Spagnoli Looks Forward, Says Race, Sex Scandals Are In The Past

When a former African American police officer stepped foward this week to publicize his race-discrimination settlement with San Leandro, he told the media how he had been falsely accused of sexual harassment.

In January, San Leandro offered ex-officer Dewayne Stancill $314,000 to settle his complaint that several officers — some still on the force — colluded to push him out of his job with false and racially-motivated accusations.

Yet in 2010 the city paid $675,000 to settle lawsuits with six female officers who had filed sexual harassment cases involving Stancill's alleged behavior.

In her first detailed interview since this million-dollar feud came to light, Police Chief Sandra Spagnoli, who arrived long after the alleged incidents occurred, said she would not be dragged into the past.

"The department is under new leadersip," said Spagnoli, "I'm not going to react to what did or didn't happen in 2007."

Spagnoli said most of the individuals involved in the lawsuits have left the department.

Patch asked about two exceptions: Officer Anne O'Callaghan and her husband, Sergeant Mike Sobek, who heads the Police Officers' Association.

According to Stancill they helped orchestrate a smear campaign against him. On Wednesday Sobek told Patch "that is a bunch of garbage."

Spagnoli stood behind O'Callaghan and Sobek.

"Both are good and respected employees of this department," she said.

Spagnoli rebuffed questions about whether the department had a "frat house" mentality or a "cowboy attitude."

At the same time she said that as the first outsider to become in decades — much less the first woman — she had made clear that things would be different.

"We are raising the bar as far as professionalism is concerned," Spagnoli said. "We have higher expectations consistent with those of other contemporary police departments."

Among other things, she has raised the entry level requirement to join the force. Previously a high school diploma had been enough. She wants candidates with at least 60 college credits.

"Education gives you life experience and advanced writing and communications skills," she said.

She discussed two incidents that occurred since she took command: The arrest of former , charged with giving a police informant marijuana to sell, and the recent death of a while officers tried to subdue him.

Spagnoli said Fredrikkson's alleged misdeeds predated her arrival and the accusations were brought to her attention roughly six weeks after she took her post. She said the department investigated quickly and acted publicly. She is convinced the ex-officer acted alone.

"I am satisfied that anyone involved in that case was held accountable," she said.

She said she has met personally with the family of 32-year-old Darnell Hutchinson, who died last month after being tased when four officers could not subdue him.

The department is waiting for a report from the coroner's office that may explain why Hutchinson died after what should have been a non-lethal use of force. Spagnoli said she promised Hutchinson's family she would share the results of the coroner's report with his family before it is made public.

By and large, Spagnoli said the department enjoys broad support.

"When I go out into the community no matter where I go we get positive feedback, we get thanks," said Spagnoli, who recently started a series of "" meetings around town.

(The next such meeting is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Marina Inn, 68 Monarch Bay Drive.)