General (27)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, July 14, 2026 6:04 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Tom Fielder, District 1, Councilmember Ryan Balius
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
For public comment on July 14, 2026:
Former Chief Rick Armendariz removed Sergeant Tony Lee from the Downtown Disney detail in
December 2025. It's fair to say Sgt. Lee was unhappy about that decision.
How do we know?
Because he recently filed a government claim against the City of Anaheim.
According to Sgt. Lee's own claim, the Resort Policing Team was a highly sought-after assignment
because it dramatically increased an officer's earning potential through overtime.
The claim also describes the Resort Policing Team assignment as a "lifelong appointment."
A lifelong appointment?
The last time I checked, those were reserved for United States Supreme Court Justices. And even
those appointments are the subject of public debate.
Most jobs come with assignments—not lifetime guarantees. Shouldn't taxpayers understand how that
overtime was being earned?
That's not an accusation. That's accountability.
Residents deserve to understand how the Disney assignment became so financially valuable.
Tonight, I'd also like to ask two public officials a question.
Councilmember Rubalcava - residents have seen you publicly support the Anaheim Police
Association on many occasions.
How do you address residents’ concerns that these relationships might influence decision-making
when matters involving police union leadership come before the City?
City Attorney Fabela - wouldn't an independent review by an outside law enforcement agency help
answer these questions and restore public trust? Why haven't you recommended one?
If there is nothing to hide, there should be nothing to fear from an outside independent review.
1