by
Bob Ponting
SAN
DIEGO — La Mesa police arrested a San Diego police officer Tuesday on domestic
violence charges, officials said.
Officer
Gilbert Lorenzo was arrested and booked into county jail Tuesday afternoon by
La Mesa police, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said.
San
Diego police contacted the neighboring police department after receiving a call
alleging that Lorenzo had abused his wife, she said.
“We
received the information early yesterday afternoon,” Zimmerman said. “We
immediately contacted La Mesa Police Department, because it occurred in their
city, and within just several hours after that, I revoked his police powers and
suspended him without pay. He was booked into jail.”
Lorenzo’s
wife was the alleged victim of the abuse, but she did not require medical
attention, La Mesa police Lt. Matt Nicholass said. Lorenzo posted $50,000 bail
and was release on bond, Nicholass added. Zimmerman and Nicholass refused to
discuss details of the allegations against Lorenzo, saying they did not want to
jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
Zimmerman
said she moved quickly after learning of the accusations against Lorenzo. She
said the department will no tolerate misconduct by any of its officers.
“It’s
called the police officers bill of rights,” said Chris Morris, Attorney. Morris was also the head of the Criminal
Division under former City Attorney Mike Aguirre.
Morris
called Chief Zimmerman’s actions harsh and said she doesn’t have the right to
revoke Lorenzo’s police powers.
“Typically
you’d place this officer on some sort of administrative leave,” said Morris.
He
also said to punish before a thorough investigation and hearing is a violation
of the officer’s due process rights.
“This
is the kind of case where the police officers bill of rights is meant to
protect an officer’s pre disciplinary pre termination rights to a hearing,”
explained Morris. “He has rights to an
investigative hearing, he has rights to have counsel present.”
Zimmerman
said due process will come in two investigations. One by the La Mesa Police Department and the
other by San Diego Police Department Internal Affairs.
“I’ve
sent, as the chief of police, a very clear message — expectations that we will
be held to the highest standards on duty
and off duty,” Zimmerman said.
Lorenzo
is a 7-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department, Zimmerman said.
He
had worked in the department’s Mid-City Division and was currently assigned to
the Northern Division, she said.
Lorenzo’s
arrest is the latest in a string of cases involving allegations of misconduct
by SDPD officers. Among the other cases are allegations of sexual abuse of
female detainees and drunken driving.
“I
was very disappointed — very disappointed — to hear this news and I can tell
you our officers were very disappointed to hear this news,” Zimmerman said.
She
said “a very few” people are making terrible decisions to “discredit our badge”
and “dishonor our noble profession.”
Fox
5 also contacted the Police Officers Association, we were told no comment.