The UC Santa Barbara Police Department is embroiled in a series of lawsuits over allegations of employment retaliation and discrimination in the department. 

Four lawsuits have been filed dating back to November 2018.

In the most recent case, Officer Jonathan Lee Reyes filed a 10-page lawsuit against the UC Regents, Lt. David Millard and Sgt. Gregory Smorodinsky, alleging that he lost his corporal position, was passed over for a sergeant position, and received a negative review because he complained that a new trainee was undeservedly promoted.

In June 2017, Reyes told Millard that he had concerns about whether a trainee should be placed in the field, according to the lawsuit.

“Mr. Reyes did not feel the trainee was ready to be on ghost phase,” according to the lawsuit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court by Los Angeles law firm Richie Litigation. 

According to the lawsuit, multiple evaluations indicated that “the trainee was failing,” and the trainee had also been “recommended for termination.” The trainee, who is not identified in the lawsuit, was eventually advanced out of the training phase, the lawsuit states.

In July 2017, according to the lawsuit, Millard met with Reyes and informed him that he “heard a rumor” that Reyes was being vocal about the trainee’s release from POST FTO training.

Then in July, an administrative memorandum was sent out and stated that a new corporal selection process would begin, and that current corporals must send a letter indicating their continued interest. Reyes had obtained the corporal position just four months prior, the lawsuit states.

Reyes reapplied, but did not get the job. He later applied for a sergeant position and didn’t get that either.

In 2019, Reyes received a negative review. He filed a grievance in October 2018, and in January 2019, the negative evaluation was overturned. 

“As the proximate result of defendant’s wrongful conduct, Mr. Reyes has and will suffer past and future lost wages and benefits in an amount to be determined by the trier of fact,” the lawsuit states. “As the proximate result of defendant’s wrongful conduct, Mr. Reyes has and will suffer emotional distress damages in an amount to be determined in the discretion of the trier of fact.”

The first lawsuit was filed in November 2018. Lt. Mark Signa alleges a “Good Old Boys’ Club” that favored former Police Chief Dustin Olson’s friends within the department.

Signa was hired in 1990, and in 2012 the department hired hired Officer Ryan Smith and two of his colleagues from his previous employment, officers Jeff Savaglio and Josh Rothermel.

“Throughout in or around 2014, Signa began to receive various complaints from other UCSB-PD officers regarding Smith’s questionable conduct and behavior, including but not limited to Smith’s favored treatment on the basis of his close friendships with the highest echelons of the UCSB-PD,” the lawsuit states. 

The lawsuit alleges that a complaint was filed against Savaglio and Rothermel, alleging sexual assault and the provision of alcohol to a minor student of UCSB. 

The suit claims that “because of Smith’s relationships with the highest levels of the UCSB-PD, Smith was protected from being identified in the (internal affairs) investigation, and other officers of the UCSB-PD perceived Smith’s favored and protected status as well.”

Smith, according to the suit, was allegedly “intimately familiar with their interactions and behavior with the student victim.”

In May 2016, Signa claimed that Savaglio and Rothermel were suggested to resign in order to avoid a potentially negative outcome of the internal affairs investigation that might bar them from working as police officers again.

Savaglio and Rothermel resigned, and as a result, the portion of the internal affairs investigation involving Savaglio and Rothermel was closed, the lawsuit alleges. 

The case also alleges that “Chief Olson openly expressed that he desired the 2016 IA complaint to go away as quietly as possible.”

Signa vocalized his concerns about the appearance of impropriety, then in August 2016, and department leaders, including Olson, allegedly attacked Signa’s position as patrol lieutenant.

The leaders told Signa other sergeants were upset with Signa’s leadership style and were contemplating a vote of no confidence in him, according to the lawsuit.

It also says Signa met with several sergeants afterward who did not express discontent with Signa’s leadership and did not have any desire to submit a vote of no confidence against him.

Shortly after the lunch, Signa was transferred from patrol lieutenant to administrative lieutenant.

The suit also alleges that Smith was having an extra-marital affair and used a car rental and gas money paid for by the department to visit the woman involved; that he was involved in a hit-and-run automobile accident, where Smith hit a parked vehicle with a UCSB-PD vehicle; and while traveling with two other vehicles in Los Angeles, Smith ordered the two vehicles to utilize Code 3 (full lights and sirens) to get through heavy traffic for the purpose of attending a free breakfast, the lawsuit states. 

The lawsuit claims that Signa also vocalized concerns about “dick jokes” made during meetings in front of female officers and staff; Smith’s improper use of UCSB-PD funds and resources; and Smith’s impunity and insulation from any form of disciplinary action. 

Signa alleged that he experienced the following retaliation:

» Not being included in key meetings that were necessary for Signa to perform his job duties effectively;

» No longer being able to email Chief Olson directly without alerting Asst. Chief Cathy Farley, but simultaneously being criticized for not communicating sufficiently with Olson;

» Being pushed “out of the loop” and being given conflicting information so that Signa was hindered from performing his job duties effectively;

» Major changes in protocol, such as how monthly on-call duty is assigned, occurred without Signa’s knowledge;

» Bullying, harassing, publicly criticizing and blaming Signa in front of other officers and for unfounded reasons;

Two other lawsuits have been filed related to recent UCSB Police Department activity.

Married couple Tiffany and Michael Little are suing the UC Regents, former chief Olson and several high-ranging department officials, alleging they were retaliated against for complaining about Smith’s behavior, including using lights and sirens inappropriately to attend a breakfast; using a police resources to visit a subordinate; and that Smith hit a parked car in a police vehicle and left the scene. 

In the lawsuit filed in March by the firm of Newman and Horton of Moorpark, a police officer plaintiff identified as John Doe alleges that Signa “engaged in a pattern of harassment and retaliation,” which Signa allegedly admitted to in 2016. 

The lawsuit states that the officer, who worked at the department between 2012 and 2017, complained about Signa’s pattern of harassment and retaliation for speaking out. 

“Due to the ongoing harassment and retaliation, and inaction of the university to stop the conduct, plaintiff resigned his employment with the UCSB Police Department in December 2017,” the lawsuit states.

“Signa’s overall actions, and the department’s failure to address Signa’s actions, constructively terminated plaintiff’s employment.”

In a statement, Andrea Estrada, spokeswoman for the university, said:

“We cannot discuss personnel matters or ongoing investigations. I can tell you the safety and security of our students and our campus community is our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring that our police department maintains the highest level of professionalism and earns the trust of all members of our community. All of the allegations and the UCPD responses are being comprehensively reviewed by the University.

“In addition, we have engaged an outside agency to conduct an independent investigation,” the state said. “Our police department receives extensive ongoing training and we hold them to the highest of standards. We also have new leadership in the department, including Chief (James) Brock who started in his new role this month. Chief Brock and Vice Chancellor Garry Mac Pherson, who started at the beginning of this academic year, are committed to enforcing our high standards and to continuing to ensure that our campus community is a safe and welcoming environment.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.