Torrance City Council upholds termination of police officer in closed session

The Torrance City Council voted in closed session to uphold the termination of a police officer, the city attorney reported after the meeting.

The city attorney (name not specified) told the council in open session that "earlier during closed session, the council voted by a vote of 5 to 0 with council member Kaji and Gerson being absent to uphold the termination of a police officer." The council heard the matter during a closed session authorized under California Government Code section 54957, which permits discussion of public employee discipline.

The council recessed to closed session on items including labor negotiations, public employee discipline, real property negotiations and existing litigation, then returned to open session where City Manager (name not specified) reported nothing to disclose. After the city attorney announced the closed-session vote result, an unnamed council member moved to adjourn the meeting to Tuesday, March 25, 2025, with closed session at 5:00 p.m. and regular business beginning at 6:30 p.m.; the motion was seconded and the clerk stated it carried.

No members of the public spoke during the oral communications period prior to the closed session. At the start of the meeting the city clerk stated Council members Gerson and Kaji were absent; Council members Kalani, Lewis, Metucci and Sheikh and Mayor Chen were present.

The council's formal action to uphold the termination was announced only as the closed-session outcome; the transcript does not include the full motion text, any supporting staff report in open session, or further details about the officer or next steps such as appeals, and those items were not specified in public remarks.