HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-2024_Open Session_General comment_Lorenz, Michael_RedactedHonorable Mayor and Council Members,
Thank you for taking the time to listen to this very important message concerning an incident
which occurred in your City yesterday, Tuesday, November 19, 2024. I am the Chief of Police
for the City of Ontario and I have grave concerns with the actions of one of your Council
Members, Council Member Theodore Sanchez . This letter is intended to provide clarification
and set the record straight concerning Council Member Sanchez’s baseless allegations
against my officers, the Ontario Police Department, and the City of Ontario, which have
already caused social media posts calling for a lawsuit against the City of Ontario.
Yesterday, two of my officers transported a homeless individual at the request of the City of
Ontario’s Continuum of Care, by his own free will, to the Illumination Foundation located in
the City of San Bernardino. The City of Ontario’s Continuum of Care Department is
comprised of social workers who specialize in homeless advocacy. As the officers were
entering into Illumination Foundation’s secured parking lot, Council Member Sanchez
followed behind them and identified himself as a Council Member on more than one
occasion. Council Member Sanchez then began filming my officers using his telephone and
accused my officers of dropping off homeless people in the City of San Bernardino. This
statement is not only untrue but is also slanderous. It is my understanding that Council
Member Sanchez then circulated the image(s) taken by his telephone to multiple individuals
within the City of San Bernardino. Later that evening, a social media post was made by
someone other than Council Member Sanchez, which utilized a photograph taken by
Council Member Sanchez, calling for a lawsuit against the City of Ontario, amongst other
things (see image on next page).