SANTA MARIA – City residents and Santa Maria Police officers packed the City Council chambers, some holding signs expressing their point of view about last week's police officer shooting that killed Officer Albert Covarrubias Junior.
"We did not know what he was going to do", SMPD Chief Dan Macagni explained to the City Council about the events leading up to the attempted arrest of Officer Covarrubias early in the morning on January 29 that ended with him being fatally shot by a fellow officer and his best friend on the force, Officer Matt Kline.
Macagni told the City Council the investigation into Officer Covarrubias revealed an illegal sexual relationship with a 17 year old high school student and that his fellow officers were trying to arrest him for his own safety.
"We knew that he made statements that he was going to hurt himself", Macagni said about a phone conversation Covarrubias allegedly had the night of the shooting with the girl that was monitored by SMPD, "we had an obligation to do it (arrest him) at that time."
That did little to placate some who asked to speak at the City Council meeting.
They included current and former Santa Maria Police officers who said the department has been lacking leadership and supervision for years under Chief Macagni and that complaints from inside and outside the department have gone ignored.
"Everyone knew this department had management problems, my question to you to consider, why didn't someone in the position of authority act to clean up the department before it came to this", said retired SMPD Officer Greg Carroll, "I urge you all to act immediately and begin to correct the problems in the police department by removing Macagni as Chief."
"What more is it going to take, what else needs to happen in this city before you take action", said SMPD Officer Tom Radzyminski who also sits on the board of the Police Officers Association, "how many more casualties are there going to be before you decide enough is enough."
Others spoke in defense of Chief Macagni and his leadership of the department.
One SMPD officer encouraged the City Council to allow multiple independent investigations of the Covarrubias shooting as well as Police Department policies and practices to run their course.
"To think that there aren't personal agendas to go after that man right there who spent 35 years protecting the community", said SMPD Reserve Officer Jerry Schmidt of Chief Macagni, "to think there aren't personal agendas from officers, from staff, employees, to think there aren't personal agendas who want him gone just because of who he is ridiculous."
"It sounds like the City Manager is addressing those concerns", added SMPD Officer Rick Bendle, "outside, independent counsel is coming in, well you know what that's great, finally, I'm pleased with that."
Santa Maria City Manager Rick Haydon told the City Council the city has hired an outside, independent auditor to come in and review all SMPD policies, practices and codes of conduct in the aftermath of the Covarrubias shooting and another officer-involved shooting in early December that killed a documented gang member and injured two other officers with friendly fire.
