Third Oakland cop suspended after sex scandal

A third officer with the Oakland Police Department has been placed on administrative leave as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct involving officers and an underage girl.

After it was alleged that more than one officer had an ongoing sexual relationship with a police dispatcher’s underage daughter, two officers resigned and two others were placed on administrative leave in May.

In a statement, police officials said the department was committed to transparency, however, the investigation requires confidentiality:

“The Oakland Police Department holds all employees accountable for their actions on and off duty. The Oakland Police Department will not tolerate misconduct of any kind from its employees.”

The possible misconduct was uncovered when the department’s internal affairs division investigated the suicide of Officer Brendan O’Brien last September.

Police Chief Sean Whent announced his resignation on Thursday, although it was not immediately clear if his exit was related to the sexual misconduct investigation.

Whent will be replaced temporarily by BART Deputy Police Chief Ben Fairow, who will serve as interim police chief for up to six months while the city conducts a national search for a new permanent chief, according to city officials.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf reiterated her outrage at the alleged misconduct in a statement Saturday:

“We continued to be disgusted and outraged by the idea that anyone could abuse an underage victim of sexual exploitation – particularly those who have sworn to uphold the law and protect our communities; we are sickened to think anyone could even know of such abuse and not bring that information forward.”

The mayor also said in the statement that city officials’ highest priority is to hold accountable anyone responsible for wrongdoing and remove them from positions of public trust.

But Schaaf also said that while news accounts have revealed some details of the alleged misconduct, she claimed some of the reported details are inaccurate.

She said all the details of the investigation will be disclosed once they do not impinge on the investigation and the ability to secure judgments against anyone responsible.