Exclusive: Chief Pedersen Addresses Union Accusations

The Culver City Police Officers' Association has been engaged in a heated battle with Police Chief Don Pedersen in recent months regarding several criticisms of his leadership of the department. Last week, the police union posted a press release on its site that detailed multiple claims of negligence, intimidation of police officers and a lack of integrity that expressed the sentiments behind an 86.5 percent no-confidence vote taken in early July. 

Culver City Patch interviewed Pedersen regarding the release and the vote. His comments are as follows:

Press release: "Chief Pedersen failed to report collision damage to his assigned, take-home city vehicle, then later had it taken to a private body shop for a quick, 'off-the-books' repair."

Chief Don Pedersen: "I have never damaged a city vehicle in my entire career. There was very, very minor damage on the fender of my vehicle, and we got it fixed--and that's all there was to it. It was really not a big deal at all."

Pedersen said he explained to the union in January what had occurred and thought the matter had been concluded.

Adam Treanor, president of the CCPOA, says that was "absolutely not" the case. 

"After his explanation, our contention, as we explained to the chief, was that an officer would have been severely disciplined for that," Treanor said. "The chief disagreed."

Press release: "Chief Pedersen interfered with a criminal investigation involving the son of a city councilman, who coincidentally had hired him as chief. Chief Pedersen hindered the investigation, and even discouraged the case detectives from serving a search warrant aimed at recovering stolen property…

The councilman's son had allegedly taken the radio during a burglary at the home of another city council member. In a highly unusual move, Chief Pedersen took it upon himself to drive to the South Bay department's headquarters and remove from evidence the recovered stolen radio. "

Pedersen denies that he interfered with the investigation involving burglary charges against the son of deceased former Mayor Albert Vera. Pedersen said that the incident involving a stolen police radio was handled by the Redondo Beach Police Department, so "there was really no involvement on my part in this at all."

In fact, Pedersen said he asked a third party—the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department—to conduct the investigation because of a conflict of interest in the Culver City department. "In the end it resulted in a conviction, so there was no interference whatsoever on that," he said.

Regarding the stolen radio, Pedersen said that he lives near Redondo Beach and did, in fact, "pick up the radio and return it to the city."

However, Treanor said that Pedersen involved the sheriff's department only when he risked reprimand for interference and that the burglary involving the police radio has--to the knowledge of the CCPOA--never been pursued.

Press release: "Chief Pedersen refused to identify himself to a citizen, and then lied, denying he was the police chief, after an irate resident asked if he was the chief at the scene of a search warrant. Department policy requires all officers to provide their name and serial number when asked by any citizen."

Pedersen said he was not in charge of that particular investigation and simply pointed the citizen to the officer in charge.

But Treanor disagrees with the chief's account. "He's always the officer in charge," Treanor said. "That's how you perform as a leader."

Press release: "Chief Pedersen has on several occasions, either directly or through intermediaries, attempted to intimidate members of the Police Officers Association from participating in their union activities, such as the aforementioned vote-of-no confidence."

Pedersen: "I have never intimidated any member of the police officer's association. I've actually told people that I think it's good experience to be a member of the union because that gives you an understanding as to both sides of this business."

Press release: "Many officers believe that Chief Pedersen has no emotional attachment or loyalty to the department, its employees, or to the city of Culver City."

Pedersen: "I am totally committed to the community," he said. "My paramount concern here is to make sure I take care of the men and women in this police department, that they get home safely to their families every night, and that we do the best job possible to protect the community."

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