Outlook
Re: PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE June 17, 2026 - Agenda Item 2 PPD Shooting- Public Comment From Victor Caballero
Date Tue 6/16/2026 9:25 PM
To Sabha, Tamer <[email protected]>,· Gao, Beilei <[email protected]>; Diaz, Eligio <[email protected]>
[A] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. For more information about the Phish Alert Button view article "KB0011474" on the DolT portal.
June 16, 2026
Mayor Victor Gordo and City Council City of Pasadena 100 N. Garfield Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101
RE: Urgent Concerns Regarding Pasadena Police Department Leadership and Misconduct
Dear Members of the Public Safety Committee,
As a resident of Pasadena, I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the deeply troubling issues currently plaguing the Pasadena Police Department, its leadership, and the deteriorating professional culture among its ranks.
The recently released video of the September 2025 incident—where an officer was shot by a colleague in the department's parking garage—is absolutely unacceptable. Characterizing this reckless and dangerous behavior as mere "horseplay" severely minimizes the gravity of the situation. Uniformed officers pointing loaded firearms at one another for amusement is not a simple misjudgment; it is a shocking display of juvenile indiscretion and a complete breakdown of basic safety protocols. The fact that other officers were present and failed to immediately intervene points to a dangerous cultural norm within the department.
Furthermore, the fact that this critical incident video was withheld from the public for over 250 days points to a glaring lack of transparency. The community deserves timely disclosure when officers recklessly discharge weapons in city facilities, not delayed accountability.
This incident does not appear to exist in a vacuum. The reports of new evidence leading to additional officers being placed on administrative leave, coupled with rumors of drinking and other highly unprofessional activities, paint a picture of a department out of control. When you combine this with the mounting lawsuits against Chief Eugene Harris alleging a toxic work environment, harassment, and retaliation, it becomes clear that there is a systemic crisis of leadership.
Misconduct of this level only grows in a vacuum of strong, present supervision.
We entrust our police officers with the authority to protect and serve, and we expect them to handle their responsibilities with the utmost professionalism. The current state of the Pasadena Police Department shatters that trust.
I urge the City Council and the Public Safety Committee to demand immediate and sweeping accountability. We need an independent review of the department's culture and supervision, full transparency regarding any off-duty or on-duty substance abuse, and a clear, actionable plan to restore the integrity of the Pasadena Police Department before public trust is irreparably broken.
Sincerely,
Victor Caballero