During what’s likely the department’s most serious crisis in recent history, Antioch Police Chief Steven Ford announced Wednesday night he’s retiring, effective Aug. 11.
In a letter addressed “To the Antioch Community,” Ford said he was grateful for the opportunity and has worked with “some very talented and passionate people – it has been a great privilege to learn and grow from them.”
“I am proud of what we have accomplished and firmly believe the groundwork has been laid for organizational success,” Ford wrote. “I know our work to align us with the tenants of Procedural Justice and Constitutional Policing will keep this Department headed in the right direction. I sincerely hope our engagement with the Community will continue and flourish.”
Ford’s tenure has been marred by his department being investigated by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney for the past year-and-a-half for civil rights violations stemming from text messages. The scandal has been big enough for many to calls for a federal takeover of the department.
The California Attorney General’s Office announced its own civil rights investigation earlier this year, and at least two members of Congress have urged U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to launch a Justice Department probe.
At least 45 officers of the department’s approximately 100 officers – including 16 in management positions – have been implicated in a racist and homophobic texting scandal that included threats against Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe, who is Black, and other African Americans and people of color.
Many of the texts showed officers using racist language and describing police violence against suspects.
Dozens of officers have been suspended, at least one has been fired, and the city is scrambling to fully staff its ranks.
At least eight people have filed three lawsuits against the department since the text story broke earlier this year. An unknown number of officers have been suspended while the investigations continue.
At least one officer has already been charged with crimes in connection with the texts, and more chargers are expected.
Charges have already been dropped in at least two cases involved accused officers and suspects who were people of color.
One case involved felony charges against two men accused of mutilating and burning a body near an Antioch trail in October 2022.
Prosecutors said the case couldn’t proceed to trial because it “relied heavily on the investigative work of Antioch Police Officers who are associated with racist text communications.”
Ford became chief permanently in November 2022, after serving as interim chief for six months.
He came to Antioch after 32 years with the San Francisco Police Department.
Ford was hired with a promise to reform a department already under investigation. But the news kept getting worse during his tenure. The city is scrambling to get fresh recruits through the police academy and is relying on overtime to staff the many vacancies.
Ford said in his letter Wednesday night that he attributed the department’s “numerous accomplishments to support from the City Council, the tremendous Citizens of Antioch, and the talented members of this Police Department, who continue to embrace organizational changes with enthusiasm and dedication,” he wrote.
“Because of this, the Antioch Police Department has become more inclusive, equitable, and a better place to work.”
The city didn’t announce Wednesday night how it planned to fill the chief’s position.
14 comments
There goes the neighborhood such as it is.
Not surprised.
Maybe hire someone that doesnt run a city pr do everything based on race….
Inflate life raft, check supplies, abandon ship
Not the Antioch I knew as a kid back in the 70’s & 80’s.
Had many hard working families that had pride in their town and it showed.
Now it’s a toilet !!!
Drive around the majority of Antioch today
And it shows what it has become.
Rampant crime
Homelessness
Drug sales
Murders
Massive Section 8
Crime
Couple of bad seeds
Fast forward a coupe of decades
And we are what we have today!!!
Poor guy. His own subordinates referred to him with a racial term. The FBI had to take over how deep the corruption went.
Having said that… racial profiling in a an area were that certain race performs a statistically enormous amount of crimes is just good policing to me.
If you allow your children and your neighbors to act as criminals without reporting them you prob should be profiled as a community. I have friends and family of all races, and the ones who allow their cousins and nephews and brothers to act as criminals stand out. Respect your race and your community. Police your own. Don’t act like trash and blame the cops when you get your face slammed on the concrete.
I guess the expression snitches get stitches takes hold in certain communities. I can understand that because so many think using a gun is no big deal. Yesterday in Oakland four people were killed in a ten hour period. Someone knows who is doing these killings in our large inner cities but no one is talking so it continues day after day. It is also an us against them mentality.
When conditions become too difficult to continue, people with a strong character become more determined, and will work hard to solve them. People with a weak character will crumble under pressure, and pass the problems onto someone else.
I’m sure he could continue … most likely tired of fighting with both hands tied behind his back by idots in office.
My .02
No surprise… whoever takes that job is going to come under fire immediately and be under a microscope… good luck for anybody taking that job
958……….. just FYI
https://www.insideprison.com/parole_probation_agency.asp?ID=243
I’d take a six-figure pension over that cluster, too.
When the going gets tough, put in your 3 week notice.
But hey, at least he bumped his retirement pay with this temp gig.
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