海角大神

Law enforcement officials said Thursday that they have an open criminal investigation regarding allegations of misconduct in the city government of San Bernardino, which announced this week it was going to file for聽bankruptcy.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff鈥檚 Department released a statement confirming the probe but released few other details.

鈥淪everal months ago at the request of San Bernardino city officials, the San Bernardino County Sheriff鈥檚 Department, along with the San Bernardino Police Department and the district attorney鈥檚 office began an investigation related to allegations of possible criminal activity within departments of the San Bernardino city government,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淭he investigation is continuing, and details will not be released at this time. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.鈥�

There have been allegations that some financial documents were falsified to hide the seriousness of San Bernardino鈥檚 financial woes.

Meanwhile, San Bernardino鈥檚 police and fire chiefs Thursday assured residents that the agencies will continue to aggressively respond to crime, fires and medical emergencies despite the city鈥檚 decision to seek聽bankruptcyprotection.

Police Chief Rob Handy, who took over the job in October, said he plans to shift officers from specialized assignments, including gang units, to patrol duty to ensure quick response to reports of crime.

鈥淲e will continue to provide emergency and essential services to the residents of this community. We will do what it takes,鈥� Handy told reporters at a morning news conference at police headquarters.

Still, Handy expects more officers to leave or retire as the cloud of聽bankruptcy聽hangs over the city, an attrition that he said could eventually affect crime prevention and community policing programs.

The city already has seen an increase in violent crime this year.

Handy and acting Fire Chief Paul Drasil said officers and firefighters are concerned that they may feel the brunt of the city鈥檚 fiscal crisis, given that public safety agencies account for 75 percent of the city鈥檚 budget. But they declined to address austerity proposals, including suggestions the city could either share fire services with other areas or contract other public safety agencies, such as the San Bernardino County Sheriff鈥檚 Department and the state firefighting agency.

Drasil said San Bernardino poses unique challenges for firefighters, with its aging urban neighborhoods and proximity to the San Bernardino Mountains.

On Tuesday, the City Council voted to seek Chapter 9聽bankruptcy聽protection, a section of federal law for municipalities facing insolvency. Interim City Manager Andrea Miller told the council that the city faced a $45.8-million budget shortfall, the equivalent of about 35% of the city鈥檚 annual budget, and would not be able make payroll this summer.

San Bernardino is the third California city to seek聽bankruptcy聽protection in the last month, joining Stockton, in the Central Valley, and Mammoth Lakes in the eastern Sierra Nevada.

鈥斺赌斺赌�

漏2012 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times 补迟听

Distributed by聽