RICHMOND — Police officers accused of having sex with a woman at the heart of a scandal likely violated department policy, Richmond Police Chief Allwyn Brown wrote in a memo made public Sunday.
In an update to city leaders, Brown wrote “the evidence will likely sustain multiple violations of policies — noncriminal — against several officers.” Mayor Tom Butt shared the memo Sunday night in an email to constituents.
“The Office of Professional Accountability has a priority on working through the investigations stemming from the Oakland Police ‘Celeste Guap’ scandal as quickly as practical, with no compromise on thoroughness,” Brown added.
The OPA investigates complaints against the police department.
Guap, the daughter of a police dispatcher, has claimed to have had sex with about 30 men in law enforcement in the East Bay. The departments include Oakland, Richmond, Livermore, and the Alameda and Contra Cost sheriff’s offices.
Guap, a Richmond resident, said she had sex with at least four Oakland cops and a Contra Costa deputy while underage, and sometimes received confidential information or protection from officers. She uses the name as an alias and this newspaper is not using her real name because she is a potential victim.
Guap implicated five Richmond policemen — a lieutenant, two sergeants and two officers — in a previous interview.
One of them, school resource Officer Jerred Tong, was subsequently placed on paid administrative leave. The five Richmond officers were off-duty and had encounters with Guap after she turned 18 in August, she has said.
“This is a very complex and unique set of circumstances and investigation,” Brown wrote. “At this stage it’s known that all active duty RPD officer contacts with Guap were individual, unconnected engagements.
“Guap, the primary witness, has been cooperative and truthful, yet reserved and protective of her acquaintances,” the chief wrote. “The first case should be concluded in the coming weeks.”
Multiple investigations into her claims continue.
David DeBolt covers Oakland. Contact him at 510-208-6453. Follow him at Twitter.com/daviddebolt.
