San Diego community activists are calling for the removal of Police Chief Scott Wahl over allegations of misconduct and abuse of authority.
At a news conference Monday outside city hall, Tasha Williamson said she filed a complaint Sunday with the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST.
Williamson asserts in the complaint, in part, that Wahl had an affair with a subordinate and interfered with disciplinary proceedings.
“These allegations are not just about personal choices,” Williamson said. “They strike at the heart of accountability, integrity and public trust in our city's highest law enforcement office.”
The police department did not respond to a request for comment.
POST declined to comment on the matter. But spokesperson Meagan Poulos said “all complaints received by POST are forwarded to the employing agency for investigation.”
Under state Senate Bill 2, the agency is then required to report the finding to POST, which will then evaluate whether a misconduct occurred. If so, a recommendation to decertify an offending officer is made. The individual facing decertification can appeal.
Decertification means an officer would no longer be able to work in law enforcement in California. According to SB 2, “serious misconduct” includes dishonesty, abuse of power, failure to cooperate with an investigation, demonstrating bias and more.
Williamson’s complaint comes after the city hired a San Francisco-based law firm earlier this year to investigate workplace allegations made against Wahl.
According to invoices obtained by KPBS media partner 10News, the city spent more than $37,000 for the probe. Investigators were tasked with producing a report on their findings.
The city and police department have refused to disclose the allegations made against Wahl and what investigators determined.
Activists also called for the release of those findings.
“That $37,000 from all of us (taxpayers) has shown no fruits,” said Yusef Miller, executive director of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition. “Where did our $37,000 go? It went down the drain.”
