Police chief of Snohomish turns in badge

Published 9:00 pm Friday, December 29, 2006

SNOHOMISH – The Snohomish police chief has resigned, citing distraction from a messy lawsuit linked to his former job at a police department in Florida.

Gordon L. Wiborg Jr., 52, submitted his resignation on Thursday, City Manager Larry Bauman said Friday.

Wiborg was placed on paid leave a week ago pending the conclusion of a personnel review that Bauman has refused to describe.

Wiborg was hired by Snohomish in December 2004 and began working a month later.

“I have enjoyed the two years working for the City of Snohomish,” Wiborg wrote in his resignation letter.

He said that issues surrounding litigation he is involved in from his former job as a police captain in North Palm Beach, Fla., “have become so distracting that I believe my energies and attentions are better placed elsewhere.”

The lawsuit was started four months before Wiborg was hired, but it wasn’t discovered during his employment screening and the police chief did not divulge details until about six months ago, Bauman said.

Bauman said he is surprised the case didn’t come to the attention of city officials before Wiborg was hired.

The police chief’s resignation surprised some people in Snohomish.

“I was disappointed,” Mayor Randy Hamlin said. “I think Chief Wiborg has done an excellent job for the last two years.”

“He had a reputation of being tough on crime,” said Pam Osborne, manager of the Snohomish Chamber of Commerce. “I’m shocked at this point.”

The resignation came a little more than a week after Wiborg asked a Snohomish County District Court judge in Monroe to approve a restraining order against a Florida man whom Wiborg had formerly supervised in North Palm Beach.

The man in August 2004 filed a “whistleblower” lawsuit in Florida, alleging Wiborg either engaged in or failed to stop a variety of alleged improper conduct involving North Palm Beach police, including sexual harassment of employees, mistreatment of suspects and violation of labor laws, according to court papers.

Wiborg, through his Florida attorneys, has denied any wrongdoing. The case has yet to go to trial.

In his restraining order application, Wiborg alleged the Florida man had previously threatened to kill him and in recent weeks had been making threats to come to Snohomish, intent on harassment at a City Council meeting. The judge issued a restraining order keeping the man at least 1,500 feet away from Wiborg – a distance Wiborg specifically requested because any closer would put the man “within rifle range.”

A Jan. 2 hearing has been set to determine whether the order should remain in effect.

Bauman said the city engaged its law firm to help Wiborg obtain the restraining order.

“It’s the city’s business to protect its employees,” he said.

The city manager said Wiborg about six months ago gave him an inkling of the allegations being aired in the Florida lawsuit.

“It wasn’t a major concern,” Bauman said, adding that city officials often become entangled in employment-related litigation.

He said Friday that he has not personally reviewed the allegations raised in the Florida lawsuit.

The city manager said Wiborg was asked during his job interview whether he’d ever been the subject of a complaint about workplace harassment or discrimination. Wiborg said he had not, Bauman said.

In court papers filed in support of the restraining order, Wiborg did not say that he is engaged in a lawsuit with the man he claims is threatening him. He told a judge here the man has mental problems that caused him to leave police work, documents show.

The man, who later went to work as a sheriff’s deputy at another Florida department, has claimed in his lawsuit that questions raised about his mental health were part of a pattern of retaliation and harassment by Wiborg and others for the man’s attempts to halt alleged misconduct.

Before he was hired here, Wiborg had been a North Palm Beach police captain in charge of administration and special services. He was one of four finalists from a field of 37 applicants for the job as Snohomish’s police chief.

Wiborg’s salary as Snohomish police chief was $93,108.

The department has 21 officers, and as of November 2005, it met national and state standards for law enforcement policies.

Wiborg was hired in part to help stem high turnover among officers. Rob Sofie, the former chief, left in June 2004 amid low morale and complaints among officers.

City Councilwoman Lya Badgley said Wiborg worked hard to make the police department accessible to people.

“He’s done a really good job,” Badgley said. “It will be a big loss to the community.”

Police Sgt. George Perillo is acting chief in Snohomish. Bauman said a search for a new chief will begin early 2007.

Reporter Scott North: 425-339-3431 or north@heraldnet.com.