Full Notification

Open Letter to Hews Media Group Seeking Retraction of Inaccurate Reports

To Whom It May Concern:

I just returned from a conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and learned of recent inaccurate reports in articles by the Hews Media Group that I was, a) interviewed about crime rates in the City of Montebello, b) contradicted the Mayor in the interview, and c) had an argument/confrontation with the Mayor about a campaign ad.

It is important that the residents and businesses of the City of Montebello know that they can trust as accurate and impartial the information disseminated by the Office of the Chief of Police. The sharing of accurate information is critical to efficient police/community relations. The information recently published by the Hews Media Group regarding an interview of me, alleged statements by me in the supposed interview, and an argument/confrontation I allegedly had with the Mayor is inaccurate. I respectfully request that the Hews Media Group retract the reports.
The FBI collects crime statistics from law enforcement agencies across the United States yearly and the City of Montebello reports our figures as part of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. The Police Department provides these statistics annually and the numbers reflect the previous year’s crime statistics. In February 2015 when the Police Department released our crime statistics which reflect 2014 crimes information, the city showed an 18% decrease in crime. Nevertheless, in Montebello and throughout California, we are facing a serious public safety threat as the result of Proposition 47, which supporters said would “improve public safety” and reduce state prison overcrowding by reclassifying many felonies as misdemeanors, allowing police officers to concentrate on violent crimes. California prosecutors and law enforcement officials had well-founded concerns about Prop. 47 and, when the City next reports crime figures in February 2016, the figures will most likely show an unfortunate increase in certain crime rates due in large part to the effects of Prop. 47.
I invite residents and businesses seeking accurate information regarding the Montebello Police Department to find it at the Police Department’s website (http://www.cityofmontebello.com/depts/police/community_alerts.asp) or contact my office.

Kevin McClure
Chief of Police
Montebello Police Department