June 26--Arvin Chief of Police Tommy Tunson's attorney says he has been fired, but the city insists no official action has been taken to terminate him.
Tunson's attorney, Gregory Petersen, said City Manager Tim Chapa gave Tunson a letter last week informing him that he'd been terminated effective June 28 "on a non-for-cause basis on the grounds of incompatible management styles."
Chapa said Monday that "there has been no official announcement" on Tunson's job and would not confirm one way or the other whether Tunson would be let go.
Petersen said the alleged firing was racially motivated. Tunson is African-American.
If the termination proceeds, Petersen said, litigation is "very, very likely."
Reached Friday by phone, Tunson declined to discuss the matter other than to say he was communicating with city officials and hoped he could "work something out."
The city's official position is that "no reportable action" came out of a closed session during a June 19 city council meeting to discuss possible "discipline/dismissal/release" of an employee who was not identified on last week's city council meeting agenda.
Mayor Tim Tarver reiterated that "no reportable action" had been taken when asked about the agenda item late last week.
Petersen said the city has an appeals process and Tunson will absolutely appeal the alleged termination, but added that the same council members who dismissed him would hear the appeal.
News that Tunson's job might be on the chopping block drew an audience of more than 50 people to a council meeting last month. The overwhelming majority of them spoke in support of the chief.
But Tunson has been embroiled in an internal power struggle within the department that resulted in a vote of no confidence from the department's police officers.
Tunson has said in the past that he's the target of a campaign of retaliation for filing a grievance against Chapa accusing the city manager of meddling with the management of the police department.
On Feb. 6, Tunson filed a formal grievance with the city council against Chapa, who took over as city manager last summer.
The day after Tunson filed his grievance, a performance evaluation of Tunson was added to the agenda of the next city council meeting.
Copyright 2012 - The Bakersfield Californian
