Top cop’s job investigated

Newport Beach police Chief John Klein’s appointment to the position in 2007 could be invalidated pending an investigation by the Civil Service Board, officials familiar with city code suggested.

City Ordinance No. 866 requires the chief to be selected from a list of candidates. That list is compiled through an “open” recruitment, meaning a recruitment “not restricted to city employees,” according to the ordinance.

In the March 2 Civil Service Board staff report, and confirmed by a city official, Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau recruited Klein from a closed recruitment, meaning it was limited to city employees.

Bludau acknowledged his intentions in a May 2006 board meeting, according to the board minutes.

According to the same ordinance, Bludau apparently is guilty of a misdemeanor.

That violation, among others alleged, are now at the center of an outside investigation into the promotional process in the police department.

With the support of Klein and Newport Beach’s police management union, the Civil Service Board has brought in an outside investigator to look into concerns raised by the union regarding the chief’s hiring, contracts signed without City Council approval and how candidates are judged for promotions.

No one is suggesting that Bludau should actually be charged with a misdemeanor.

After all, in the May 2006 Civil Service Board meeting he plainly told board members he’d be looking to go along with the “intent” of the ordinance for recruiting the chief, though he wouldn’t follow it. Bludau did not return calls for comment.

But department officials, who have requested anonymity for fear of political retribution, are asking why the chief was selected in a closed recruitment.

It’s not clear whether the Civil Service Board investigation will look into that.

In a special meeting Monday, the board chose James Blaylock, a veteran police officer with experience investigating sensitive police department issues, to look into the promotional process for Newport Beach police officers.

The Police Management Assn. has raised concerns with the board that the promotional process has become too subjective, a fact seemingly confirmed by a sergeant’s successful lawsuit verdict handed down Tuesday.

Blaylock will be assigned to investigate not only the chief’s hiring, but if contracts signed by Bludau and Police Department leaders regarding retired-officers continuing to work for the department were approved by the City Council as required by city policy. A city official confirmed they were not.

On top of that, Blaylock will look into how promotional candidates are ranked and hired and if personal opinions hold too much sway over those rankings.

Blaylock said he has yet to review the scope of the investigation he’s been assigned to conduct, but whatever it is may take months.

The City Council retains power in Newport Beach, and as city ordinance spells out, the Civil Service Board’s findings will likely be reported to them for any ultimate decision, including punishment.

Reporter JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].