So What Did Lieutenant Kathryn Hamel Do?

Sgt. Kathryn Hamel

By now you’ve likely seen that the City of Fullerton and the Fullerton Police Department cut a deal with Lieutenant Kathryn Hamel and in doing so bypassed CA’s disclosure law known as SB1421.

We just received a tip which gives us some context into this whole Hamel ordeal. Most of the details are buried but a diligent anonymous soul divulged some of it.

First it appears that Lieutenant Hamel was the subject of two internal affairs investigations and at least one of them was completed. This first image shows this much.

Hamel-IA

We know, thanks to Transparent California, that Fullerton at the time only had 6 Lieutenants.

But to narrow it down more we were also sent the following:

This arrest of Rock Wagner resulted in a lawsuit against the City of Fullerton which we believe is still pending.

Finally we have this image which was sent along to show that even the settlement agreement was written to omit certain facts.

Hamel-Skelly

It would seem that Hamel wasn’t innocent of the charges that led to the internal affairs investigations because they rescheduled a “Skelly” hearing against her.

Now let us put that in context with our earlier post:

“all charges against Hamel, including charges relating to dishonesty, deceit, untruthfulness, false or misleading statements, ethics or maliciousness were never resolved or proven because there was no Skelly hearing or opportunity for appeal and, accordingly, are not sustained.”

If you’re wondering what a “Skelly” hearing is I’ll let the city of Fullerton’s own city attorney Jones & Mayer lay it out:

Due process requires that any deprivation of life, liberty, or property be preceded by notice and opportunity for hearing appropriate to the nature of the case. In California, this is referred to as a Skelly hearing or conference, after the California Supreme Court decision in Skelly v. State Personnel Board, 15 Cal. 3d 194 (1975).

The Ninth Circuit held that, at a minimum, these pre-removal safeguards must include notice of the proposed action, the reasons therefore, a copy of the charges and materials upon which the action is based, and the right to respond, either orally or in writing, to the authority initially imposing discipline.

Basically you don’t schedule a skelly hearing unless you’re going to discipline somebody and take something away from them – usually their job.

That last image shows that the city scheduled and then “re-set” the Skelly hearing to “put another date on the calendar” and yet the city dropped all charges claiming there was no hearing. Obviously there can’t be a hearing if you’re just using one as a bargaining chip instead of actually holding your people accountable.

This is shameful.

This whole situation looks like nothing but a way to game SB1421 allowing the police to avoid disclosing “dishonesty, deceit, untruthfulness, false or misleading statements, ethics or maliciousness” on the part of one of their own and hiding behind union bought secrecy to get away with it.

This is shameful and the people deserve better from our public servants which is why SB1421 was passed and signed by Jerry Brown in the first place. Instead of honesty and integrity behind the badge and from our public servants we get corruption and cover-ups.

Shame on Fullerton. Shame on our city council for never doing anything to get the bad apples in FPD under control. Shame on the Fullerton PD brass for playing along and shame on the men and women in law enforcement who turn a blind eye to all of this corruption in order to save their paychecks.

We need our officers and public servants to remember these words often attributed to Edmund Burke;

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

34 Replies to “So What Did Lieutenant Kathryn Hamel Do?”

  1. Unfortunately, the only person doing anything is Lonnie.

    What a joke. I guess our only option is to pay the bill and drive over pothole filled roads.

  2. No – our ONLY option is call people in media and at the city and talk about this complete wreck of a station! It just goes on and on. Cannot tell you how tired I am of hearing Fullerton PD completely make a disaster of itself. It’s wrecking lives,wrecking people, wrecking careers and they continue on as if nothing happens. This has got to stop!

  3. I don’t know about all that, but this chick is a piece of ass. No wonder Fullerton PD is fuck-fest with top lady cop action like this.

    1. Oh HELL NO! As an officer myself I’ve had the misfortune of meeting this piece of work too many times at various police functions and trust me when I say, the last time I saw something like her up close, I flushed it!

      She’s so ugly she scares the shit back into people! Sorry man. Nobody will touch that Baboon with a 10-foot pole. Maybe if she ate some of the cake batter (makeup) she spackles on her face, she might have a fighting chance of being pretty on the inside (“fighting chance” being the operative word). She’s the locker room joke – Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! Run!

  4. The author of this article seems to have a bias, and because of that bias, has obtained
    and used confidential information provided from someone who in a position of trust violated that trust, for a purpose that is apparently intended to directly and/or indirectly libel the subject of the documents and undermined the confidence of the officials of Fullerton.

    In the real world, not the dream world that this author and his informant may live in, a high percentage of legal issues are settled between the parties and not taken to their fruition in a court of law. There are many reasons for this including and not limited to uncertainty of the result, the effect on any pending related cases, and costs, in this case to both the people of Fullerton and the subject of the documents.

    What the subject allegedly did, if true and accurate, is completely unacceptable and the people of Fullerton deserve better of their employed and elected officials. The people of Fullerton should not have individuals with the lack of character and integrity demonstrated in this case in their employ. Someone that would commit the acts alleged should be immediately separated from service That result was achieved by this settlement. The city has apparently taken the action they felt was best for all and moved on. The author of this article should recognize this also and in my humble opinion should move on as well.

