424S.

ImperialAvenue,Imperial,CA92251

November19,2014

ImperialCityCouncil:
JefferyDale,Mayor
BettySampson,Councilmember
RickBreland,Councilmember
MarkGran,Councilmember
DougCox,Councilmember

MarleneBest,CityManager
420S.ImperialAve.
ImperialCA.92251

Ref:LetterofNoConfidence

OnbehalfoftheImperialPoliceOfficersAssociation(IPOA),IsubmitthisLetterofNo
ConfidenceinImperialPoliceChief,MiguelColon,duetothehostileworkingenvironmenthe
hascreated,hislackofleadership,andbecauseofhisemotionalinstability.TheIPOAnolonger
hasconfidenceinChiefColonorinhisabilitytoleadtheImperialPoliceDepartment.

OnOctober23,2014,theIPOAcalledaspecialmeetingregardingChiefColon.Duringthat
meeting,allmembersexpressedatotallossofconfidenceinChiefColon,andinhisabilityto
leadthePoliceDepartment.AmotionwasmadetomoveforwardwiththisLetterofNo
Confidence,anditwasseconded.Avotewascast,andallIPOAmembersunanimouslyvoted,
InSupportofthisletter,affirmingthatthecontentsaretrueandaccurate.AllIPOAmembers
werepresent,withtheexceptionofone,whowasoutonalongtermdisability(Federal
MedicalLeaveAct,FMLA).Saidmemberwasnotcontactedinlightoftheirmedicalrecovery.

Priortothisaction,variousIPOAmembershaveexhaustedverbalandwrittencomplaintsto
ChiefColon,HumanResources,andtotheCityManagersOffice.Thesereportshavenotonly
beenignored,minimizedordisregarded,butthereportingofficershavebecomeChiefColons
personaltargetsofretaliation.

TheIPOAcontendsChiefColonisincompetent,disinterested,noncommunicative,uncaring,
ineffective,andexertscontrolbyforceorfear.Forthepastseveralyears,ChiefColonhas
destroyedtheDepartmentsfunction,itsefficiency,andtheworkingconditions.ChiefColon
hasalsodamaged,andisattemptingtodamagepoliceofficersreputationsbothpersonallyand

professionally.TheseareafewexampleswhytheDepartmentsmoraleisthelowestitsever
been.

ChiefColonregularlyviolatestheImperialPoliceDepartmentPolicyandProcedureManual,the
IPOA,MemorandumofUnderstanding(MOU),andPoliceOfficersBillofRights(POBAR).Asa
result,severalOfficershavefiledverbalcomplaints,writtengrievances,andseriouscivil
lawsuits,againstChiefColonandtheCity.TheselawsuitscouldpotentiallycosttheCity
hundredsofthousandsofdollars.Currently,therearenolessthanthree(3)potentiallawsuits
thatareinorwillbegoingtolitigation.

ChiefColonhascreatedahostileworkenvironmentandmanyIPOAmembersareafraidtofile
acomplaintortocomplainabouthimfromfearhewillretaliateagainstthem.ChiefColonhas
threatenedofficersbystatinghewill,firethemwithoutcause,andhewillmakethem,fight
togettheirjobback.ChiefColonhasmadethesethreatstoindividualofficersinprivate,and
inagroupsettingduringaSeptember2014,departmentmeeting.Recently,ChiefColoncarried
outhisthreatswhenhewrongfullyterminatedoneofourpoliceofficers,andinaseparate
case,heplacedanotherofficeronadministrativeleave,allbecausetheofficerscomplained
abouthim.TheentiretyoftheAssociationsupportstheseofficersandbelievestheyarebeing
retaliatedagainstandtreatedunfairly.

ChiefColoncontinuestoissuefrivolous,andcostlywrittenreprimandstothoseheistargeting,
andignoresdoingthesametothosehefavors.Inmostcases,ChiefColonformsabiased
decisionandissuesthewrittenreprimandwithoutknowing/havingallfacts.Insomecases,he
doesntlistpolicyviolationsinthereprimand,andsimplystatesthereprimandsmeritisbased
upon,hisopinionofsomethinghedoesnotlike.

ChiefColonfailstofillvacantsergeantsandpoliceofficerpositionstoacceptablelevelsas
outlinedinDepartmentpolicy.Thislackofstaffingplacestheofficersandthecommunitys
safetyatrisk,anditdecreasestheDepartmentsabilitytoserveandtoprotectthepublic.For
example,ChiefColonattemptedtobypassasergeantsselection/testingprocesswhenhe
attemptedtoreclassifyacorporalpositionintoasergeantsposition.Afterthatattemptwas
exposed,thevacantsergeantspositionhasbeenplacedonhold,andremainsunfilled,
althoughtherearequalifiedcandidatesfortheposition.

ChiefColonregularlyappointslessqualifiedpersonsintopositionshechooses.Forexample,
ChiefColonappointedtheDepartmentssecondhighestrankingofficer(Administration
Sergeant)incommand,intoinvestigationsasDetective.Asaresult,numerousinvestigations
wereimproperlyinvestigated,mishandled,ornotinvestigatedatall.

