Livermore cop resigns in wake of sex scandal
LIVERMORE, Calif. -- A day after Oakland officials announced that 12 officers would be disciplined in connection with an expansive sexual misconduct scandal, Livermore police announced that one of their officers has resigned because of the same scandal.
Livermore police said on Thursday that the officer had been under investigation in connection with the scandal since June 14. As of today, the investigation has concluded and the officer has resigned.
RELATED: Four Oakland police officers connected to sex scandal terminated
The police statement did not name the officer involved or specify the alleged misconduct.
But the department did say that the investigation was connected to the young woman who goes by the moniker "Celeste Guap." Guap, an apparent victim of sex trafficking since she was a minor, has been connected to possible misconduct by officers in at least eight Bay Area law enforcement agencies.
"This incident does not accurately reflect the professionalism of the men and women of the Livermore Police Department who protect our community every day," Livermore police Chief Michael Harris said in a statement.
"Now that this matter has reached a conclusion, we will move forward and continue to serve with honor and protect with purpose. I would like to thank our community for their continued support and patience as we completed this investigation," Harris said.
On Wednesday, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth said that four Oakland police officers would be fired for their role in the scandal.
RELATED: Celeste Guap speaks from Florida jail cell for first time since assault arrest
The city's administrative investigation found that those officers had engaged in a litany of misconduct, including attempted sexual assault, engaging in lewd conduct in public, assisting in the crime of prostitution, assisting in the evading arrest for the crime of prostitution, accessing law enforcement databases for personal gain, being untruthful to investigators and failing to report a violation of law or rules.
Seven others were suspended and one other will receive counseling for their role in the scandal, according to the mayor's office. Those officers were not publicly named and none so far are facing criminal charges.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has an ongoing investigation into whether any criminal charges are warranted. Officers at several other Bay Area law enforcement agencies have also been implicated in the case, including in the district attorney's office, where former Oakland police Capt. Ricardo Orozco was fired for contact with the woman.
Guap, meanwhile, was flown to a Florida rehabilitation facility in August and was arrested for allegedly assaulting a guard on Aug. 29. She remains in jail under $300,000 bail.
Click here for full coverage on the Bay Area police sex scandal.
