A gay Pacific Grove police officer has filed a claim with the city after enduring what he says has been nearly 10 years of “discrimination, harassment and retaliation” by fellow officers, a former police chief and others.
In a lurid six-page claim filed in August, Sgt. Darrin Smolinski, who began working at the department in 1997, alleges he was repeatedly turned down for several promotions, including the positions of detective and commander.
Although he doesn’t identify them by name, Smolinski also accuses his coworkers of harassing him. “Smolinski has been the subject of verbal comments on the size of his genitals,” the claim outlines, “asked about association with the Rainbow Coalition and sexual orientation relative to his male roommate during public meetings on the police department premises.”
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New Monterey Police Blotter – October 2007
10/1/07 Vehicle vandalism while parked at 32 Cannery Row.
10/1/07 Traffic accident versus a deer at Lighthouse and Pvt. Bolio.
10/1/07 Found Motorola cell phone, 2 cell phone chargers, and black Guess wallet in the 700 block of Spencer.
10/2/07 Citizen was found in a business during a building search of a burglary alarm, located on Cannery Row. The subject was later determined to be an employee who fell asleep at the end of his shift, and was locked within the building.
10/2/07 Civil problem 200 block of Lighthouse.
10/2/07 LUNA, JASON transient was arrested for public intoxication at 865 Lighthouse.
10/2/07 Traffic accident with a pedestrian in the 600 block of Lighthouse.
10/4/07 Citizen 2300 block of David reports the theft of a CDL, ID, miscellaneous cards, business cards and $5 in change from his unlocked vehicle.
10/4/07 HERNANDEZ, BARNABEE was arrested for public intoxication at Prescott and Cannery Row.
10/4/07 LARRY REYNALDS and DANIEL JEWETT were cited for drinking in public in the 200 block Prescott.
10/5/07 MPD towed a black 1993 Nissan Pathfinder on Spencer for expired registration over six months.
10/6/07 COLLINS, CARL was arrested being in possession of cocaine base and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop at Reeside and Foam. COLLINS was also charged with giving false information to a police officer during a lawful traffic detention.
10/6/07 MCSO was aided in the arrest of COLLINS, CARL on a no bail warrant for robbery, domestic violence, and burglary during a traffic stop at Reeside and Foam.
10/7/07 MPD reports finding .22 oz of marijuana in the 400 block of Oak.
10/7/07 Citizen reported having lost her wallet, containing miscellaneous cards, while visiting the Cannery Row area.
10/7/07 MCCAFFERTY, RICHARD was arrested for possession of stolen property (K2 Bike) on Prescott at Laine.
10/9/07 MPD towed a Cadillac Coupe De Ville from the 500 block of Belden for the registration being expired over (6) months.
10/10/07 MPD towed a green 1975 Ford F-250 from 600 block Oak St for registration expired over six months.
10/11/07 Citizen reports being battered by three unknowns at the intersection of Foam and Reeside.
10/15/07 Citizen 400 block of Belden reports vandalism to her parked vehicle.
10/17/07 CANNERY ROW DELI 100 block of Drake reports malicious mischief to their delivery vehicle parked in the rear parking lot.
10/17/07 ROCKEFELLER, KENNETH was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs on Lighthouse and Dickman. ROCKEFELLER was additionally charged with driving on a suspended license.
10/17/07 San Luis Obispo County was aided in the arrest of ROCKEFELLER, KENNETH on at $15,000 traffic warrant.
10/19/07 FINAN, KELLY was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of less then one ounce of marijuana, possession of a switchblade knife and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at Scott and Pacific.
10/19/07 Graffiti spray painted on the playground equipment at Hilltop Park.
10/19/07 Citizen advised that a dog b attacked her dog while in the 700 block of Lighthouse.
10/19/07 Citizen reports unknown to have stolen watches and cell phones from his unlocked residence in the 600 block of Hawthorne.
10/21/07 Jose JIMENEZ, Christopher FRANCIS, and Edwin FRANCO were cited for Trespassing at 484 Cannery Row.
10/22/07 TRAYLOR, Larry was cited for being in possession of less than one ounce of marijuana at the Coast Guard Pier.
10/24/07 Vehicle burglary at Lighthouse and Hoffman.
10/24/07 Citizen reports unknown to have struck his Dodge truck while parked at Prescott and Belden.
10/26/07 SCHUMACHER, BROOKE was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol at Foam and Drake.
