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May 13, 2019September 9, 2020Bad Cops

What Happened to Fullerton’s Lieutenant Hamel?

The last time we wrote about Fullerton Police Lieutenant Kathryn Hamel it was to share the rumor we had heard that she was on admin leave.

“Word also has it that Katie Hamel, wife of Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel, has been put on leave but we’re trying to very that information and she would make, at least, #4 currently on leave.”

Today we’re wondering what she did to get fired.

We ask because “Dr.” Hamel appears to have a new career as the Dean of Criminology at the online diploma mill that is California Southern University.

Dr Dean Katie Hamel

We doubt she just walked away from her FPD gig with the total compensation package of over $230,000/year so the likelihood is that she was fired for cause.

Katie Hamel 2017 Pay

Anybody care to share the cause?

December 19, 2018September 9, 2020Bad Cops

FPD Officer on Wrong Side of DUI

by Lonnie Machin48 Comments

We’d like to introduce you to Officer Marc Bastreri — and his DUI in Huntington Beach — a whopping 113 days after becoming a Fullerton officer.

More info to come as we get it.

Officer-Bastreri-DUI

Officer-Bastreri-Hired

This is Fullerton’s best and brightest.

Seriously, according to Fullerton’s own Comprehensive Financial Audit Report, as received and filed at council last night, we’re in the black because we’re understaffed and we only hire the best.

Or, rather:

“Expenditures decreased $1.5 million over the prior year due to increased vacant positions as a result of increased hiring scrutiny and the region’s competitive work force with low unemployment.”

We might need to work on that increased scrutiny thing what with alcohol related shenanigans being such a problem at FPD lately.

December 10, 2018December 10, 2018Bad Cops

Another Possible Cover-up by FPD

by Joshua21 Comments

This involves some rumors. Proceed accordingly.

Roseler-Stabbing-Investiation

A few months ago an unnamed Fullerton Police Officer was allegedly stabbed in Placentia by an unidentified “Hispanic male”. Four agencies swarmed (Placentia PD, Fullerton PD, CSUF State Police & OC Sheriff’s) and a suspect was picked up, had his info blasted on social media and in press releases — only later to be cleared and released.

Carerra-Arrested

This is where all four agencies left things and no new information has been publicly presented.

Here are the relevant news stories.

Per CBS (22 Sept):

The Fullerton Police Department, Orange County Sheriffs Department and Cal State Fullerton Police Department, made an extensive search of the area.

Officers detained and later arrested a parolee named James Carrera, a 19-year-old Placentia resident. Carrera was booked on an assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Police did not know if the officer was targeted but they said Carrera was out on parole for weapons violations and possibly knew the officer.

Per OC Register (23 Sept):

The victim was released hours after being treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Fullerton Police Lt. Tony Rios. He said the injured officer was at home recovering the day after the attack and is expected to return to duty in the next few days.

“I spoke to him this morning and he seems to be doing well,” said Rios. “He’s a strong young guy and he should be back soon.”

Per KTLA (23 Sept):

Investigators described the attacker as a Latino man in his late-teens or early-20s, of thin build. He had short, black hair and wore a baggie, black T-shirt.

Rumors lately have it that the officer made up the “Hispanic Male” and has been put on admin leave with nary a word or apology by the cites or agencies involved. Apparently now we’re hiring Leopold “Butters” Stotch’s mom at Fullerton PD:

SomePuertoRicanGuy

Alas, that might turn out differently because ultimately Mrs. Stotch confessed. Instead we now actually know, thanks to diligent records requests, that the officer in question is one Nathan Roesler.

Roelser Got Stabbed (more…)

December 8, 2018December 8, 2018Bad Cops

Hendricks Already Up for a New Gig

by Joshua15 Comments

Former Fullerton Police Chief David Hendricks is already up for a new gig at Mt. Sac. He’s apparently a finalist for the job of Mt. Sac Police Chief.

Hendricks-Mt-Sac

You have to love that description and what it omits.

“A long history at the Long Beach Police Department.”

And a short history in Fullerton. That ended in disgrace.

Lest we forget, Hendricks is being charged with Battery on EMTs and resisting and obstructing an officer. No wonder that was omitted. (more…)

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018Bad Cops

Hendricks & Oliveras Charged with Battery

by Joshua23 Comments

It’s been a busy day at the OCDA’s office re: Fullerton. First charges against Doug Chaffee’s wife Paulette and now our former Chief and a Captain have been charged with battery for their shenanigans at a Lady Antebellum concert.

Hendricks-Oliveras-Charges

Hot Off of the Presses:

Case # 18HM15615

December 7, 2018

OFF-DUTY FULLERTON POLICE CHIEF AND CAPTAIN CHARGED WITH BATTERY ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AT CONCERT IN IRVINE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – The former Fullerton Police Department (FPD) chief and a captain were charged with battery on emergency medical technicians at a concert in Irvine.

Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date

David James Hendricks, 47

Charged today with the following misdemeanor counts:

(2) Battery on emergency medical technician (EMT)

Resisting and obstructing officer

Three years in county jail Arraignment

Jan. 9, 2019, 8:30 a.m.

Department H-8, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach

Thomas William Oliveras Jr., 50

Battery on emergency medical technician

Resisting and obstructing officer

Two years in county jail Arraignment

Jan. 9, 2019, 8:30 a.m.

