Investigation into “on ice” allegations against San Bernardino police sergeant reopened

SAN BERNARDINO – Police Chief Keith Kilmer has hired an outside investigator to review an Internal Affairs probe into a sergeant accused of keeping people “on ice,” according to multiple sources close to the investigation.The decision reportedly came after Deputy Public Defender Sam Knudsen sent a letter to the new chief urging him to reopen the case because “some witnesses may have actually been steered away from giving/reporting information related to possible misconduct.”

The three-paragraph letter is dated July 15.

Accusations surfaced a year ago that Sgt. Brad Lawrence was illegally detaining suspects without probable cause, a practice commonly known as putting them “on ice.”

Knudsen declined to elaborate on his letter, saying it stood on its own.

Lawrence could not be reached for comment.

San Bernardino police deliver second no confidence vote in top brass

The San Bernardino Police Officers’ Association tonight delivered an overwhelming no confidence vote in the administrative brass, the second such vote in six months, and called upon the mayor to replace Police Chief Michael Billdt by March.

Out of the 339 rank-and-file officers, 190 turned out for the vote against Billdt, Assistant Police Chief Mitch Kimball, Capt. Theodis Hensen and Lt. Brian Boom. There was a 99.5 percent no confidence vote against the chief and upwards of 96 percent no confidence vote against the rest of the administration.