Lawsuit Filed: Fremont Police Department Senior Detective Alleges Retaliation After Blowing the Whistle on Illegal Behavior in Fremont Police Department

McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP filed a lawsuit against the Fremont Police Department (FPD) and City of Fremont for retaliation on behalf of a Senior Detective who engaged in a series of whistleblowing against the FPD.

In August 2020, the Senior Detective reported that the Fremont Chief of Police gave the then-Fremont City Mayor illegal instructions to record a phone conversation when the Mayor was being blackmailed for sending private photos to another elected Alameda County official.

The following year in March 2021, the Senior Detective reported the then-City Manager made race-based comments regarding an FPD captain, and he participated as a witness in the captain’s grievance. The captain later committed suicide and his family filed a wrongful death case against the city.

Additionally, in March 2021, the Senior Detective reported that the FPD was illegally recording juveniles’ phone conversations with their attorneys during the custodial interview process. This last report led to the Senior Detective immediately being placed on administrative leave for over six months and a criminal complaint and internal affairs investigation was opened against him (with sustained finding). Once he returned to work, he was placed on modified duty and was stripped of normal job duties/responsibilities.

The lawsuit is ongoing.