Union claims Baldwin Park fired police chief

"I would have fired you."

NOT SURPRISED wrote:

THIS FIRING IS PRETTY UNDERSTANDABLE SINCE CHIEF LOPEZ HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OTHER THAN ALLOW GOOD OFFICERS TO LEAVE CITY IN HIS TENURE TO OTHER CITIES IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY. IT IS A SHAME THE CITIZENS WILL SUFFER.....BUT I GUESS THIS IS THE CITY COUNCILS FIRST STEP TOWARD GOING TO THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT. THE COUNCIL DOES NOT WAN T A PD SINCE MANY OF THEM ARE RELATED TO GANG MEMBERS FROM THE CITY.

its kind of funny to me how you say what your saying as if you know it all for a fact... the damn city council has been trying to send in sheriff's into the city since Chief Kling was around... its not going to happen any time soon trust....
and how do you know who the pd is related too ? all i ever heard about was the parking enforcemnt midget being related to a murder suspect but other than that i havent heard much; would u like to share your knowledge with the rest of us ?

Very interesting to know that "Not Surprised" knows so much about the BPPD. Tell me how you know that most of the officers are related to gangmembers? Chief Lopez wasnt going to bow down to City Council whom are leading the city into bankruptcy. Chief Lopez sacrificed his job to save his fellow employees. "Not Surprised" you are right.. many officers left BP for other departments not because of Lopez but because other agencies within SGV paid so much more. I wish the residents of Baldwin Park much luck. With all thess budgets cuts whose going to answer 911 when they have emergencies? Who's gonna show up at your door when you need the police?

GOOD LUCK...

"Not Suprised" obviously does not know about the Sheriff's Department. They do not have much to offer other than poor police service. The City council is to blame for the loss of officer's in Baldwin Park, NOT Chief Lopez. The councils refusal to fill positions or maintain their officer's is a direct reaction to their lack priorities. The only reason why the deparrtment has lost officer's is because the council will not offer competetive salaries and benefits. This is why officers have left for other agencies. They get paid more, have better benefits, and do less work because there is less crime in other cities. The city council must start being honest and maybe look at the City manager to maintain the budget, rather than stripping resources from the Police Department. After all, the only people who will ultimately suffer is the citizens of Baldwin Park. Chief Lopez recognized this and refused to let the citizens suffer from the councils poor decisions. He is a man of integrity, it's something the council lacks.

Wow, maybe it's time to recall some of those elected officials who are abusing their authority and retaliating against those that dedicate their lives to public safety. After 27 years of service one would think the chief would have earned the respect by not compromising his integrity and standing behind his underpaid and over worked troops. God speed to you, Chief Lopez and the men and women in blue.

Wow, maybe it's time to recall some of those elected officials who are abusing their authority and retaliating against those that dedicate their lives to public safety. After 27 years of service one would think the chief would have earned the respect by not compromising his integrity and standing behind his underpaid and over worked troops. God speed to you, Chief Lopez and the men and women in blue.

Well informed wrote:

"Not Suprised" obviously does not know about the Sheriff's Department. They do not have much to offer other than poor police service. The City council is to blame for the loss of officer's in Baldwin Park, NOT Chief Lopez. The councils refusal to fill positions or maintain their officer's is a direct reaction to their lack priorities. The only reason why the deparrtment has lost officer's is because the council will not offer competetive salaries and benefits. This is why officers have left for other agencies. They get paid more, have better benefits, and do less work because there is less crime in other cities. The city council must start being honest and maybe look at the City manager to maintain the budget, rather than stripping resources from the Police Department. After all, the only people who will ultimately suffer is the citizens of Baldwin Park. Chief Lopez recognized this and refused to let the citizens suffer from the councils poor decisions. He is a man of integrity, it's something the council lacks.

Actually, I do know about the Sheriffs Dept. I know they do not offer the best services do to man power issues, but the city council would rather spend money on buildings for 'art' and the elderly instead of putting the money into the department. They have built buildings that they cannot afford to run., i.e. the art building in front of the PD.

The city budget has always been an issue with prior Chiefs. Officers had left the department and came back because management had the morale up and left opportunities for growth. Lopez lowered morale. He placed his 'boys' in specialty positions with an unlimited time in those positions. Morale will always drop in small agencies when there is no room for growth for the officer. No one wants to be on patrol for 30 years.

