Zoo Workers Complain After Drug Questioning

A controversy erupted Wednesday at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park after a private investigative firm hired to conduct an internal investigation into alleged drug use and sales by employees began detaining dozens of workers and questioning them at length.

Several employees who talked to The Times on the condition that they not be identified complained that they were not allowed to consult union officials or attorneys and were threatened with dismissal if they refused to answer questions. The investigation and interrogation of employees was done by Kennedy Consulting & Investigations at the behest of zoo officials.

John W. Kennedy, head of the San Diego firm, did not return messages left on an answering machine at his office.

As Many as 60 Detained

Jeff Jouett, a spokesman for the Zoological Society of San Diego, refused to say how many employees were detained and questioned. But sources said as many as 60 people have been questioned since Monday, when the interrogations began. Employees said they were rounded up at their jobs and told to follow a security officer to the zoo’s back entrance. Then they were put inside vans and driven to a downtown office building, where they were questioned.

Jouett confirmed that employees were threatened with dismissal unless they cooperated with the private investigators and added that so far none have refused to answer questions. Those who refuse to answer questions will be informed that, “if they don’t, they will be suspended by management, pending further notice.”

“Not all of those being interviewed are implicated in any way in selling drugs on the grounds,” Jouett said. “We are talking to people we have some specific reason to interview with regard to drug use or sales at work.”

The investigation began in July. According to a letter sent to employees Monday, the internal probe was prompted by complaints from some employees about drug use and sales by other employees. The letter was sent by Doug Myers, executive director of the Zoological Society, who said the employees had come to him with the complaints.

According to Jouett, officials of Teamsters Local 481, which represents about 800 employees at the zoo and Wild Animal Park, has been “very supportive” of the interrogations, and “their leadership has offered to act in the best interest of the Zoological Society.”

Likely to File Objection

Bill Martin, secretary-treasurer of the local, said he was informed of the investigation Monday morning and will take no formal action until the union studies the results, which will probably be available next week.

Martin said the union will probably file an objection to the manner of the investigation. He added that he plans to meet with the union’s legal counsel this morning.

Jouett said a number of employees have been suspended with pay “because of their level of involvement” and will remain on suspension “until a disciplinary decision is made.” Disciplinary actions could include letters of reprimand, suspensions or firings, he said.

After initial denials Wednesday, Jouett confirmed that two employees were arrested, but he said the arrests were not related to the drug investigation. One case involved an employee who had let his vehicle registration lapse, he confirmed, but he refused to provide details of the other arrest.

The zoo employee who was arrested for failing to register his vehicle said he was led away in handcuffs in front of other employees. The man, who requested anonymity, said he was upset because it appeared as if he was being taken downtown as part of the drug investigation.

He said that he was ordered Monday by a supervisor to go to the zoo’s Richmond Street gate for an interview. Instead, the man and several others were ordered inside a van and driven downtown for questioning, he said. Zoo security officials refused to answer their questions about the reasons for the sudden trip, the man said.

Never Asked About Drugs

Once downtown, he said, he was taken to an office building, arrested and handcuffed because of an outstanding bench warrant issued when he missed a court appearance for a traffic ticket he received several months ago. He said he had forgotten to go to court to settle the ticket, which was issued because his vehicle registration had expired.

“I was never asked a single question about drugs,” the employee said. “I have no history of drugs. They can go back and look at me when I was 10 years old.”

He said he was disturbed that other zoo employees in the office building downtown saw him being led off in handcuffs.

“These are people I say ‘good morning’ to every day, and I don’t know if they have any idea why I was hauled off.”

The man was released after promising not to miss another court date.

“I was a little upset that my employer took me down there,” he said. “I’m just hurt. . . . I asked a lot of questions, and I am still asking questions.”

Conflicting Versions

On Wednesday, zoo officials and Lt. Dan Berglund, head of the San Diego police narcotics street team, denied that police were involved in the employee roundup and arrests. However, other San Diego officers, who asked not to be named, said narcotics officers began working with the investigative firm almost from the outset. By law, sworn peace officers must be present when drug buys are made if the evidence is to have any validity in court.

Officers were present when private investigators purchased small amounts of marijuana and methamphetamines from some zoo employees, an officer who worked on the case off and on said. He said small amounts of drugs were involved in the deals and that no hard drugs such as heroin or cocaine were included.

Officially, Berglund said, the police investigation is ongoing and that no charges have been brought against any suspects. However, a narcotics officer told The Times that several warrants will be issued “in the next few days.”

Officials familiar with the investigation said the private investigators are also looking into allegations that some zoo employees were stealing items such as T-shirts and stuffed animals and selling them at swap meets, and that some employees had defrauded the zoo by eating at the snack bars and refusing to pay.