When Culver City Police Chief Don Pedersen returned from vacation last week, he received a host of e-mails and phone calls. Many of them were about a single piece of news: A vote-of-no-confidence by the Culver City Police Officers’ Association.

In an interview this week, Pedersen said he was not surprised by the development. He had been made aware of the association’s displeasure with him during at least three previous meetings, where their issues could not be ironed out.

“I found out before but the formal notification came to me upon return from my vacation, which was last Sunday,” Pedersen said. “I was disappointed in the vote but it wasn’t a surprise... It obviously concerns me but I believe that by having meaningful dialogue we can work through these issues and that is what I would like to have happen with the union.”

The CCPOA alleges Pedersen is not emotionally invested in — or loyal to — the department, its employees and the city. Even more damaging, the association claims Pedersen failed to report collision damage to his take-home city vehicle; rather, they say he took the car to a private body shop, where it was given a quick fix. This action, said CCPOA President Adam Treanor, would have resulted in severe discipline for lower-ranking officers. In addition, the organization claims Pedersen tampered with evidence and interfered with a criminal investigation involving the son of former Mayor Albert Vera. Vera, coincidentally, hired Pedersen as chief four years ago.

In that matter, the association claims Pedersen attempted to discourage detectives from serving a search warrant for stolen property. Only after the lead investigator claimed interference, according to the association, did Pedersen turn the case over to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff’s department then issued a search warrant, which led deputies to multiple stolen items. However, earlier in the investigation, said the association, another law enforcement agency arrested the late councilman’s son for allegedly taking a radio while burglarizing another council member’s home. Pedersen, they claim, removed the item from the evidence room and returned it to the council member. To the association’s knowledge, no one has been prosecuted in the case.

Also among the allegations: That Pedersen failed to identify himself as chief to an irate resident at the scene of a search warrant; and that on several occasions, he has tried to intimidate members of the association in order to discourage participation in union activities. On that claim, the association said its attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Pedersen, threatening legal action.

Pedersen said the claims were “not substantiated” and called the allegations “misunderstandings” and “miscommunications.” He insisted that he has never engaged in unlawful activities, as suggested by the CCPOA.

According to Pedersen, there was a minor scratch to his city vehicle. After it was brought to his attention by another department employee, he said, a report was made and the scratch was fixed by the city’s body shop, not a private mechanic.

On the claim of evidence tampering, Pedersen said that too is false. The matter, he said, was handled by the Redondo Beach Police Department; and due to potential conflicts of interest, he asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to conduct the investigation as a third party.

The case “resulted in convictions,” Pedersen said, “so there was no interference at all on my part.”

As for not identifying himself to a citizen, Pedersen claims he was never asked directly by the citizen who he was. His only involvement, he said, was chiming in during a conversation the citizen had with an officer.

And Pedersen, a former union member, said he has “never done anything to attempt to dissuade the union from doing anything...I have encouraged them to be involved with their union because I think you see both sides of the police business by doing that.”

Balloting within the CCPOA membership was between June 29-July 2. What resulted was 86.5 percent, or 77 of 89 members, of the association’s officers and sergeants “declaring they had no faith in Chief Pedersen as head of the city’s police department,” said a statement from the association. Ten members supported Pedersen, while two abstained.

As Treanor sees it, the vote represented a last resort in his membership’s desire to see new leadership of the department.

However, the CCPOA has already presented the results of the no confidence vote to the city council — but to no avail.

Former interim City Manager Lamont Ewell — whose contract with the city ended last month — was asked by the council to look into the claims. According to Treanor, Ewell did not address all of them, nor did he interview enough witnesses to come to any reasonable conclusions.

However, the council, as well as several members of the city’s executive management team, were satisfied with Ewell’s findings; and based on their working relationship with Pedersen, threw their full support behind him.

According to Councilman Scott Malsin, Pedersen has always displayed professionalism and has moved the department forward, ensuring that it provides the highest level of service to residents and is held to high standards.

He said the council hopes the two parties will engage in more talks and “work through it themselves…It’s going to be tough. But I know that our exceptional officers are going to continue to serve the community and they aren’t going to let this affect their duties.”

But Treanor believes it already has. Department morale, he said, has already been diminished. He fears that if officers are not happy with leadership and have constant worries on their mind, their safety may be at risk because they have to make “split-second decisions.”

In a statement released by City Clerk Martin Cole — also signed by six members of the city’s executive management team, including Fire Chief Chris Sellers — Pedersen is described as both professional and ethical.

“During his tenure, we have observed Chief Pedersen taking a thoughtful, collaborative approach to modernizing the Culver City Police Department and bringing a new culture of cooperation, community involvement and 21st century policing to this vital organization,” said the statement, which applauded Pedersen for furthering Culver City Police Department’s relationship with surrounding cities. “Contrary to the statements and implications of the CCPOA’s paid advertisement, it has been our experience, through interactions with Chief Pedersen, that he is honest, trustworthy and professionally competent.”

The Los Angeles County Police Chiefs’ Association — comprised of 45 independent police agencies operating within Los Angeles County — also threw its support behind Pedersen. According to LACPCA President Scott Pickwith, who is also chief of the La Verne Police Department, “Pedersen has been a good standing member for [roughly] the last 10 years,” and has been a leader in the association, serving in all of the leadership chairs, including association president in 2007.

Pickwith described Pedersen as “professional,” “honest,” “committed,” and a “man of integrity.”

Though Pickwith would not comment on why the association feels Pedersen is being wrongfully attacked, a statement released by the LACPCA — signed by the police chiefs of La Verne, Santa Monica, Gardena and Alhambra — suggested that Culver City police officers may be unhappy with the many changes that have taken place within the department over Pedersen’s four years as chief.

“On occasion, police unions and management disagree,” said the statement. “As a law enforcement leader, it is sometimes necessary to make difficult decisions. Sometimes those decisions are not well received, understood or appreciated by subordinates. However, the true professional — in any business — recognizes that change occurs and there must be an adaptation to that change.”

Pedersen agrees that this may be why he was targeted. Roughly two years ago, he said, the department — at his request — created a Professional Standards Unit that more thoroughly investigates complaints against Culver City police officers. It was not well-received by the association, he claims, but was needed to provide accountability and keep the department in line with others its size.

“Some people don’t like change,” he said. “I think change is hard, it’s hard for everybody. Some people except it better than others. I would just tell you that any changes that I’ve made here are to bring us into the norm with other police departments.”

The CCPOA, however, contends that Pedersen has restructured department policy, not for the betterment of the department or to make their jobs more efficient, but to evade liability at the price of lower ranking employees and build on his resume for future employment.