Not surprised wrote:

<quoted text>
Actually, I do know about the Sheriffs Dept. I know they do not offer the best services do to man power issues, but the city council would rather spend money on buildings for 'art' and the elderly instead of putting the money into the department. They have built buildings that they cannot afford to run., i.e. the art building in front of the PD.
The city budget has always been an issue with prior Chiefs. Officers had left the department and came back because management had the morale up and left opportunities for growth. Lopez lowered morale. He placed his 'boys' in specialty positions with an unlimited time in those positions. Morale will always drop in small agencies when there is no room for growth for the officer. No one wants to be on patrol for 30 years.

maybe the "Boys" worked a little harder than the others and deserved to be in that position. No matter how anyone spins it, Officers will always leave for higher paying gigs. the morale cannot be blamed on the boss.

We all know that respected Chief Lopez was indeed fired; I really believe that its time to recall some of those dumb elected officials who are abusing their authority and giving themselves raises and that’s were the budget is really going. We all know that a 27 yr dedicated chief of police was fired due to not complying with budgets cuts that city council demanded, I give Ed credit for not cutting any positions, when in fact we have positions that are ready to be filled by people in line. The only right thing that Lopez did was that he would not kiss ass to dumb city council like other directors, and city staff like Vijay. Chief Lopez would not double cross his staff when the city of Baldwin Park really needs more police officers and other PD staff, Like Records clerks, Dispatchers, Lt, Sgt, Detc,. When Baldwin Park is low in officers and yet officers are working overtime and overlapping that’s were some of the budget would be saved if we just had the correct number of Police staff working, and wait about bringing sheriffs into Baldwin Park that’s like the worst thing we can do for this city. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs have very low standards and don’t care much about the community. Baldwin Park Police officers and anyone in the department cares about their community. I’m afraid that Baldwin Park is headed into a wrong turn with misleading elected officials, with that development project “please tell me why we need a movie theater in Baldwin Park” when there is a theater in West Covina, Azusa, and El Monte, I live in BP and wouldn’t go to a movie theater in Baldwin Park! But now back to chief Lopez, some questioned about officers leaving Baldwin Park to other cities and that It was chief Lopez fault, while they were hot officers they also had families and children to support and when Baldwin Park could not afford to pay more and get better benefits indeed they are going to another city, I would too… also when Baldwin Park is the busiest City in the San Gabriel Valley and your working like double. You have officers responding to critical situations at least 5 days of the week. Crime is everywhere but just that Baldwin Park has too much of it! I feel for me and the citizens of Baldwin Park, A new chief that complies with the budget cuts is only in for ass kissing to council and a career of screw up due to the next chief will get screwed by the City of Baldwin Park. I will have to wait until Friday March 21st 2008, for the City of Baldwin Park State of the City Address! Where we will see what the dumb city council will take with this matter or over the next days to see if the SGV tribune has received any additional information! Im a strong supporter of My Baldwin Park Police Department...

After Chief Lopez "retires", which is BP city council slang for "fired", who is the council going to blame for the cities financial woes? Maybe Lozano, Garcia, and Bejarano should take some responsibility. City Council members take a long hard look in the mirror when you start assigning blame for morale issues. For once, serve the citizens....not just yourselves. A department can only be as good as its support system!

Good Luck BP wrote:

We all know that respected Chief Lopez was indeed fired; I really believe that its time to recall some of those dumb elected officials who are abusing their authority and giving themselves raises and that’s were the budget is really going. We all know that a 27 yr dedicated chief of police was fired due to not complying with budgets cuts that city council demanded, I give Ed credit for not cutting any positions, when in fact we have positions that are ready to be filled by people in line. The only right thing that Lopez did was that he would not kiss ass to dumb city council like other directors, and city staff like Vijay. Chief Lopez would not double cross his staff when the city of Baldwin Park really needs more police officers and other PD staff, Like Records clerks, Dispatchers, Lt, Sgt, Detc,. When Baldwin Park is low in officers and yet officers are working overtime and overlapping that’s were some of the budget would be saved if we just had the correct number of Police staff working, and wait about bringing sheriffs into Baldwin Park that’s like the worst thing we can do for this city. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs have very low standards and don’t care much about the community. Baldwin Park Police officers and anyone in the department cares about their community. I’m afraid that Baldwin Park is headed into a wrong turn with misleading elected officials, with that development project “please tell me why we need a movie theater in Baldwin Park” when there is a theater in West Covina, Azusa, and El Monte, I live in BP and wouldn’t go to a movie theater in Baldwin Park! But now back to chief Lopez, some questioned about officers leaving Baldwin Park to other cities and that It was chief Lopez fault, while they were hot officers they also had families and children to support and when Baldwin Park could not afford to pay more and get better benefits indeed they are going to another city, I would too… also when Baldwin Park is the busiest City in the San Gabriel Valley and your working like double. You have officers responding to critical situations at least 5 days of the week. Crime is everywhere but just that Baldwin Park has too much of it! I feel for me and the citizens of Baldwin Park, A new chief that complies with the budget cuts is only in for ass kissing to council and a career of screw up due to the next chief will get screwed by the City of Baldwin Park. I will have to wait until Friday March 21st 2008, for the City of Baldwin Park State of the City Address! Where we will see what the dumb city council will take with this matter or over the next days to see if the SGV tribune has received any additional information! Im a strong supporter of My Baldwin Park Police Department...

