Another one bites the dust: Oakland deputy police chief Jeff Loman placed on leave

Oakland deputy police chief put on leave

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, February 5, 2009

(02-04) 11:44 PST OAKLAND --

An Oakland deputy police chief who is the subject of a sexual harassment complaint has been placed on leave, officials said Wednesday.

Jeff Loman, one of the department's three deputy police chiefs, was placed on paid administrative leave Tuesday, said Officer Jeff Thomason, a Police Department spokesman. He declined to say why, saying it was a confidential personnel matter.

But Loman was named in a sexual harassment complaint filed by a female police sergeant last year, sources said. The sergeant, who has worked in the criminal investigation division, is on a list to be promoted to lieutenant.

Loman's attorney, Alison Berry Wilkinson, said Wednesday, "He denies the allegations and is looking forward to clearing his name."

Loman was promoted to deputy chief of the Bureau of Services last year, overseeing the communications, training and records divisions.

He previously served as captain in charge of the criminal investigation division, which investigates robberies, assaults and homicides, and was himself a homicide investigator.

Capt. Eric Breshears has been named acting deputy chief of the Bureau of Services.

The case involving Loman is among a spate of controversies that have rocked the Oakland police lately. Loman was at a City Hall news conference last week when Police Chief Wayne Tucker announced that he will resign effective Feb. 28 because of disagreements he's had with the City Council.

Tucker's announcement came the same day four council members planned to call publicly for a vote of no confidence in the chief, citing spiraling violent crime, a below-average rate of crimes solved and a stream of bad publicity.