Chief f iles claim against city
Costa Mesa official files lawsuit, alleging bias, retaliation and investigation threats.
Departing Costa Mesa Police Chief Rob Sharpnack says he’s being forced out.
Departing Costa Mesa Police Chief Rob Sharpnack has filed a claim against the city, alleging that he is being forced out of his position after raising issues about the most recent budget development process and what he considers the City Council’s “interference” in his department.
The city denied the allegations Monday.
“The city wishes Chief Sharpnack the best in his retirement,” said Costa Mesa spokesman Tony Dodero. “We are grateful for his service.”
Sharpnack’s claim, dated Nov. 8, alleges that the city “discriminated and retaliated” against him after he complained about the “improper interference into the affairs of the city Police Department” and about the budget process earlier this year.
“While Chief Sharpnack had planned and desired to end his law enforcement career with the city ... the city’s actions and omissions have made/are making this extremely difficult, if not impossible,” the claim states.
The claim doesn’t go into detail about the allegations of interference, and Sharpnack could not immediately be reached for further comment Monday.
When asked what interference Sharpnack might be referring to, Mayor Katrina Foley responded, “I have no idea.”
“We appreciate the hard work of our CMPD leadership team to rebuild our department,” Foley said Monday. “Our current council majority understands our role as policymakers, not managers, and support allowing the CMPD leadership to rebuild their department as they see appropriate to better serve our community.”
Sharpnack’s claim seeks more than $10,000 in damages for emotional distress, legal fees and the forfeiture of “five years of potential pension earnings.”
“The city’s acts and omissions may also result in additional significant future damage in potentially precluding Chief Sharpnack from obtaining future employment,” the claim states.
According to the claim, the city threatened Oct. 18 to fire Sharpnack, as well as launch “a retaliatory ‘investigation’ in order to manufacture nonexistent ‘cause’ in an attempt to force him to immediately ‘retire’ and/or to force him out on immediate ‘leave.’ ”
That day, Sharpnack told City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison that he would be on vacation effective immediately, according to a memo obtained by the Daily Pilot.
The claim alleges that, despite Sharpnack’s being “ready, willing and able to return to work” Oct. 28, he was told the city “did not want him to do so and, if he did, he would be ‘investigated.’ ”
The claim is the latest example of the deteriorating relationship between some of the top brass at City Hall and Sharpnack, who became chief in 2015.
Some of the first cracks began to show publicly in May, when Sharpnack sent a memo to the City Council criticizing the proposed 2019-20 budget, which he claimed shortchanged the Police Department and jeopardized public safety.
During their meeting Tuesday, City Council members were expected to review a proposed three-year plan to fund a list of projects in the Police Department, including some that Sharpnack had cited as pressing.
Emails the Daily Pilot obtained through a public records request show further strain regarding Sharpnack’s retirement.
Sharpnack confirmed his retirement plans to the Pilot on Oct. 18 and said his last day on the job would be Dec. 21. But emails show that the timing and nature of his announcement had been the subject of a behind-thescenes tug-of-war for days.
In an Oct. 15 memo that Sharpnack sent to the city manager about his retirement, he wrote that he felt he had “to share the information with my department no later than tomorrow.”
Farrell Harrison asked him to hold off, writing that “there should not be an announcement tomorrow, as we have no plan in place and that is of utmost importance.”
Sharpnack replied on Oct. 16 that “the way I have been treated here has degraded and undermined my leadership.” He said he had told Farrell Harrison of his retirement plans on Oct. 10 and had already agreed to delay notifying his department for a week.
“Your message to me comes off as very self-centered and political,” he wrote. “Isn’t this supposed to be a joyful moment for me? The main reason I have decided to leave my great Police Department is the fact [that] I am just sick of the micromanaging and controlling politics. I have seen many chiefs depart from this department and others over my 25-year career. I have yet to see what you are suggesting and certainly do not want to be part of some ‘staged’ dog and pony show.”
Farrell Harrison responded that “rushing the announcement of your departure to your department can undermine the legacy of the proud leadership that you’ve had in the city.”
Dodero, the spokesman, said the city manager has the “duty and responsibility to develop a succession plan to share with the City Council, staff and the public related to the city’s most critical leadership positions. A well-coordinated plan allows the city to proactively prepare for a change in leadership in a professional and orderly fashion.”
Farrell Harrison’s reply was time-stamped at 2:56 p.m. Oct. 16. However, records show Sharpnack had informed his department of his impending departure by email roughly 45 minutes before.
Money writes for Times Community News.