SFPD Evolving from Understaffed, ‘Fractured’ Department 

When San Fernando Police Department Chief Fabian Valdez took on the job as the new head of the SFPD two-and-a-half years ago, after the retirement of outgoing Chief Tony Vairo, he had no idea what was in store for him.

Valdez didn’t realize he was stepping into a police culture that was resistant to change, reluctant to accept a newcomer as chief and firmly ingrained with an atmosphere of mistrust. 

“In hindsight, I recognize that, because I was an outside chief, there was probably some anxiety, some apprehension,” said Valdez, who had previously served as a captain in the San Gabriel Police Department. “I made the assumption that the culture [here] was ready for change … but I had underestimated the fracture, the hurt and the culture” that he was taking on as the new chief.

Valdez found that a lot of personnel matters were left hanging and he was charged with the uncomfortable task of  “cleaning house,” which previous chiefs had avoided doing for years.

He walked into dissent and resistance from the police union – the San Fernando Police Officers Association – with at least one union member in key leadership who faced possible termination and demotion.

Needless to say, it didn’t sit well when Valdez completed the action and terminated now-former SFPD officer Brittany Najera and more recently demoted another officer. The residual effects of those actions are still being felt. 

At the July 15 San Fernando City Council meeting, SFPD Officer Paul Ventimiglia spoke out against Valdez during public comments to express his concerns about the chief’s leadership and discontent with disciplinary action taken against him.

“On Feb. 28, 2024, I was cleared of any possible criminal conduct by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office,” read the statement by Ventimiglia, who is vice president of the local police union. “When I was cleared, Chief Valdez issued me a notice of intent to demote me from sergeant to police officer, stating he believed I had committed several policy violations during the incident.”

Prior to being hired as chief, Valdez was unaware of the questionable actions and well-kept secrets the small town police department harbored for decades. Among the most controversial incidents: a suspicious jail hanging; a fatal shooting of a homeless man wielding a tree branch; a fatal shooting of a veteran holed up in his apartment; and the blinding of a deaf-mute man. These incidents were investigated by the LA County Sheriff’s Department and deemed appropriate actions. But as police watchdog groups contend, it is rare for one law enforcement agency to find fault with another. 

Valdez would later learn and experience a department fraught with a culture and long history of  internal political power plays. There was also a history of scandal and sordid affairs. Years ago, one officer – who sought to replace then-Chief Tony Ruelas – used his influence when having an affair with a San Fernando councilwoman. Ruelas was subsequently terminated after a police cadet blew the whistle on their own affair by producing photos and filing a lawsuit after he attempted to silence her by firing her.

When he arrived at the SFPD, Valdez – being in the dark about the rough and tumble of the department – attempted to engage with a bit of kumbaya. He encouraged dialogue, but discovered it wasn’t working because he was under attack by those who didn’t support him – many had wanted a new chief hired from within the department and were comfortable with things running as they had been. 

He soon realized he needed to be expedient to usher in department-wide changes, including widening the scope of internal investigations; establishing a use of force committee to review police incidents involving force; and changing the pursuit policy to minimize risks to public safety. 

Recent Crime Wave

Valdez has sought to improve the image of the SFPD and has been a proponent of community meetings to “Meet the Chief.” Improving the department’s image was set back following a rash of recent crimes that have “shaken the community,” admitted Valdez – including multiple vandalisms and burglaries at area businesses on two consecutive nights in late July, and a fatal gang-suspected shooting on Aug. 1 inside an AutoZone Auto Parts, which left one young man dead.

This caused a spiral of negative public reaction questioning the effectiveness of the department. Over the years, there has been some debate about disbanding the city’s department altogether and contracting with the LA County Sheriff’s Department. 

“We need to have more police patrol on the streets – this is getting out of hand,” commented Gloria Villalpando regarding the shooting on the Facebook page of the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. 

“This is horrible,” wrote Hugo Cuevas. “The chief of police Fabian Valdez needs to get these San Fernando police to start patrolling.”

That’s one of the goals Valdez has been aiming for – to continue growing the SFPD and reach its goal of 35 officers, to help increase patrols and “better serve San Fernando,” he said. 

At the City Council meeting on Aug. 5, Valdez responded to the criticism by announcing what had been in the works: He introduced three new SFPD officers – two male and one female – who joined the force after graduating from the police academy last month. 

In addition, after years of denials by previous chiefs, Valdez acknowledged that the City of San Fernando does have a gang and drug problem. 

Growing the SFPD

When Valdez was sworn in as chief in early 2022, the SFPD had been “critically short staffed” for nearly 14 years, he said. Since his arrival, Valdez has hired 10 new officers, growing the department by approximately 30%, and he expects to hire an additional recruit – who will eventually be the 35th officer – in the next few weeks. But, he pointed out, the two newest hires won’t officially join the ranks and be “deployable” until they complete training at the academy.

And further potential growth is on the horizon, said the chief.

