HAS FOUND IN CLAIM MADE SAN DIEGO PEACE OFFICER. THE 16 YEAR VETERAN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS HE WAS FIVE FOR ASKING QUESTIONS THAT THE SATELLITE SYSTEM INSTALLER MAYOR KEVIN FOSTER CITY VEHICLE. HE CLAIMS IS AN IMPROPER USE OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S FUNDS. JEFF WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. GOOD MORNING. WHO IS THIS FORMER OFFICER? WHAT IS HE ALLEGING? HIS NAME IS SHANNON HART. HE HAS BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR 16 YEARS. HE FILED A CLAIM LATE LAST YEAR AFTER HE WAS TERMINATED ALLEGING THAT HE WAS FIRED FOR NOT GOING ALONG WITH SOME GRANDSTANDING THAT HE CONSIDERED DISALLOWED UNDER THE FEDERAL HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT SPENT THE MONEY ON A COUPLE OF PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, A SATELLITE DISH FOR THE MAYOR'S VEHICLE AND SOME SATELLITE PHONES THAT THE MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF BOTH USE AS CITY LEADERS IN CASES OF EMERGENCIES. WENDEL WAS THE DIRECT TV, SATELLITE DISH INSTALLED ON THE MAYOR'S VEHICLE? APPARENTLY QUICKLY AFTER THE MAYOR OF ASSUMED THE MAYORSHIP. EARLY IN 2014. I GOT SOME COME COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM THE CITY ABOUT HOW THE SATELLITE DATA THAT SATELLITE DISH WAS PAID FOR. THEY SAID IT DID NOT COME FROM A HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT. THAT FORMER OFFICER HART WAS MISTAKEN IN HIS ALLEGATION. I IS FOR DOCUMENTATION OF THAT MAY SENT ME A RECEIPT THAT INDICATED THAT THE DISH WAS PLAYED -- PAID WITH CASH WITH EXACT CHANGE. I QUESTION THAT. IT IS LIKE $3300 PLUS INSTALLATION AND RELATED FEES. THAT IS NOT THE TYPICAL EXPENSE THAT ANYONE PAYS CASH FOR WHEN I ASKED FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. That is just one of five or six different allegations Mr. Hart alleges in this claim. It is not clear whether the claim is been denied yet. The city said it has no merit. The mayor were likely to deny it and whether he proceeds with a lawsuit against the city we will find out. What does police chief Zimmerman and the mayor's office say about why the satellite systems were installed? And the television dish? Smart They say that the mayor needs to be kept abreast. It is necessary equipment. He needs to be able to keep up to speed on breaking news and developments. At all times. Including when he is traveling in his city leased vehicle. It is not a whole lot of money. It is only three or $4000. But in a -- the mayor needs access to ready information at all times. The satellite phone as well. He is in charge of murder emergency operations. A blackout, or an attack comes to pass he needs to be in contact with his department leaders. What Mr. Hart alleges is that the dish was not supposed to be paid for with homeland security funds. Something the city a search did not happen. With the satellite phones, according to Mr. Hart, the phones were supposed to be stored. The purchase was okay according to grant terms, but the phones are supposed to be stored and the emergency operations center rather than being driven around on the mayor's mobile command center. The mayor's office was response to that was that he is a mobile command center and he needs to have access to the equipment in terms of emergency. It is a due diligence thing on the mayor's part. Jeff are you expecting any response to your question as to why the payment for that dish was needing cash? I hope so. The late as I got from them was late Friday in an email where they said they were frankly too busy to answer my follow-up questions and they would get back to me this week. Maybe today. Maybe forthcoming. We will follow up with a story and they will explain why the receipt says it was paid for in cash. That is a head scratcher. Finally, Jeff, imagine the status of hearts claim against the city. It is still just in the claim format. It is not really a lawsuit yet? Yes. Anybody uses a municipality has to file a claim first. Those are typically denied or rejected by the risk management or office of the limits municipality. Then you are free to file a lawsuit in Superior Court. The claim was filed in late November. It has been about five months. Presumably that will be forthcoming in the coming weeks. It is attorney proceeds with a lawsuits, we will certainly right about that as well. Very interesting. Thank you Jeff McDonald.