Ukiah Police Chief Noble Waidelich on Administrative Leave Due to ‘Criminal Investigation’
Various pictures of Ukiah Police Chief Noble Waidelich, now on administrative leave for a criminal investigation [All photographs from the Ukiah Police Department Facebook page]
The press release offers no information regarding the nature of the criminal information, and states, “Because this is both a pending personnel and criminal matter, no further information may be disclosed by the City of Ukiah at this time.”
Deputy City Manager Shannon Riley confirmed that Chief Waidelich is still receiving his salary while on administrative leave.
We have reached out to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office for further information about the ongoing investigation and will provide details when available.
This news comes days after national media coverage of a civil suit filed by Chief Waidelich’s ex-fiance alleging she was abused by him and was then discredited and pushed out of her job at Mendocino County’s Probation Department to protect her abuser.
Outside of Chief Wadelich, the Ukiah Police Department’s workplace culture and leadership have been called to question in the wake of the firing of Sergeant Kevin Murray for alleged sexual assault, methamphetamine use, and burglary. A former officer has also sued the department for creating a hostile work environment after she complained that Murray had allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The following is the press release issued by the City of Ukiah regarding Waidelich’s administrative leave, and we will proving more information when obtained:
Police Chief Noble Waidelich was placed on administrative leave as of June 14, 2022, pending an ongoing criminal investigation led by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. The City is cooperating with investigating authorities while completing the appropriate personnel investigation.
Because this is both a pending personnel and criminal matter, no further information may be disclosed by the City of Ukiah at this time. However, the City is working to provide continuity of services and is committed to sharing additional information when we are able to.
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Trent’s gotta be laughing like a hyena!
Who wrote this that Matt lafeaver I guess he got to write something to make his buddy Kindle look good
Circle the wagons and make a thin blue line around them.
It’s a time-honored strategy.
“Corruption is legal:”
Ya. A republican can’t even lie to Congress or the FBI anymore.
What’s up with that.
In mendocino its institutionalized.
Its similar elsewhere in Norcal but only in mendocino is it from the judges down to the patrol officers. In Alturas the chief of police Larry Pickett allegedly got a 14 year old girl pregnant. In driving to get her an abortion he asked her to get in the trunk of his police car and she aphixiated from carbon monoxide poisoning. She told her friend she was pregnant with Larry Picketts baby 54 years old but the witness was intimidated. There were bad officers there but the larger judicial structure of judges and courts wasnt corrupt. In mendo its comprehensive speak up about it and they will hammer you down.
This article should be repeated about every police department in the country. ACAB! All Cops Are Bastards. Go ahead, cops- try to prove me wrong!
Um…no. While I certainly don’t know every cop everywhere, just as you don’t, you can’t make a blanket statement like that. As with any profession anywhere, there are both good and bad people.
Cops have to deal with shitty situations every day, sometimes life-threatening. And with people who feel that all cops are bad only exasperates an already difficult profession that takes a heavy toll on a person.
Uvalde did not help their case
bet Uvalde police chief gets early “disability” retirement
I think maybe being unable to properly perform your duties would be considered a “disability?”
True they are not all bad when they start out. But after a brief time. Arrogance and corruption. Seem to win out. The pats on the back at every public event dont help. And all the hype about how dangerous their job is. Inflates their ego. There are lots of dangerous jobs. But those ppl just go to work. No parades. Just do your effin. Job.
More Blanket statements. ☝️
In my entire life ive known of only one cop who was genuine. A chp officer. The rest including the ones in my family are corrupt. And break laws. Without a second thought. I once offered an extremly drunk sheriff a ride home he obnoxiuosly delared he wd just show his badge. The next day his grille and windshield was at a crash site. But no arrest or even mention of it
The unreasonable expectation that police take care of society’s crap while maintaining society’s delusion that crap doesn’t exist leads to that. Expecting the police to remain morally superior to the society around it is never going to succeed. Create an honest society and the police will follow.
Create an honest society? Then what need of police? Police will follow? Why? They are just as much a part of society as anyone else…oh, until they are given unusual and excessive means to control others. Oversight rather than letting them police themselves is the preventative to abuse of power. Don’t assume anyone’s morality and certainly not superiority especially when given too much power over others’ lives.
If you cant behave yourself in a manner worthy of the job. Get another job. Yes criminals are skumbags. Thats why we need morally sound people to protect and serve. And thats why all the respect and accolades from the public To accept the status. Then defile the position is far lower than a criminal that does what criminals do
So true. Also, it is a profession that attracts people who have a desire to overpower and control others more than any other profession except military. Sure some become police to help community etc. and they are weeded out or become apathetic or jaded by the bullies in blue. Listen to enough interviews, read up on murderers and find out so many murders were wanna be police (or actual police or military). We give police too much power and little oversight and then wonder what goes wrong.
If one isn’t a murderer, one doesn’t join a gang of murderous thugs.
yes AND cops have far more power than “Any profession anywhere” and someone wise said “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” as has every religion and likely research studies. I used to think only a few were “bad” and now I don’t trust any of them…no interest in waiting around to see if they prove themselves innocent. They also are not in the top 10 most dangerous jobs yet the “Poor police” martyr image persists. EMTs and firefighters have it harder and we don’t go mention them nearly as often and they don’t have bad reps for a reason; people with a desire to overpower and control others just don’t usually go into those fields. There are many groups I could list here that would be proven examples of abuses of power allowed by communities or that communities were unable to stop (usually cause they allowed it too long, too late). We best be vigilant and have citizen groups, random lottery chosen perhaps and certainly temporary positions, overseeing all sorts of professions starting with police.
