Wednesday was a hell of a day for the Oakland Police and Fire Departments, as today we have separate reports of disturbing DUI and child pornography charges for officers from both organizations. While Oaktown is gearing up for Oakland Pride this weekend, both departments figure to be down an officer thanks to fresh batches of more Oakland civil service scandals. CBS 5 reports that an Oakland Fire Department captain finds himself in jail on two counts of child pornography and an Oakland Police officer was arrested for DUI and resisting arrest late Wednesday night.
The fire captain’s arrest is the more shocking of the two, because he had a pretty sterling record and, well, possession of kiddie porn is really beyond the pale. ABC 7 has video of the arrest of 58-year-old Oakland Fire Captain Richard Chew at his home in Lafayette Wednesday, and he is “accused of having downloaded and attempted to share hundreds of pictures of minors in sex acts.” Chew remains in jail on $200,000 bond, and NBC Bay Area notes his annual salary is $300,000.
Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf was understandably irked in having to respond to yet another scandal. "This is Oakland," Schaaf told ABC 7. "We are tough, we will get through it, and we will hold this person fully accountable and ensure that we are weeding out anyone who does not deserve to be in public service."
Chew had previously been highly regarded around the department, and is best known for trying to blow the whistle on a West Oakland fire trap months before a March 2017 fire there killed four people.
The police officer arrested for DUI is less of a shocker, considering the officer had previously been placed on administrative leave for drunkenness in a 2016 civil assault case. Those charges were dismissed, but 37-year-old OPD officer Bryan Budgin has a whole new world of problems after being arrested for driving under the influence and resisting arrest just before midnight Wednesday night on 580 at San Ramon Road, according to KRON 4.
Budgin is currently free on $10,000 bail, and in a statement to NBC Bay Area, the Oakland Police Department merely noted that they were “aware of his arrest" and that "Officer Budgin is currently employed with the Oakland Police Department."
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