10/28/07 Citizen reports a vandalism that occurred at 600 Block of Lighthouse, located on the sidewalk were three 24 inch planters with 7 foot high plants. The planters were kicked over and smashed on the West side of the street.
10/28/07 MPD reports finding a black luggage bag hanging from the Rabobank sign in the 500 block of Lighthouse.
10/28/07 Suspicious circumstances in the 400 block of Archer, regarding second hand information that someone had struck a vehicle.
10/28/07 Citizen reports being battered with serious injury at Bruce Ariss Way.
10/28/07 Citizen reports an unknown individual to have pushed him to the ground in the 200 block of the Recreation Trail
Happy Halloween!
Don’t know about the rest of the readers, but that hand reaching out in the direction of my neck is creepy . .
A Weekender Town Meets Weekender Businesses
More Trees – More Pollution?
“Trees for PG” will hold a tree planting day in George Washington Park beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday. More than 300 trees were donated by “Joe Fletcher Presents” as part of the Monterey Music Summit’s carbon offset campaign. Volunteers should bring a shovel and gloves.
But Ronald Reagan was right – trees cause pollution!
According to a study by the University of Helsinki, coniferous forests that is to say, those composed of trees such as pines release nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere that combine with other pollutants to form smog.
Dumpsters Of Commerce: Hello, Code Enforcement?
Blog entry from March about P.G. Juice n Java piling trash in the planter box next to the overflowing dumpster.
Box with address.
It’s still there, though in a BIG way.
Notice on dumpster fence
Pallets, paper and cardboard. Certainly combustible. So, does this qualify as an “accumulation”? Or does LBAM Moth spray fireproof rubbish?
The Road To Tacky
More signs.
We have open house signs that block sidewalks:
Merchant signs cluttering up “Historic Downtown”
Now get ready for more trashy advertising with “Estate Sales”
Estate Sales? Why not just sell it at the antiques store, who proudly proclaims what it is . . in a sandwich board sign:
It May Not Be Lois Vuitton
. . but PG does offer fashionable accessories recycled from Prunedale Junkyards.
$141 for an old license plate made into a purse. Wow.
Blame Shifting Schenk
The voted-out ex councilman Ron Schenk shotgunned a letter out to all the papers (1) (2)that would print it.
Wrong Guy for the Job
I would like to apologize to the residents of Pacific Grove for a vote when I served on the City Council.
When we were looking for a new city manager to replace the one that resigned, I voted to hire Mr. Jim Colangelo. In the interview I was impressed with his speaking ability and the fact the City did not have to pay a relocation expense as he already lived in Pacific Grove.
I knew at the time he had no city manager experience but I thought he could learn the ropes. I was wrong and I sincerely regret my vote.
In my opinion he has brought nothing but misery to America’s Last Home Town.
His effort to re-invent the government of Pacific Grove through reorganization, through layoffs of skilled and valuable people, is a nightmare. Harm is being done to our city that cannot be undone. The loss of institutional knowledge by senior management people as well as staff will be felt for years to come.
I feel a personal responsibility for this error in judgment and I am truly sorry for the discomfort and harm I have caused our wonderful town. —Ron Schenk | Pacific Grove
The Hear-old is one that didn’t print it, but did recognize it for what it appears to be.
Rant: The letter to the editor in the PG Bulletin from former Pacific Grove City Councilman Ron Schenk was a grand example of blame-shifting. Schenk wrote that he wanted “to apologize to the residents of Pacific Grove” for voting to hire City Manager Jim Colangelo. He wrote, “I was wrong and I sincerely regret my vote.” For his own role in helping to create the financial mess that Colangelo is expected to fix, Schenk offered no apology. Next edition, perhaps.
P.G. Chamber Of Commerce Loses Bird
If you feel sorry for Moe, the next time you see him, give him a bird.
A bronze bird that graced a memorial bench in Pacific Grove for the past few months is missing.
The bronze blue jay, perched on the end of the Harold Green memorial bench in front of the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, was hacked off at the feet and stolen about three weeks ago. The missing bird is part of a rash of stolen items in the city, which include an entire bench on the corner of Forest and Lighthouse avenues and some speakers from a chamber storage closet. “I just bought another bench,” Ammar said, “And I’m really going to screw it in the ground so nobody can pick it up.”
Some pieces of another bronze sculpture at Lovers Point were also sawed off, said Ammar, who believes the thieves are melting the bronze down for other uses.