South Gate Police Seek Recall of Officials

South Gate’s police unions launched a voter recall campaign Monday against the City Council majority in a battle over the next deputy chief.

The long-brewing issue escalated at the council meeting, where hundreds crowded the chambers as Mayor Raul Moriel, Vice Mayor Xochilt Ruvalcaba and council member Maria Benavides were presented with recall papers. Union officials said they also will serve city Treasurer Albert Robles, who wasn’t at the meeting, with a recall notice.

The unions must now collect signatures on petitions before a recall vote would be held.

Historically, the police chief has chosen his deputy from within the police ranks. This time, however, officials hired two executive search firms to consider candidates from outside the department.

On Monday night, the council named Rick Lopez, police chief of Maywood, to the post.

The South Gate police unions claim that the council majority engineered a “sham” selection process aimed at giving what they call an unqualified candidate the position. They fear the new deputy chief will help Robles become a police officer and eventually attain a high-ranking position, possibly chief.

“He wants to become a policeman, and he needs somebody on the inside to bring him in,” said Al Lopez, president of the Police Officers Assn.

Robles, a former mayor of the working-class city in southeast Los Angeles County, is taking classes at a police academy. But earlier Monday he denied playing any role in the hiring process.

The unions on Monday asked the Los Angeles County Grand Jury to investigate the selection process.

“How can a corrupt process ever come up with anything but a corrupt candidate?” asked Sylvia Kellison, the attorney for the Police Officers Assn. and the Police Management Assn.

No outsider has ever been selected to the top ranks of the 97-member police force.

He said in a telephone interview that he is qualified for the South Gate job and would not be beholden to the council.