Crook appointed acting UPD chief

Waidelich on paid administrative leave

Capt. Cedric Crook was appointed acting chief of the Ukiah Police Department this week after Chief Noble Waidelich was put on administrative leave effective Tuesday, City Manager Sage Sangiacomo said Thursday.

The city announced late June 14 that Waidelich was put on leave due to a criminal investigation being launched by the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, and that the city was “cooperating with investigating authorities while completing the appropriate personnel investigation.”

Sgt. Juan Valencia, Public Information Officer for the SCSO, said the case originated with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, which on June 13 received “an allegation of criminal conduct involving Ukiah Police Chief Noble Waidelich. Due to the close working relationship between the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office and the Ukiah Police Department, Sheriff (Matt) Kendall requested the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office conduct the investigation for transparency purposes.”

When more information regarding the case was requested from the SCSO under the California Public Records Act, the request was denied due to the incident currently being under investigation, and “therefore the crime report and any related information will not be disclosed to you at this time.”

At the beginning of the Ukiah City Council meeting Wednesday, City Attorney David Rapport sought to add an “urgency item” to that evening's agenda as part of the Closed Session.

Rapport described the item as related to a “public employee's discipline, dismissal and release, and there is no requirement to disclose the identity of the em

ployee or the position at this time.” The item was added to the City Council's Closed Session at the end of the June 15 meeting.

Reached for comment Thursday, City Manager Sangicomo said he could not comment when asked directly if the Urgency Item was related to Chief Waidelich. When asked if Waidelich had been fired, Sangiacomo said that as of Thursday morning, the information the city provided in its Tuesday press release that described Waidelich as being on paid administrative leave was still valid.

However, Sangiacomo said that the city was working on being able to provide more information soon, perhaps by Thursday evening.

Waidelich did not respond when asked directly about his employment status.