City of Antioch clears former police chief of false inappropriate relationship allegation, apologizes for leak to media
Months after investigation completed; Council pays out $190K to Steve Ford who sought more than $500K to settle complaint over email sent by estranged-wife 15 months after he left department and released by then-Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe
Ford saw leak as political retaliation for endorsing Bernal for mayor and costing him permanent chief position
“The main thing for me was to clear my name. None of this was true.” – Steve Ford
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting on August 12, 2025, the Antioch City Council voted unanimously in closed session, to settle a complaint by former Police Chief Steve Ford over leaked information from his estranged wife alleging misconduct with a City staffer. It includes $190,000 and a public apology through the local media that reported on the matter last year, including the East Bay Times, which broke the story, and the Antioch Herald.
According to the Dec. 5, 2024, report by the Herald, “An email from Ford’s estranged wife, Julia, who is pursuing a divorce, was sent to District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker about the allegations, who in turn informed City Manager Bessie Scott who then began an investigative process. It was confirmed…that the email…was sent by Scott only to Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe after he asked her to put in writing details about the matter.”
The investigation was regarding “possible misconduct by…Ford with a subordinate city employee during his brief tenure in the position. Ford was hired as interim police chief in April 2022 and was appointed to the permanent position that October. He retired from the position effective August 11, 2023.”
According to the settlement, on Feb. 18, 2025, “the City issued a private memorandum to Ford confirming the investigation had concluded and that the allegations were unfounded.” But the City did not inform the media clearing Ford’s name until after he filed a complaint in April and it was settled in late August.
Complaint
According to the complaint, “Mr. Ford was subjected to an internal investigation by the City of Antioch in November 2024, based solely on an unverified accusation from his estranged spouse. On November 27, 2024, City Manager Scott summarized the unsubstantiated allegation in a confidential email sent only to then-Mayor Thorpe. That email was leaked to the press, causing widespread public damage to Mr. Ford’s reputation. The City’s negligent or intentional failure to secure confidential personnel information, as required by Penal Code § 832.7, directly caused the unauthorized disclosure, and its refusal to publicly retract the allegations amplified the reputational damage. This breach of the City’s statutory duty to safeguard personnel records directly enabled the harmful disclosure.
“At no time prior to the media leak did the City of Antioch notify Mr. Ford that he was under investigation or that such allegations had been made. He was not provided an opportunity to respond or to participate in the process. Indeed, Mr. Ford first learned of the allegations—and the City’s internal investigation—only after they had been disclosed through the media.
“Further, Mr. Ford was not provided with a copy of the investigation findings until after the undersigned attorney contacted the City to address the publication of false and defamatory information. Only then, on February 18, 2025, did the City issue a written memorandum confirming that its internal investigation had concluded and that the allegations against Mr. Ford were unfounded. However, this communication was preceded by inconsistent representations by the City. On February 12, 2025, the undersigned attorney contacted the interim City Attorney, seeking confirmation that no internal investigation was pending, noting that Mr. Ford had received no notice, was never interviewed, and had been separated from the City for over one year. After receiving no response, a follow-up message was sent on February 19. On February 24, the interim City Attorney replied that an investigation was ‘open and pending,’ documentation of which is available upon request. Mr. Ford did not receive the February 18 letter, which confirmed the investigation was closed with a finding of ‘Unfounded,’ until February 27, 2025. The City’s inconsistent communications, including falsely stating on February 24, 2025, that the investigation was ‘open and pending’ after it had concluded, demonstrate bad faith and aggravated harm to Mr. Ford. This bad faith and the City’s negligent or intentional disclosure of confidential information form a pattern of misconduct that aggravated Mr. Ford’s injuries.
“Despite privately acknowledging the allegations were unfounded, the City’s failure to publicly retract the accusations perpetuated the damage to Mr. Ford’s professional standing.
“Shortly thereafter, Mr. Ford was informed that he had not been selected as Antioch Police Chief, despite reaching the final interview stage. Mr. Ford had publicly supported then-candidate Ron Bernal, who defeated Mayor Thorpe in the November 2024 election, raising serious concerns that the City’s conduct and failure to repair the public damage were motivated, at least in part, by political retaliation. Discovery will clarify whether former Mayor Thorpe or other officials were aware of Mr. Ford’s endorsement and acted with retaliatory intent.”
Ford alleged the following legal violations:
- Defamation (Libel per se)
- False Light.
- Invasion of Privacy (Public Disclosure of Private Facts).
- Breach of Confidentiality (Penal Code § 832.7). This breach of the City’s statutory duty to safeguard personnel records directly enabled the harmful disclosure.
- Violation of Peace Officer Procedural Bill of Rights Act (POBRA) (Gov. Code §§ 3300 et seq.). The City violated Gov. Code §§ 3304 and 3305 by failing to notify Mr. Ford of the investigation, denying him an opportunity to respond, and improperly disclosing personnel information. These POBRA protections apply to Mr. Ford, to the extent applicable, as a former officer, given the investigation’s impact on his personnel record and reputation.
- Political Retaliation (California Constitution, Art. I §§ 2, 3).
- Violation of California Labor Code §§1101 & 1102.
- Failure to Hire in Retaliation.
- Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) and Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress (NIED).
- Declaratory and Injunctive Relief.
