City probes new allegations against police chief

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Yakima police Chief Sam Granato is the subject of another internal investigation by the city, this time over an allegation that he made a threatening remark about an officer who supported the re-election campaign of Mayor Micah Cawley.

City officials are being tight-lipped about complaints filed last month by the two unions representing staff at the Yakima Police Department. On Tuesday, a lawyer for one of the unions sent a copy of its complaint to members of the City Council, along with a letter complaining that City Manager Dick Zais appears to be dragging his feet or not taking their concerns seriously.

Zais received the requests for an investigation a month ago, and police unions contend he has been slow to respond. Zais says he's had to deal with legal red tape and that the city has been busy with other issues.

The key witness in the complaints was not contacted by an investigator until Wednesday -- a day after city officials learned the witness had just been interviewed by the Yakima Herald-Republic.

"There's other work going on and I've been busy on a lot of other issues," said Zais.

Meanwhile, John Moon, a retired Yakima police sergeant, says he feels he's been caught in the middle of an intensifying war of wills between Granato and the unions.

In an interview with the Herald-Republic this week, Moon said he mentioned the police chief's remark over coffee with two police captains, more as an anecdote than a concern. The next thing he knew, Moon said, the unions were asking him for more information.

The Jan. 11 complaints center on a comment Granato made outside City Hall in early January -- a comment that some police employees interpreted as a threat toward an officer.

Moon, a 26-year member of the YPD, said he was leaving City Hall with Granato and Deputy Chief Kelly Rosenow when they encountered a patrol officer sitting in a squad car.

At the time, Moon had been in talks with the city for a special investigator's position.

Moon said Granato leaned over and had a brief but seemingly friendly chat with the patrol officer, then made a remark as he walked away that sounded to Moon "a little off."

Said Moon, "As we turned around to leave, the chief mentioned nonchalantly something to the effect of, 'That young man was instrumental in Cawley getting re-elected. ... And I'll have to remember that.'"

Moon stressed that he doesn't remember the exact words or phrase that Granato used, but that, "The inference was sure as hell there that he wasn't happy with this young man because of his involvement with Cawley. If I went to court, I'd have to describe it just like that."

Granato, who is out of town, did not respond to several requests for comment. Rosenow also could not be reached for comment.

Zais said Wednesday the police chief has been instructed not to comment on the complaints.

Cawley, who recently won a second term on the City Council last November and was appointed mayor, has been open about his concerns over Granato's management and morale in the police department. During the fall campaign, he told the Herald-Republic that Granato should not remain police chief, declining however to specify why.

As the city struggled to close a projected $4 million deficit in the 2010 budget, Cawley began publicly questioning the salary and classification of a crime analyst supervisor hired by Granato at $111,000 a year for salary and benefits.

On Wednesday, the mayor said he was aware of the complaints by the police unions, but that he had been advised by the city's legal staff not to comment until the city's investigation was complete. He did confirm, however, that the officer involved in the complaints, Jim Moore, had been a campaign supporter.

When told earlier this week that the city's investigator had yet to interview Moon, but that Moon had just spoken to the newspaper, Cawley sounded annoyed.

"Me not being in the loop, they only tell me what they think I need to know," he said, before catching himself and adding, "When I'm cleared to comment, I'll be more than happy to comment."

Granato has been the subject of multiple legal claims and lawsuits filed by police officers and other department personnel since he became chief in 2003; most involve disagreement over a proposed drug-testing policy, workplace issues, and allegations of favoritism and retaliation.

Meanwhile, his relationship with the Yakima Police Patrolman's Association, which represents rank-and-file employees, has grown increasingly rocky in recent years. His relationship with the command staff has been worse. Police commanders formed their own Teamsters-represented union last year in response to a performance audit that accused the command staff of being disloyal to the chief.

Part of the grumbling stems from Zais' handling of a sexual harassment complaint last year. Though Granato was cleared of wrongdoing, officers quietly complained that the chief got off too lightly.

In his letter to the City Council on Tuesday, YPPA lawyer Jim Cline complained not only about Granato but also about Zais. He questioned the objectivity of the city manager's handling of past complaints against the chief.

"We have heard Mr. Zais imply that YPPA board
members were liars," Cline wrote. "We have seen investigations botched and mismanaged."

Cline told council members that the police association will send a representative to Tuesday's council meeting to present the organization's concerns and demand the council take action.

Zais said he can't comment on the latest complaints since an investigation is under way, but that it will take several weeks to complete. The inquiry is being conducted by an investigator for the city's insurance carrier.

"We'll see what the investigation leads to," he said.

Moon said he now regrets telling former colleagues about the Cawley supporter remark. He's troubled that an anecdote he shared with former colleagues suddenly turned into formal complaints.

Moon, who retired in 1996, said he has concerns about Granato's management but that he believes the incident has been blown out of proportion by the unions to try and get the chief.

"Such a little remark like that, don't they have anything better to hang him out to dry on?" Moon said. "Of all the things. ... You want to take this man down, do some homework.

"They hate the chief so much they'll use anybody to take him down," he said. "It used to be a much better department, a helluva department. This is just such a shame ... I got a feeling this whole goddamn mess is going to end up in a courtroom somewhere."

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.