Laguna Beach adopts anti-bullying, harassment and vandalism resolution

Following an act of vandalism earlier this month at the home of Laguna Beach City Manager Shohreh Dupuis, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution in a show of solidarity with the city’s top executive.

Mayor Bob Whalen brought the resolution, which condemned acts of bullying, harassment and vandalism against any individual, before the council Tuesday night in response to what officials have called a targeted incident.

Community Development Director Marc Wiener read a statement before the public was invited to speak on the resolution.

“The city’s executive team condemns the recent act of vandalism directed towards our city manager,” Wiener said. “We believe the act was intended to intimidate and harass her by personally attacking her home. Laguna Beach is a wonderful community filled with many caring and intelligent individuals, and this act was uncharacteristic of our town.

“While many staff do not live in town, we are still very much a part of the community and take pride in serving it. We were saddened by the recent acts directed towards our leader, and on some level, feel it was also directed towards the entire organization.”

On Thursday, Feb. 9, Laguna Beach police responded to a report of vandalism at the city manager’s residence. Authorities found a substance with the appearance of feces or sewage smeared on the house, frontyard, planters, stairs and the path leading up to the home.

“I want to really thank … the council majority for supporting the resolution condemning the vandalism on my property,” Dupuis said. “This has truly been a very difficult time, and I’ve been stressed and anxious, but also I have felt really overwhelmed with the support that I received from the community.”

Widespread community support has followed the incident, including the offering of a $5,000 reward by the Laguna Beach Police and Community Foundation for information leading to an arrest and conviction related to the act of vandalism. Laguna Beach resident Jacob Cherub pledged another $5,000 in reward money during Tuesday’s meeting.

Cherub found himself among a group of speakers who wished to know more about the ongoing investigation. Some also wondered why more had not been done to maintain civility during former council member Peter Blake’s term.

“We really need to get to the bottom of this, and I really think before you do any kind of a resolution that is not completely generic that you should have reports from the police department,” Cherub said. “I, as an individual, believe so strongly about this that I will put up an additional $5,000 for the arrest and conviction of whoever did this, so find these people.”

Council members addressed the need to differentiate between disagreement and acts of violence.

“As to the comments about prior inaction on my part, shortcomings, fostering the environment, … if those are past omissions and failures, so be it,” Whalen said. “That does not undermine or limit the need for this resolution now. … [I] hope that we can move forward, as several have said, dial down the rhetoric, deal with the issues before us, and have good debate, good dialogue, and fewer personal attacks all the way around.”

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