Two legal claims have been filed against the city of Chula Vista on behalf of its police chief, Roxana Kennedy, who is currently on an extended medical leave. The claims allege defamation, breach of privacy and a hostile work environment.
Kennedy also claims discrimination based on age and race, according to her attorney Cory Briggs.
Briggs said the actions in the claims date back principally to something that happened at a police union holiday party last December. The incident involved off-duty officers who were dancing. Briggs said one individual took off his shirt and swung it around his head during a contest.
The chief then placed a dollar bill in each of his front pockets, Briggs said.
“That's it — (she) didn't touch him, didn't do anything else. (She) wasn't dancing,” Briggs told KPBS in February. “Then she turned around and took a bow for the audience and everybody there started laughing and clapping.”
Briggs said in the weeks following the party, city manager Tiffany Allen made unfounded claims against the chief.
“Tiffany Allen was out saying false things to at least one member of the public about the chief's job performance,” he said.
Briggs said there was also a retaliatory investigation by the city's director of human resources Tanya Tomlinson, authorized by the city attorney’s office in late February.
“The false accusation against the chief that she did something wrong at the holiday party and the subsequent initiation of an investigation against her based on false pretenses — that's retaliation and harassment,” Briggs said.
Briggs alleges the claims were made against Kennedy to make her job unpleasant, so she would resign or retire.
He said the actions of city manager Allen had approval from at least three council members, whom he did not identify.
KPBS reached out to the city council and did not receive a response by 5 p.m. Thursday. But in a statement, the city of Chula Vista said it “received two claims from Cory Briggs on behalf of Ms. Kennedy. The city denies the allegations and will address the complaints in the appropriate venue.”
Last month, published reports about the union party prompted more than a dozen clergy members to go to city councilmembers to speak in favor of Chief Kennedy.
“And her 30-year record is a sterling record. So this is a little upsetting to us, not just for her sake, but for our community’s sake,” Hodges said.
He said his organization wants Chula Vista to privately handle the matter.
“Chula Vista does not need more division right now. We need stability, we need unity, we need steady leadership — which we've enjoyed for the last nine plus years, and Chief Kennedy has provided that for us,” he said.
Briggs said the city has 45 days to respond to the two legal claims before Kennedy files a lawsuit. He also asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate the matter.
Briggs said Kennedy has been on medical leave since January. That leave has been extended until April.