He also claimed the following injury and damages:
- Severe reputational harm in the law enforcement and broader community
- Loss of past and future employment opportunities
- Emotional distress, humiliation, and mental anguish
- Economic damages, including lost wages, future income, and attorneys’ fees
- Continuing harm to career prospects, public image, and professional standing
Specifically, the complaint alleged, “The amount of damages is currently unliquidated but exceeds $500,000. This includes general and special damages, such as lost wages from the Antioch Police Chief position, emotional distress damages from public humiliation, attorneys’ fees, and statutory penalties where permitted, subject to proof at trial.”
The complaint also included copies of the articles published by the Times and Antioch Herald as supporting documentation.
Ford Sought Relief in Four Ways:
- Monetary damages (economic and non-economic);
- A public retraction and apology, published in the Antioch Herald, Times Herald, and East Bay Times and on the City’s official website, acknowledging that the allegations were unfounded and that Mr. Ford committed no misconduct;
- Injunctive relief prohibiting future disclosures of protected personnel records; and
- Attorneys’ fees and civil penalties.
See Complaint.
Pre-Litigation Settlement
About the complaint and settlement Cole wrote in a Memorandum to the City Council included in the agenda for their meeting on September 9, 2025, “On April 28, Ford filed a complaint against the City through his attorney…This Memorandum supplements the City Council’s report-out from the above item considered at its regular meeting on August 12, 2025. The matter then identified as an anticipated litigation item-significant exposure to litigation related to a government claim filed by former Police Chief Steven Ford. Following the report out on that evening, the City—acting under direction the City Council provided during the closed session—executed a settlement with former Chief Ford. The written settlement agreement is now available as a public record.
“The settlement was approved by motion made during the August 12, 2025, closed session. The motion was: to resolve the government claim filed by former Police Chief Steven Ford, subject to the preparation and execution of a written settlement agreement prepared and approved by the Interim City Attorney. Motion by Councilmember Freitas, second by Councilmember Torrres-Walker, with unanimous approval (all 5 members present voted ‘Yes’).”
However, on Aug 12, Interim City Attorney Derek Cole, while reporting out from the Council’s Closed Session, merely said, “the council provided direction to counsel. No reportable action was taken.”
Asked why the council’s vote wasn’t reportable Cole explained, “The action taken in closed session on August 12 was not then reportable because the other side had not yet accepted the settlement. At the time of that closed session, we did not know if Chief Ford would agree on the same terms as the Council had authorized. He later did accept on those terms and his counsel and I reduced those to the written settlement agreement you now have. Once that was executed, there was no further executory action on either side’s part, so we made the updated report-out at the last meeting.”
The settlement was signed by representatives of both parties on August 25 and 26.
Public Apology by City
The City issued the following “Statement…Regarding Settlement of Government Claim Filed by Former Police Chief Steven Ford
August 27, 2025
“In November 2024, the City of Antioch initiated an internal investigation involving former Police Chief Steven Ford. The City received an email alleging Chief Ford, while employed with the City, had an inappropriate relationship with an unnamed subordinate. The investigation, which concluded in February 2025, determined this allegation was unfounded.
“The City acknowledges that shortly after the investigation began, the investigation’s existence and the subject of investigation were inappropriately revealed to the Press – before Chief Ford was made aware. This breach of confidentiality resulted in damaging media coverage about Chief Ford beginning on or about December 3, 2024
“The City acknowledges the investigation’s existence should not have been revealed to the Press. Chief Ford had a right to expect any unverified allegation about him would be investigated confidentially. Under California law, investigations regarding peace officers may only be revealed publicly when allegations are sustained. In this matter, the allegation against Chief Ford was found not true.
“The City expresses its appreciation for his previous service as Antioch Police Chief. It wishes Chief Ford the best for his future law enforcement career.”
See Settlement.
Ford Responds
When reached for comment about his complaint and settlement with the City, Ford said, “The main thing for me was to clear my name. That was important to me. The monetary compensation, I’m appreciative of. Because my name was tarnished by a lie forwarded in an email. It was my estranged wife who sent the email with some information that has been proven categorically untrue.”
“I was wondering why my ex would do that 16 months after I had left the Antioch Police Department,” he continued. “The City of Antioch acknowledged it was untrue. So, after 34 years building what I believe is a strong reputation there had never been anything like this. None of this was true.”
Asked why he didn’t sue Hernandez-Thorpe for sending it out to the media, Ford said, “That’s certainly an option. But my main goal was to clear my name.”
Asked why the City didn’t make the results of the investigation public in February he said, “They did not make that known in a timely fashion. I didn’t know an investigation had begun. I found out on December 3 there was an investigation, in the paper like everyone else.”
“That’s the ultimate violation of my Constitutional rights to due process,” the former police chief stated.
“This was for a divorce she filed for,” Ford explained. “It would be one thing if I had filed. But the slander campaign was outrageous by my estranged wife and Lamar.”
Asked why didn’t he or his attorney didn’t release the findings in February, Ford said, “I had no knowledge of my name being cleared as of Feb. 18th. They didn’t inform me of any disposition. I learned of that after the fact. That’s when I prompted my attorney to find out the disposition. Then we determined if I wanted to file the complaint which we did, in April.”
Asked for a copy of the investigation report, he said, “I was informed that’s something that has to be worked out between Cole and my attorney.”
City Attorney Cole was asked why the results of the investigation weren’t provided to the media when it was completed to clear Ford’s name at that point rather than wait for him to file and the City to settle his complaint and for a copy of the report. Please check back later for any updates to this report.
the attachments to this post:
SFord settlement City Statement 08-27-25
JVigil Memo to SFord 02-18-25
Former Antioch-Police-Chief-Steve Ford & City logo
