City Sticks Its Thumb in the Dike

Ari L. NoonanOP-ED

Reaction of Officers

The memo’s thrust was contained in a single sentence: “There is no reason for any member of the department or any member of city staff to provide information to the news media or any other persons” in the matter of Mr. Vera Jr.

One officer reported that, in reaction to the email, most of his colleagues were “tight-lipped.” No one, he said, “is talking about Vera Jr. or Vera Sr.” No veteran who spoke expects the crackdown on leakers to last for the long-term. But they are convinced a hunt is on for leakers within the department. They expect penalties to be levied if a leaker is uncovered. “Punishment is not spelled out, but it is implied,” an officer said. 

Epidemic at the City Gates

Clearly, the fast-galloping nationwide journalistic disease of Leakhood now has officially been determined to have spilled into Culver City. The Police Chief’s message to all practicing and potential male and female adult leakers was unclouded:

Cease and desist. In the succinct memo that was shorter — and arguably less profound — than the Gettysburg Address, Mr. Pedersen said that he would be the only spokesperson permitted to comment on the highly explosive Vera case.

Mr. Pedersen told the newspaper later in the afternoon that his note was intended more in the spirit of a “recommendation” than a warning. Playing down the universal significance of a message meant only for internal consumption, Mr. Pedersen said that he regarded the directive as reasonable and routine. Several of his officers, speaking anonymously, concurred on the tone. Since the Culver City police radio seems to be the hot-button issue in this story, the Police Chief wants the leaks to stop. Mr. Pedersen told the newspaper: “This is between Mr. Vera and the Redondo Beach police (who arrested him about 2:30 last Friday morning at a construction site).” Bail for Mr. Vera, 41 years old, was set at $35,000, and he posted it shortly afterward. He is expected to be arraigned in late June on a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon. Sources said that Mr. Vera also had a deputy sheriff’s badge and a flashlight when he was arrested. 

Postscript

Meanwhile, at City Hall, longtime employees were not surprised by the memo. They said that circling the wagons is a traditional Culver City response to a high profile arrest.