Department H-8, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach

Circumstances of the Case

On Aug. 24, 2018, Hendricks and Oliveras were off-duty and attended a concert in Irvine with their spouses. Hendricks’ wife needed medical attention and EMTs responded to assess her condition.

Hendricks is accused of pushing two EMTs as they attempted to provide treatment and Oliveras is accused of putting one victim in a headlock.

The Irvine Police Department responded to the scene and the defendants are accused of obstructing and delaying the investigation.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Moore, Special Prosecutions Unit

We’ll let you know what happens on 09 January 2019.

August 29, 2018Bad Cops

Fullerton Makes the National News

by Joshua12 Comments

Fullerton made it into USA Today.

Are you proud?

February 26, 2017February 26, 2017Fullerton City Council Candidates

Old Hornet Rejects New Tax

by The Fullerton Harpoon9 Comments

Here’s a fellow named Skip Davis who gives our “honorable” City Council an earful about the proposal to create a new property tax in downtown Fullerton to pay for the mess created by City politicians in the first place: the Culture of Booze.

It was fun to watch ol’ Skip unload on the notion of a Bizness Improvement District with its attendant tax, a tax generally aimed at people completely innocent of the mayhem that our City Council caused and their cops can’t control. But Skip makes a salient point: why is his retirement income so easy for the government to lay its hands on when the Heroes in the back of the room have completely sacrosanct (and massive) pensions.

February 4, 2017February 24, 2017A Step in the Right Direction

Behind the Badge: The No-Bid No No and An Email to the Council

by Disillusioned Ex-Hippy22 Comments

I rescued a cat. The beat down on that kid never happened.

FFFF has tracked the obscene waste of taxpayer money – $200,000 so far – on a vacuous, pro-cop PR outlet run by Cornerstone Communication called “Back the Badge.” We have noted a supremely fuzzy contract, approved only by a bureaucrat and managed in the most slip-shod fashion.

On February 2nd, Mr. Travis Kiger sent a communication about it to Mayor Bruce Whitaker. We faithfully reproduce it, here:

Mayor Whitaker,

After reviewing the contract, purchase orders and payments to Cornerstone Communications, along with the communication from the city below, it is clear that the City Manager issued the contract and payments improperly.

City code 2.64.050 and city policy requires a Formal Bid Procedure be followed for awards over $50,000. On 3/28/2013, the City Manager signed a contract with Cornerstone Communications not to exceed $40,000 with no evidence of a Formal Bid Procedure. On 5/20/13, less than 2 months later, the city issued a purchase order extending the contract by 6 months and $23,000. This PO brought the total contract value to $63,000 in the first year. This maneuvering suggests that the City Manager intentionally bypassed the city’s requirement for a formal bid procedure.

This issue is even more alarming considering that City Manager and the Chief of Police had an existing relationship with Bill Rams, the proprietor of Cornerstone Communications, prior to the initial contract issuance.

Additionally, there were $32,000 of payments to Cornerstone Communications from 4/1/14 through 11/1/14 that were made without an active contract or purchase order. This is an egregious error that is further complicated by city management’s pre-existing relationship with the vendor.

There are other problems with this vendor relationship. Purchase orders were issued in excess of the contracted amounts and term without an updated contract. The contract is open ended, vague and does not provide for specific performance. The contract does not require the vendor to deliver performance reporting, nor is there evidence that the vendor provided evidence of effectiveness of deliverables, which is customary in online marketing agreements.

Given the improper nature of the issuance of the contract, which was renewed over four consecutive years without the approval of the City Council, and the sudden departure of the City Manager who oversaw this contract, I strongly believe the council should review the contract and payments to Cornerstone Communications at a public meeting immediately.

Thank you,

Travis Kiger

Email re Cornerstone Communications

Cornerstone Communications Contract and Invoices

Now let’s see what Mr. Whitaker and the City will do with it, if anything.

December 12, 2016July 29, 2017A Step in the Right Direction

FJC Hornets Take Top Spot in Final National Football Poll

by The Fullerton Harpoon17 Comments

The Fullerton Junior College Hornet football team have been named the number one JC team in the country per JCFootball.com. The team went 12-1 in 2016 and was one aggressively lousy call away from beating Saddleback, and running the table.

So congrats you Hornets and die-hard Hornet fans.

And maybe somebody in the FJC administration will wake up and decide to start playing home games at FHS or over at CSUF.

December 1, 2016A Step in the Right Direction

Okay, So Maybe I was Wrong!

by admin13 Comments

By Tony Bushala, Guest Contributor

Way back in 2010 I offered a post attacking Norberto Santana and his relatively new blog Voice of OC. The title was “The Sad Degenerate World of Norberto Santana.” It was a pretty tough post attacking Santana’s objectivity given the fact of his financial backing by the OCEA union and what some of us perceived as slanted reporting. I won’t go into any more detail. You can check out the original post, here.

Well, over six years have passed and I, like many others have come to appreciate the good things Norberto and the Voice of OC have done uncovering the bad behavior of many of our so-called “conservative” leaders in Orange County. The Voice has been particularly effective uncovering the influence peddling going on in Anaheim, but also covering the County level, where the Board of Supervisors have been working us over like we were peons on their plantation. Their Board’s latest little tactic is to limit public comment to just 3 minutes per person, per meeting. Pretty shameful, right?

With an almost complete lack of competent news coverage on local stuff from the mainstream media, it is more important than ever that we recognize and financially support the the Voice of OC.