Forexample,inonesuchcase,asixyearoldchildwasallowedtogobackwiththepersonwho
injuredhim.Inanothercase,patrolofficersarrestedthree(3)localcareercriminalsfor;
Robbery,AssaultwithaDeadlyWeapon,andFalseImprisonment,allviolentfelonies.Chief
Colonorderedthesesuspectsreleasedfromcustodybecausethevictimresidesoutsidethe
ImperialCounty.Inathirdcase,ChiefColonorderedthereleaseofanadultmalearrestedfor
resistingarrestbecausethearresteesparentscomplained.

Inallcases,suspectswereeithernotarrested,orallowedbackintothecommunity.Aswiththe
caseinvolvingtherobbery,oneofthosesuspects,anImperialresident,continuedcommitting
crimesthenextday,inaneighboringcity.Thosecrimesledpoliceofficersfromthatagency,
andImperialpoliceofficers,backtothesuspectsImperialresidenceinanattempttolocate
him.Thatcontactprovedparticularlydangerousfortheofficers,andthecommunitywhen
consideringpoliceofficersarebackattheresidenceofapersonwhoshouldotherwisebe
incarceratedfortheviolentcrimeshecommittedthedaybefore.

TheIPOArequeststheCitytotakeimmediateaction,andtopreventChiefColonfromcausing
furtherdamage.TheIPOAfurtherrequeststheCitytoauthorizeaninvestigationintoany/all
misconductChiefColonhasengaged.TheIPOAfurtherrequeststheCitytoauthorizea
CommandAssessmentoftheImperialPoliceDepartment.TheassessmentwillassisttheCity
torecognizetheturmoilChiefColonhascaused,itwillminimizefurtherlitigation,anditwill
assisttheCityindeterminingitsneeds,includingaChiefofPolicereplacement.The
investigationandtheassessmentshouldbeconductedbyanorganizationthatdoesnothave
anytiestoChiefColon,ortotheCity.

TofollowthisLetterofNoConfidence,isanoutlinedoverviewofareasofconcern.

RespectfullySubmitted,

EricGranado,
President
ImperialPoliceOfficersAssociation

LetterofNoConfidence:Overview

ChiefColon:
Hascreatedahostileworkenvironment.
Bullies,andintimidatesofficerwiththreatsofreprimandsandtermination.
Hasthreaten,Iwillterminateyou,evenifIamwrong,andmakeyoufighttogetyour
jobback.
September2014groupmeeting,ChiefColonthreatenedofficers:
o Ifyouguysdoa,VoteofnoConfidenceagainstme,theCityCouncilwilljust
contractoutwiththeSheriffsOffice.
o TheCityCouncilwontfireme
o TheCityMangerwontfireme.
o Imnotgoinganywhere.
o IhaveacontractwiththeCity,andtheyrenotgoingtogetridofme.
o Themoreyoufightme,thelongerIwillstay.
o ThewayIseeit,thisDepartmentwillbedissolvedinlessthanfiveyears.
September2014,duringaCityevent(Score250),hetoldseveraluniformedCalexico
PoliceOfficers,ABorderPatrolAgent,andanIPOAmemberwhowereassistingwiththe
event,thathehas:
o Abunchofincompetentofficersthathecanttrust.
Retaliatestowardsthosewhospeakagainstorwhoreportshim.
Falsifiesdocuments(Performanceevaluations,Writtenreprimands,emails)
InterfereswiththeIPOAmembersrightsbyencouragingitsmemberstofilelawsuits
againsttheIPOApresident,andofferingtoprovidethemembersinformationinhowto
doso.
Favoritism:Unfairandunequaltreatment:(Promotion/Discipline)
Ongoingdisparagingremarksindividually/departmentallyasawhole.
DistributedanemailcallingeveryofficerMediocreafterherefusedtoselectan
OfficeroftheYear(2014).
Verballyyellsandreprimandsofficersinpublicview.(Jetcrash)
SharesconfidentialandpersonnelinformationaboutmembersofthisDepartmentto
thepublic,civilians,andtootherdepartmentmembers.
Fabricatesrumorsaboutofficersthathavedestroyedtheirpersonalandprofessional
lives(Careers,Marriages,andReputations).
ContinuousviolationsoftheIPOAMemorandumofUnderstanding(MOU).
ContinuousPoliceOfficerBillofRightsviolations.
ContinuousDepartmentPolicyviolations.
Hypocrite.(Disciplinesothersforpolicyviolationshehimselfviolates)
Dismissestrafficcitations.(Admitsdoingso)

End.

UnlawfuluseofCriminalOffenderRecordsInformation(CORI),whenheorderedfive(5)
CriminalArrestRecordschecksofpeopleemployedinprivatesector,asapersonal
favor,andhavingtheCitypayfortheprocess.
Endangerspublicandofficersafetywhen:
o Orderedthereleasefrompolicecustodyofthree(3)careercriminalsarrested
forviolentfelonycharges(Robbery,AssaultwithaDeadlyWeapon,andFalse
Imprisonment).
o Ordersofficerstoreleasearrestedpersons,afterarresteesfamilycomplainsof
thearrest.
Misusesfederalgrantmoney(Stonegarden)toprovidepolicecoverageatCityevents.
Refusestofillvacantsergeantandpoliceofficerpositionsforcingpatrolshiftstowork
withoutsupervisionandunderstaffed.
AssignstheDepartmentsSecondincommand(AdministrationSergeant)tograveyard
patrol,leavingnoonetoruntheDepartmentduringhisabsence.