The San Fernando City Council recently approved an agreement with the Task Force for Regional Auto Theft Prevention (TRAP). If the agreement moves forward as planned, the potential benefits will be two-fold: helping curb car theft, which Valdez described as a big problem in the Northeast Valley, and TRAP would fund the salary and benefits for a 36th SFPD officer. 

“The last time we had staffing numbers similar to this was in 2010,” said Valdez, noting that many of the latest hires are individuals who are new to law enforcement – a fact he believes can contribute to the positive evolution of the culture within the local police department.

“A lot of our police officers are new, so with this newness comes a new culture, a new energy,” emphasized Valdez. 

As part of that culture shift, and following guidelines mandated by Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) – which went into effect in 2022 to “increase accountability for misconduct by peace officers” – Valdez terminated two officers who were under investigation when he took the helm at the department: Saul Garibay, who pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of assault under the color of authority; and Jeffrey King, who was charged with stealing money from a man during an arrest.

“I understand that culture change is difficult, but sometimes it’s necessary, because our professionalism has evolved, and we have to evolve with it,” explained Valdez.

“I appreciate and respect the fact that he’s trying to shift the culture – which absolutely and undoubtedly does need to shift, and I do see some shifting and moving forward in a positive way,” said SFPD Lt. Irwin Rosenberg, who has served on the SFPD for almost 20 years. “He is trying to hold people accountable.”

Healing a ‘Fractured’ SFPD

“When I got here, I found an organization that had a culture that was fractured – fractured in the sense that there were two or three camps, and the biggest camps were the camp that supported the previous administration and the camp that did not,” recalled Valdez. “The camps did not really trust each other [and] I knew it was difficult to lead an organization where respected people within the organization don’t trust each other. … [Distrust] is the hardest thing to fix.”

As Valdez got to know members of the department, he realized that part of the distrust stemmed from the “perception that there were favorites and nonfavorites within the organization, so I wanted to eliminate that,” he said. He also discovered a “culture of friendship” among officers.

With the goal of improving “accountability, transparency and equity” across the department, Valdez said he established an impartial structure of investigations and disciplinary actions, and reminded officers: “We’re here to work – friendships do not supersede professional conduct.”

“I said, ‘All complaints get investigated now; they’re all being looked into,’” recounted Valdez. “I think that was one of the first big culture shocks – I raised the level of expectation.” 

As a result, complaints and investigations “went through the roof” between 2022 and 2023. 

“I tell my officers, ‘If there’s a complaint about you, but you did everything right, then welcome the investigation, because it’s going to exonerate you,’” said Valdez, noting that the changes he has made since taking over the department initially created “a lot of internal conflict” and were perceived by some – inside and outside of the department – as being “too disciplinarian.”

Rosenberg, who was among the final candidates to be chief, said he doesn’t necessarily agree with the final decision in every situation, but said he believes Valdez is making an effort to investigate all complaints and personnel matters “in a fair and impartial way.”

“And there’s no doubt that he’s trying to discipline in a fair and unbiased way also,” added Rosenberg, who will be retiring from the department at the end of the month. “I think the chief has tried to establish some pillars, and maybe he came in a little too rambunctious [when he was first hired], trying to do too much, but he does mean well. But people are resistant to change.

“The number of individuals that are [continuing] to push back are a select few,” he continued. “But, unfortunately, they wield influence because they may be in roles of leadership, either as leadership influencers or in ranks within the department.” 

Valdez said he is trying to have a balanced and “ethical” approach in his role as police chief in an effort to “lead by example” and help “develop trust with my people,” said Valdez.

“But even when I think I use good judgment, people will still scrutinize me,” he continued. 

Which is what happened in early 2023, when word got out that two members of the San Fernando City Council were reportedly seeking to remove Valdez from his position. At the City Council meeting on Feb. 21, 2023, four community members and 31 letters expressing support for Valdez to remain the chief were heard and entered into the public record. 

San Fernando City Manager Nick Kimball said he believes most of the misgivings about Valdez’s leadership at the time were related to the unknown nature of the personnel actions involving SFPD officers that were outstanding during that period. Details can’t be disclosed – to the public or to the City Council – until all allegations have been investigated, he explained.

“I think that was frustrating for them,” said Kimball, who hired Valdez. “But since last year, a lot of that has been resolved, and I think the chief has proved his commitment to the community, safety and listening to the community. … I do think there’s definitely been a lot of progress.”

Engaging the Community

Valdez said he wants to engage more with residents “to make San Fernando the safest community it can be,” and hopes community members will attend an upcoming “Community Watch” event on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. at Bodevi Wine and Espresso Bar in San Fernando. He said participants will have the opportunity to address the recent crime wave, share other concerns and questions, and discuss the future of policing in the City of San Fernando.

“As a leader, it’s been a welcome challenge to take the police department from where it was, to where we are, to what we could be,” said Valdez. “We’re a police department in transition … that’s [changing] … so we’re not stuck policing in a manner that is [from] an era that’s gone.”

Editor Diana Martinez contributed to this article.