Antioch Police Department Struggles to Rebuild Under New Leadership Amidst Staffing Shortage

The Antioch Police Department is facing significant challenges as it strives to rebuild its reputation under new leadership. Currently operating with less than half of its authorized officer capacity, the department is grappling with the aftermath of a series of scandals that have resulted in the termination or departure of several officers, while others remain on leave.

Interim Antioch Police Chief Brian Addington revealed that out of the 115 authorized officer positions, only 73 are currently filled. Of those, 17 officers are on leave or working on modified duty, leaving a mere 56 officers to handle the department’s responsibilities. Recognizing the urgent need for stability, the department requested the City Council’s approval to hire an additional police captain position for the remainder of the fiscal year, which was unanimously granted during Tuesday night’s Council meeting.

The Antioch Police Department had budgeted for two captain positions, but one captain was already on long-term leave and expected to retire in the first quarter of next year. Additionally, a part-time interim captain’s tenure is set to end in December. Addington, who previously served as the Pittsburg police chief, appointed the interim captain shortly after assuming his role as Antioch’s interim police chief in February. Lieutenant Joe Vigil, who had been acting as captain and interim chief during the transition period, was recently promoted to a permanent captain position following a rigorous selection process involving various stakeholders.

Addington’s request to the council aimed to “overhire” a captain to fill the position of the retiring captain on leave. He expressed hope that a new captain would be selected within the next 45-60 days, emphasizing the importance of thorough hiring procedures, including background checks, polygraph tests, and medical and psychological evaluations. The chosen candidate, who possesses extensive law enforcement experience, including executive positions within the force, will play a crucial role in the department’s efforts to rebuild amidst ongoing investigations by the state and federal Department of Justice into alleged misconduct by multiple officers. These investigations involve accusations of criminal conduct and the exchange of racist, homophobic, and sexist text messages.

In addition to the new captain, the department plans to hire six lateral officers, including a lieutenant, who have either graduated from the police academy or are currently working as enforcement officers. Furthermore, ten officers are expected to graduate from the police academy soon, bringing the department’s total officer count to 90, assuming no further departures or retirements occur.