Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Policing Personnel Appointments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public comment erupts over policing and appointments; attendees allege chief removed, city attorney and manager criticized
Summary
Dozens of residents used public comment to criticize city leadership, claim the police chief was removed and to challenge a recent council appointment; city attorney reported closed-session discussions but said no final action was taken on public employee discipline.
Dozens of people used the public-comment period to criticize recent personnel decisions, allege improper council conduct and urge council action on policing and appointments.
Multiple speakers named City Manager Raul Alvarez and the city attorney during comments, saying the council and city management had improperly removed or targeted the police chief and made at least one contested appointment without a proper quorum. Speakers alleged the towing contract for the police impound yard (referred to by multiple commenters as “OPG”) had been awarded to an out‑of‑city vendor and questioned whether that choice would send revenue and towing activity outside Montebello.
Several residents repeatedly described former Chief Paula Espinosa as a longtime, respected law-enforcement leader and said her dismissal (as described by speakers) had demoralized the police department. Speakers included Louie Lozano, Sheila Gregorian, Raul Hurtado, Margie Duarte and others who said they had personal contact with officers and the chief and urged the council to reverse personnel decisions or reinstate the chief. One commenter read a March 2022 news item announcing Chief Espinosa’s appointment in 2022.
Other speakers criticized the process used to appoint a District 5 replacement the previous month, saying two council members voted in a meeting the speakers described as lacking a quorum and that the city attorney provided defective legal guidance. Several speakers referenced ongoing or threatened litigation tied to that appointment and urged the appointed member to resign.
In contrast to those statements, the city attorney reported earlier in the meeting that the council had convened into closed session on several items including an existing-litigation briefing and a public-employee dismissal/discipline matter. The city attorney said staff briefed council and that, on the public-employee item, “no action was taken and therefore there’s nothing further to report.” The city attorney also said one council member stepped out of closed session for an anticipated litigation matter and that no action had been taken on that matter.
Speakers asked for accountability, said they planned recalls and lawsuits, and criticized city leadership by name. The council did not take public action during the meeting to reverse personnel or contracting decisions.