Bastardry is a disease spread by constant contact with criminals. Criminals always try to spread blame to others to minimise the consequences of their own bad behavior. The most frequent targets of this are the officials arresting them. In a world where police are the constant targets of this behavior by sheer proximity of failed and inept humanity, it is easy for them to develop an attitude of resentment and tribalism. And certainly to lose respect for a society that encourages it.
I do not get arrested. I am not a criminal. Neither are most of the folks who, unarmed and unthreatening, get shot in the back by police on a regular basis. Unless, in your mind (as in theirs), being brown in public is a crime. Or being poor is a crime.
Nah I think if you have a gun and a badge you should be held to a higher standard than the society you are supposed to police. What your saying is pretty lame.
If society was perfect what would we need cops for?
Hmm the people who are supposed to protect citizens from criminals have it so tough because criminals don’t like cops so it’s ok for the cops to be corrupt cause who isn’t these days amirite?!
How do those boots taste?
I am all for getting rid of all cops. I know my neighorberhodd would soon be a better place to live free of tweekers child molesters and petty thives.
Be careful what you ask for. Remember the same cops that protect the citizens from criminals protect the criminals from the real preditors and we have a whole lot of those guys around after 20 years of combat. Think you are a bad dude try going against a couple SEALs with a few combat tours and see how that works out for you.
I don’t know any seals but I know a Green Beret. And I can kick his ass. Now of course if we both were armed with rifles I would stand zero chance. I mean no chance AT ALL.
Well if a bunch of goat farmers in sandals with AR 15s can send the US military packin , it’s just a matter of strength and fortitude to protect your own.
You mean the Bundy family fiasco ?
Should have used a drone on them.
Goat farmers with AKs did NOT send our military packing. They sent the politicians packing, as usual, who then sent the military packing. Our wars are lost at the ballot box.
Saying that and painting it doesn’t really enlighten anybody or help the discourse. After the Floyd killing it got painted around the neighborhood, and everybody had to look up what “ACAB” meant. It sounds so ’80s British rebel. Bastahds. Nobody uses that “insult” here. Growing up in the Bay, I can assure you no black person came up with that gem. ACAB came straight from a 55 year old honky outside of Portland.
police chief in Ukiah, Calif., must stand trial in a domestic abuse case brought by his former fiancee, a former deputy
Seemed like Ukiah, and Mendo we’re dragging their feet. This is Sonoma. I wonder what he did down there!
Ukiah, and Mendocino we’re dragging their heels, and penalizing his accuser. I wonder what he got up to in Sonoma County!
Ukiah and Mendocino County dragging their heels oh no that’s never ever happened not once. More like it’s the culture and that’s the way it is and you can’t get the old school people to step up to the new school. They dont like change that is WORK!!!
When is the crime not also a personal matter for the person in charged?
Any normal citizen would not be afforded this protection.
Absolutely 100% correct. Any standard citizen is not afforded these protections. To hide the truth behind a shiny suit and badge is a crime in itself.
When it involves an abuse of power and authority its not a private matter that authority is given by the people and they demand their representatives not abuse it.
What a noble individual. Oink oink oink
Wow. Your ignorance and stupidity is really showing with that comment.
How so? He is on administrative leave(getting paid) while facing criminal charges. Who else but the pigs get to do that?
Doesn’t surprise people who know what’s going on. It’s just hard to get anybody to listen to the facts this we put it under the rug and blow it off the bullying continues. Exactly why I voted for Trent. Excuses lies Shenanigans and poking fun at the lack of professionalism is disgusting. This has got to stop we need to embrace change.
People should be looking at the City Manager and asking why this has all been allowed under their supervision? Why this has gone on so long and why they keep and promote men who are open lawsuits against the City of Ukiah and under criminal investigations for domestic violence against women and or sexual assault. Why is it only months and even years after the conduct when the city is put under scrutiny by the media and the citizens are they compelled to act? Why haven’t they ever taken actions on their own to clean up the Ukiah Police Department that they oversea and are in charge of? Where is the City Counsel on these crucial and serious situations? Why aren’t the taxpayers who’s money pays all of these lawsuits outraged by the inaction of The City and their complacency in DV, Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Theft, Rape, Physical Assault, Retaliation, etc. by their paid employees while on the job and carrying a badge & gun? Why does it always appear that their’s been a deep coverup by the city and high ups to protect these men for years until they are outed by the media? Who will hold the people in charge protecting these men accountable? Where is the investigation on them? These people don’t keep themselves in these jobs for years while they have criminal conduct. It takes other powerful people covering up for them and actively acting to keep them from prosecution & termination. Where are the voters on this? Who will come forward and unseat these bad actors?
Kevin Murray and Noble Waidelich would have gotten along great with Bob Chalk.
No one seems to be surprised by this behavior. Anyone know of any job where you can be accused of such heinous offenses and still receive salary & put on administrative leave? It’s our tax dollars paying his salary.