Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe on Friday criticized the Antioch police union’s attorney for accusing him of stripping the police chief’s decision-making authority.
Attorney Mike Rains, who represents the Antioch Police Officers’ Association, stated in an interview with KTVU on Thursday that he believes the chief was frustrated with his limited decision-making power regarding the investigation and the department’s management.
Thorpe responded to these claims in a Facebook post on Friday, stating that the attorney was attempting to politicize the current state of the police department. The chief announced their retirement on Wednesday.
“The actions committed by your clients are extremely egregious and unusual, requiring a strong leader to restore order to the Antioch Police Department.”
In his letter, Thorpe mentioned that Chief Steve Ford believed he could change the mindset of the department members but encountered a toxic culture that disrespected him in a racially insensitive manner.
“This morning I had a positive conversation with Chief Steve Ford regarding his retirement announcement. Although Chief Ford and I maintain regular communication, I was traveling back from a transportation conference in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday.
“I expressed my gratitude for Chief Ford’s service, and he confirmed that the reforms we’ve initiated have established a strong foundation for new leadership.
“There will be local blogs and a paid lawyer representing the officers involved in the racist text messaging scandal who will try to exploit his retirement announcement for political purposes.”
Ford has not provided a specific reason for their departure, but in a letter addressed to the council and others, they attributed the department’s achievements to the City Council’s support, the citizens of Antioch, and the dedicated members of the police department who have embraced organizational changes.
Acting City Manager Kwame Reed stated that he plans to discuss the initiatives Ford has been working on over the past 16 months.
“We simply want to ensure that we can continue these positive efforts,” he said.
Reed will appoint an acting chief to temporarily assume Ford’s responsibilities, but it is uncertain if the City Council will have a more active role in selecting the new chief this time.