Oakland police chief resigns amid misconduct investigations
Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent has resigned amid a spate of police misconduct cases.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Mayor Libby Schaaf announced Thursday night that Whent was stepping down after a two-decade career with the department.
Whent, who became the department’s head in May 2014, will be replaced by Benson H. Fairow, who is currently the deputy police chief at Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART.
A search will be conducted for a permanent replacement.
No reason was given for Whent’s resignation, but Schaaf called it a “personal choice,” in a statement announcing the resignation.
The historically troubled department is in the midst of an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by Oakland police officers. They are said to have been involved in sexual misconduct with a woman who may have been underage during the alleged encounters. Four officers are currently on leave in the case.
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