Bless you and bless Chief Lopez. Hopefully he will land a more secure job with sane people on the council.

Lets not forget Lopez inherited the mess the department and city are in. The mismanagemnet of finances on behalf of elected officials started when Kling was in office. Don't blame the loss of officers on him, but rather on the system the department and city operates under. Like him or not, Lopez did not deserve to be treated the way he was. Not even a "thank you" for his years of service. The morale issue is a by product of the dire situation the city is in, not anyhting Lopez did. The council and city manager are scrambling to mend their mess and are asking every dpartment head to save money. Remember, the cutting of personnel allows the council to save face with their voters, that is why they would rather lay people off, than to raise public fees to generate revenue. They care more about what people think than what the p.d feels. That is why Lopez was fired.

Why is anyone surprised? This is SOP for Baldwin Park, corruption and scandles.

AOL wrote:

The council and city manager are scrambling to mend their mess and are asking every dpartment head to save money. Remember, the cutting of personnel allows the council to save face with their voters, that is why they would rather lay people off, than to raise public fees to generate revenue.

Raise public fees? Raise Taxes? City Council can't do it without voter approval. The BP electorate wouldn't even approve a transient occupancy tax (on hotels), which wouldn't have even affected any of the voters.

Issue is bigger, I gather, than any of these posters seem to be letting on. And say what you want about the Sheriffs, I'm still in awe that a city like Baldwin Park can even afford a police department. It doesn't even have the kind of revenue generating businesses that a place like West Covina or El Monte has.

Wow. Mismanagment of public funds? Corruption? Accusing sitting councilmembers of being gang members? Scandal?
So, these councilmembers want the Police Department to cut their budget? In the year of budget crisis? Isn't that what all cities are requiring of their departments? And a department head (chief of police) refused to do so (according to the quote in the paper). Doesn't sound like corruption; sounds like public finance. Someone above made an interesting comment, so I went and did a search and here's what I found about the general fund size of other cities. Suffices to say, "one of these kids is doing their own thing", mainly trying to support a costly government service on a general fund that arguably can't support it.
And remember kiddies: You can't mismanage what you don't have. If I make 40,000.00 a year, and you expect me to make a 3,000.00 a month mortgage payment, you're living in a dream world. See below local cities by general fund size:
Baldwin Park 24 million
Whittier 49 million
Alhambra 45 Million
Norwalk 43 million
West Covina 51 million
Downey 62 Million
El Monte 56 Million
Pomona 92 million
La Puente 19 million
Bellflower 28 million
Hawaiian Gardens 28 million

AOL wrote:

Lets not forget Lopez inherited the mess the department and city are in. The mismanagemnet of finances on behalf of elected officials started when Kling was in office. Don't blame the loss of officers on him, but rather on the system the department and city operates under. Like him or not, Lopez did not deserve to be treated the way he was. Not even a "thank you" for his years of service. The morale issue is a by product of the dire situation the city is in, not anyhting Lopez did. The council and city manager are scrambling to mend their mess and are asking every dpartment head to save money. Remember, the cutting of personnel allows the council to save face with their voters, that is why they would rather lay people off, than to raise public fees to generate revenue. They care more about what people think than what the p.d feels. That is why Lopez was fired.

Inherited the mess? Article says he was at the department for 27 years. And I believe he was in management for years before that. He didn't "inherit" any mess; he took a job as the chief (unless this council forced him to take it), and whatever mess that came with it was part of the job.

Retired, fired, whatever. With the impending budget crisis at the state level (which means less money for cities), be prepared for more and more long time public employees that will be "retiring" because they dont' want to have to (or won't be able) to do the job as it will be presented.

I love how on these message boards people want to believe in some corruption scandal rather than realize that there could be other powers working. Does corruption and scandal occur? of course. But save the magic bullets and conspiracy theories for when the obvious answers aren't readily available to you.