By: Libi Uremovic | Original Article at Patch.com
Text of Frank Velasquez, President of the Beaumont Police Association Speaking Before Council
Good evening. My name is Frank Velasquez. I am the President of the Beaumont Police Officers Association and also a concerned resident of the City of Beaumont. To be clear, I am speaking tonight in my capacity as a private citizen—not as a Beaumont police officer.
Specifically, my concerns and those of our Association, involve the qualifications of Police Chief Frank Coe and Commander Greg Fagan. Their lack of leadership has had, and continues to have, a detrimental impact on the operations of the police department.
Several years ago the council received an anonymous letter explaining what might happen if this City retained Frank Coe as its Chief. The author of that letter made some of the following predictions: Early retirements in order to get away from Chief Coe. This has happened Top quality personnel would leave due to targeted discipline and retaliation practices. That has happened. Diminished morale within the department. Chief Coe has made it clear that morale is not his problem and at times stated he does not believe that the concept of “morale” even exists.
Furthermore there has been Costly litigation to the City while under the management of Chief Coe.
In June of 2012, former POA President Scot Davis sued the City of Beaumont, Frank Coe, and Greg Fagan in federal court for retaliation resulting in a settlement in which the City paid Davis $75,000.00 to settle his claims. This was not an isolated incident of retaliation. I believe under Chief Coe’s watch, there have been multiple employees whose terminations have been overturned in the appeal process.
If we include the number of officers that have left or retired, on average we have lost more than 1 officer every 3 months since Chief Coe took office. That number is staggering, given the size of our Department.
One example of His failed leadership, which has also adversely impacted the level of police services provided to Beaumont citizens and taxpayers, has been the withdrawal of our City’s
police officers from Riverside county task forces such as the gang task force, street level drug task force, and major level drug task force. Our citizens deserve better.
Regarding Commander Fagan, allegations have been made that he is responsible for retaliation, ordering a subordinate to change and omit information in official court documents in an attempt to obtain an arrest warrant. That goes against the code ethics that every police officer swears to uphold. Chief Coe was informed of this and has done nothing to investigate it.
These issues have culminated in a vote of no-confidence in both Chief Coe and Commander Fagan by the Beaumont Police Officers Association. A VONC is as serious as it gets when it comes to any member of a police department.
The council, mayor and city manager have had knowledge of VONC against the chief for 1 year and the VONC against Commander Greg Fagan for several months. It is my understanding that no action has been taken in response to those notifications.
I feel that it is my civic duty and moral obligation to publicly discuss this matter in open session so that the citizens of Beaumont are not kept in the dark on such important issues.
I am not here as police officers asking for a pay raise or better benefits. I am not here making self-serving requests or asking for favors. I am here to provide information, discuss matters of public importance, and help to educate this Council with the hope that it will do the right thing.
It is my recommendation that a truly independent investigation be launched against Chief Coe and Commander Fagan regarding these allegations. I further ask that once you are provided with sufficient information to show that these allegations are true, you begin a search for suitable replacements for both Chief Coe and Commander Fagan. Thank you.