On February 22, 2022, the City of Santa Ana, its City Manager Kristine Ridge, its City Attorney Sonia Carvalho, and Executive Director of Human Resources Jason Motsick filed an anti-SLAPP motion seeking dismissal of claims by Gerry Serrano and the Santa Police Officers Association (SAPOA) on the grounds those claims involve the City Officers’ exercise of free speech rights and communications on issues of public interest relating to their official duties. Separately, Santa Ana Police Department Chief David Valentin also filed his own anti-SLAPP motion on the same grounds against Mr. Serrano and SAPOA.
The multiple issues of public interest in these motions include 1) the Santa Ana Police Department’s investigation into Mr. Serrano for interfering with an investigation into stolen City Council recall campaign signs, 2) the City’s communications with CalPERS about Mr. Serrano’s pension credit for premium pays which could be seen as pension spiking, 3) the City Attorney’s request to the California Fair Political Practices Commission inquiring into whether a conflict of interest would prevent Mr. Serrano from attempting to negotiate a side letter agreement relating to his pension, 4) and the City’s investigation into whether Mr. Serrano breached a settlement agreement involving the former SAPOA president.
The City of Santa Ana and the Officer defendants will be seeking substantial monetary sanctions against Mr. Serrano and SAPOA upon prevailing on these pending anti-SLAPP motions.
We would direct the media to take careful note of the signed comprehensive Declarations from the City Manager Kristine Ridge and the Chief of Police David Valentin, which form the first substantive response to the frivolous allegations made by Mr. Serrano in his November 2021 lawsuit.
Lawsuit documents
- Declaration of David Valentin in Support of Special Motion to Strike
- Serrano – Notice of Motion and Special Motion to Strike
- Declaration of Kristine Ridge in Support of Special Motion to Strike
- Declaration of Sonia Carvalho in Support of Special Motion to Strike
- Serrano – David Valentin Motion to Strike