    1. Hey, Fullerton has a few job openings.

      You clearly like to hear yourself talk. You’ll fit right in. Apply today!

      1. He didn’t write that. If he did, it’d be in all caps.

        GREG SMASH BUG! GREG LIKE TO SMASH!

    2. “best for all and move on” Have you ever been arrested from your house with pounding on the door in the middle of the day; not read your rights; 4 police cars with flashing lights; a search warrant and not told why; booked; then make bail? Didn’t think so…. Yeah, let’s just all ‘move on’ since that’s the ‘best for all’…

      1. FYI, almost nothing you mentioned is misconduct. An arrest with a warrant does not require you being shown the warrant or had it’s basis explained to you by the officers arresting you. It is not required to read any rights when arresting someone, it’s only required for a custodial interrogation to occur and the fruits of that custodial interrogation to be admissible during the prosecution the arrest leads to. You can’t sue for anything to do with Miranda v. Arizona and prevail for money damages, period.

        You ever get arrested by FPD on a counterfeit warrant, get charged with a nonsexual, nonviolent, nonserious crime that gets redesignated a serious felony 6 years later, not make bail, and plead guilty to get out of pretrial custody months after you had a right to an OR release and dismissal for preliminary hearing timing? Didn’t think so. I have. Still a damn near impossible lawsuit, or even special proceeding to overturn the conviction.

        On that note, if anyone knows what Rhonda Cleggett did to get insulted in several comment sections on here, or if there’s a sustained finding of misconduct that exists for her, or why she retired, please make my uphill battle easier by sharing in a reply

  5. Hey Richard.-If not for the gentleman who wrote this article we would never know about coverups that happen.You might want to remain in the dark but I guarantee you most of the public does not want to. So if this article is not to your liking why don’t you apply as the gentleman above clearly stated above! I’m thankful there is still freedom of speech and we can voice our opinion and we can hear the truth . As for your beliefs about the settlement I think it’s an outrage that someone was able to commit illegal acts and then get paid off. If you think this is a fine way of handling things then we all should get free money from the city not just bad cops that choose to retire early.

    1. I love how he conveniently omitted that this person who clearly should not be employed by Fullerton had been employed, promoted, and trained by Fullerton for some time, including having a PhD milled at the taxpayer’s expense.

  6. Fullerton P D should be ashamed and embarrassed. BUT it seems like they just dont care They feel they are above the law but they arent This proves they are no better than any of us but they think they are
    WRONG. WE NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE STRENGTH N COURAGE OF A GOOD CITIZEN. THANK YOU

  7. Fullerton police have gained a reputation as a corrupt and independent criminal organization. Once all the old white baby boomers pass away, there will be hell to pay.

  8. See 5 previous blogs or search under bad cops. Tells all about her malicious behaviors and the huge coverup. See below
    She lied multiple times in an internal administrative investigation and got caught. But instead of being terminated for dishonesty, she was given a sign and trade deal!! Someone should contact her new employer very soon before the lawsuit!
    I believe she made the final decision to arrest the police officer from another department on elder abuse…..when there was none…..and opened up the city to potential liability.
    Standard protocol in a case like that is that you run the case by the DA first to make sure everything is good to go before obtaining a warrant and making an arrest. Word is that when the case was run by the DA, the DA said there wasn’t enough evidence to file charges and she couldn’t get a warrant. She made the decision to arrest anyway.

    Thus the lawsuit. She is listed as one of the named defendants,claiming false arrest, defamation and wrongful death, among other allegations

    After the arrests, Bonnie and Roland Wagner were removed from the house, barred from contact with the suspects and placed in residential care, where they died.

    Casselman said the suspects and their photos were paraded for the media, though evidence against them wasn’t there.

    “The investigation was nonexistent to minimal,” Casselman said. He described the case as “basically a rush to judgment.”

    “Their names have been smeared,” Casselman said. “The case was so poorly documented that the district attorney refused to file any criminal charges whatsoever.”

    I believe the fact, that the case was so poorly documented, that fact is being an issue inside the FPD for decades.
    Also, they always get the wrong victims. This is not the first time.
    But , who call the police for elder abuse-
    How incompetents FPD Officers are .
    They should sign their names in the break records of incompetence & wrong victims .
    Starting from the lower rank of cops who arrest Officer Rock all the way to the detective who handle this case.
    Wait, for this kind of situations is usually a family crime detective involved.
    I wonder who was the inept detective
    DAILY PILOT

    Laguna Beach police officer’s lawsuit accuses Fullerton of false arrest and defamation over elder abuse case

    By JULIA SCLAFANI
    NOV 13, 2018
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-laguna-police-lawsuit-20181113-story.html%3foutputType=amp

