Richmond police Chief Bisa French returned to work this week after a lengthy internal affairs investigation that included two restraining order requests.
Richmond police Chief Bisa French returned to work after a third-party investigation found she committed misconduct by making “a threat of harm” and taking a cellphone and a bank statement from a family member, this news organization has learned.
“The finding of sustained means the investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to establish that the act occurred and that it constituted misconduct,” Tirona wrote. The city has not yet released any materials related to Ellis’ investigation, or explained what discipline, if any, Bisa French faced. “Conflicting accounts between the involved , each of whom present as reliable historians regarding dynamic family meeting,” Contra Costa’s Chief Assistant District Attorney Simon O’Connell wrote in a letter explaining the decision. “With no physical evidence, the occurrence of the incident rests solely upon verbal accounts given.”
“I try to stay in my lane on these things. The police chief doesn’t work for the city council, she certainly doesn’t work for the mayor,” Butt said in a Friday phone interview. “She works for the city manager. It’s up to the city manager to deal with this.”French’s return to work was announced July 15, the same day a Solano County judge threw out a restraining order against her, filed by Goldman, which prevented French from carrying firearms. The case file was not immediately available.