The San Francisco International Airport employee who freaked out congregants at a Marin County church by photographing them while wearing a jacket that bore a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo has lost his senior management position at the facility, a spokesperson confirmed this week.
As previously reported, members of San Rafael's Lutheran Church of the Resurrection were shaken during a Spanish-language service on June 4, when a man driving a San Francisco city vehicle "took pictures on a cell phone in the church parking lot and videotaped the people inside of the church," San Rafael Police Lt. Raffaello Pata says, while wearing a jacket with "ICE" written on it and an official-looking emblem on the back.
The incident was alarming enough that church leaders contacted the Canal Community Alliance, a San Rafael non-profit focused on immigrant advocacy, as well as San Rafael-based US Congressman Jared Huffman. That attention spurred San Rafael police to contact ICE and the FBI, both of which confirmed that the man was not employed by either law enforcement organization.
As it turns out, the man was an area resident who told police that he'd bought the "novelty" (that is, fakeroo) jacket online and for whatever reason, decided to wear it to gather evidence for complaints he'd made regarding noise coming from the church's services. And today we know that man's name, thanks to the Chron: SFO's now former facilities director Peter Acton.
According to Canal Community Alliance spokesperson Lucia Martel-Dow, Acton "out of I don’t what kind of motivation decided to scare [churchgoers] and make them feel uncomfortable knowing this is something very sensitive for the Latino and Hispanic community right now."
When the news broke, SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel confirmed that Acton had been placed on administrative leave. While San Rafael police say that no laws were broken in the incident, Acton, who the Chron says was "one of a dozen senior managers who reported directly to Airport Director Ivar Satero," had been "under investigation for work-related violations that included the possible misuse of a city vehicle in connection with the church incident."
It now appears that that investigation has borne fruit, as Yakel tells the Chron that the 56-year-old Acton “has been released from employment by the city and county of San Francisco.”
According to Transparent California, Acton was classified at the Manager VII level, a classification the city describes as employees who "provide leadership and direction in developing new programs and establishing organizational policies, priorities and objectives; direct and coordinate the implementation of program changes; serve as technical advisor; and perform related duties as required." As of 2016, Transparent California reports that Acton received regular pay of $219,642.25 and benefits in the amount of $66,800, bringing his total pay to $286,442.25 for the year.
Previously: SFO Employee Allegedly Dons 'ICE' Jacket, Creeps On Church During Spanish Service