Call for federal investigation of King City Police Dept.

Assemblymember Luis Alejo is calling for a federal investigation of the King City Police Department. It’s the latest development in a series of abrupt changes for the city’s police force, including the firing of the police chief.

Alejo wrote a letter to the United States Department of Justice, requesting the investigation.

“Given the series of reprehensible events involving police corruption, civil rights violations, and most recently the termination ‘without cause’ of the Department’s new police chief after only three and a half months of service, I believe this action by the Department of Justice is urgently needed to restore public trust and ensure policing is conducted in accordance with the law,” Alejo wrote in the letter.

The city terminated Forgue without cause on October 6. He was with the department for about 3 months and wanted to solve the city’s unsolved homicides.

“So there’s something that doesn’t smell right, and all we’re doing is searching for something as simple as true answers and what happened recently in the King City Police Department,” Alejo said.

But getting those answers hasn’t been easy. City leaders have repeatedly said they won’t comment on Forgue’s firing because it’s a personnel matter.

Alejo says he finds the timing suspicious, led to believe all of this began when Forgue started looking into those old homicide cases.

“Started asking the questions,” Alejo explained, “Evidence disappeared… He also reached out to the FBI asking for their help in the audit of the evidence and a week later, he’s being dismissed. So for me, I find that a very serious allegation, but I’m not a law enforcement expert.”

Following the termination, a letter from the King City Police Officer’s Association leaked about some of the officers’ lack of confidence in the acting commander, who was moved to acting chief. The letter called for an investigation of Acting Commander Alex Tirado. While the city claims it’s just a few upset officers behind the letter of no confidence, the POA claims otherwise. The city did agree to move forward with an investigation.

Then on Tuesday, the city announced Tony Sollecito has agreed to serve as interim police chief. In a press release, the city manager wrote, “The City is pleased Chief Sollecito was willing to return and continue to work with us to rebuild the Police Department.” He will start on the 19th, and Tirado will serve as acting chief until then.

Earlier this year, Alejo requested an audit of the police department. That audit should be done in about three months.