        1. Is she related to Chief Hamel of Irvine PD?
          Chief Hamel is presently covering up TWO gangrapes of women forced out of their cars and raped by onduty officers. One in June 2010 (4 officers onduty with 2 civilians that were hired in 2013- 1 by IPD and 1 by OCSD) and the other in 2013 (7 onduty IPD forced victim out of her car and sexually assaulted her, taking turns on the hood of a patrol car.)
          If there are 2 victims 3 years apart that were gangraped within blocks of each other, are there 20, 50 or 100 victims that are two afraid to come forward?
          IPD refused the 2010 victim a police report twice in 2010. In 2018, Chief Hamel instructed staff to refer her call to IA. The problem was that IA doesn’t investigate the 2 civilians and the Lt. Bingham of IA was the Sgt. in 2010 who ordered the victim out of the car
          When she finally talked to a female Lt. Scherer in IA and then made a request under the new SB1421, City Attorney Rutan and Tucker stated nothing was available. Four months later, Chief Hamel and IPD suddenly obtained a TRO
          against her and the trial is April 21, 2020 in Dept. H-11, Harbor Justice Center. The victim cannot afford an attorney. She came out of a court elevator in December to hear attorney Viet Thai Phan screaming at her IPD IA client Cathy Sherer “You don’t want to do this! She could make a Pitchess Motion”, referring to the victim potentially violating the present TRO. The IPD rapist cops and Chief Hamel have something to hide. Irvine is no longer the safest city in the U.S.

          1. Did you ever find out if the two Hamels were related and whatever happened to the case in April 2020? Unbelievable and painful to read.

    1. Too bad the “journalism” major didn’t tie in the information about who perpetrated this injustice and how the City covered up for her just get rid of her. Not a single question in the article about Fullerton’s motive. All she had to do is read FFFF!

      1. Have patience, my friend. The time will come soon and Fullerton will once again be on the hot seat. Only this time heads will roll..

  9. On 04/06/2022. The Superior Court of California certifies Wendy Wagner and Norman James McBride, their FACTUAL OF INNOCENCE HAS BEEN GRANTED for of all charge(s) for which their arrest was made.

    The Court orders the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense, the Department of Justice, and any law enforcement agency which arrested the petitioner or participated in the arrest of the petitioner for an offense for which the petitioner has been found factually innocent under Penal Code section 851.8 to seal their records of the arrest and the court order to seal and to destroy such records, for three years from the date of the arrest and thereafter to destroy their records of the arrest and the court order to seal and destroy such records.

    The Court orders the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense and the Department of Justice to request the destruction of any records of the arrest which they have given to any local, state, or federal agency, person or entity.

    Thank God this is over!
    Norman James McBride

    PS: Wendy and myself took her parents in OUR HOME, because they needed our help and this is what we are supposed to do right? Shame on all who was involved in this SHIT SHOW and sat on the side lines and you know who you are. “When we grow old, hopefully family will step up and take care of their parents and do the right thing”.

    Beware all who was involved, you will all get old one day and you may find yourself tossed in a care facility where no one really cares….

    1. Mr. McBride, do you have the names of the HB officers that were present at the arrest of yourself and Wendy? I am particularly interested in whether former IPD officer Kyle Tanabe was one of them. Mike Hamel protected Tanabe and Denny Bak after a 2010 car stop gang rape. Then another woman came forward in 2013. Suddenly Tanabe laterally transferred to HB and Denny Bak transferred to Fullerton (to hide under Katie Hamel’s skirt?) Bak then transferred to Costa Mesa PD and is actively stalking his 2010 victim WITH Kyle Tanabe, who is a UC Drug officer. Tanabe is a loose cannon, so if you or your counsel can verify if he was involved, I’d appreciate it.

  10. Now Mike Hamel has eased into yet another position where he can potentially ruin the lives of OC citizens: Hamel is the Chief of Security Operations for Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. Won’t be surprised if victims of IPD officers that end up at the Hoag ER have “no chance of survival” or have their rape kits “missing”. Hamel appeared to especially like missing rape kits when he was Chief at Irvine PD? We have the name of the cop who picked it up, Mikey!
    Congratulations to Wendy Wagner and Norman James McBride. It was a long road to be vindicated, and I hope your battle reverberates through both departments involved, as well as the Hamels!

  11. I don’t favor a woman like you a police officer Kathryn Hamel. One thing are you desperate saying those things. Mind your own life. I don’t have respect for you. Using your name without your rank. If your insecure about your vericose veins. Your well off do something. You are not an attractive witch.Serve and protect yeah right.I am turning 50 this September.

  12. I don’t like you. I heard someone saying your name. Reality check I googled the name. It turned out fpd. Only a walking distance to where I go for treatment Fullerton PACT.. Get a life you jealous witch. To think your a smart woman. I left you a message on your answering machine at fpd. You shoot me where it hurts right? You are a lousey community police officer. You are a insecurel.You told many things. Oh yeah, how do you know Nathan Rangel? Get a life!

  13. You didn’t care about people. I gave you the benefit of a doubt for so many remarks at what location I am at. Thank you may the devil let you lived a long time. By the way what is your religion? Are you an atheist, better yet a heathen. You are a lousey and ignorant witch.

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