Chrisman

Kelly Chrisman appeals from the trial court’s denial of his petition for a writ of mandate ordering the Los Angeles Police Department to reinstate him as a police officer. We reverse and remand for further proceedings for the limited purpose of the department’s reconsideration of the proper punishment for appellant’s misconduct.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Appellant Kelly Chrisman was a Los Angeles police officer until the Los Angeles Police Department fired him in October 2003 for misusing his department computer. His troubles began when he started dating a woman named Cynthia Truhan-Garvey. When appellant ended their relationship, Truhan-Garvey told the department on March 29, 2000, that appellant had beaten her. At 3:00 o’clock in the morning the day after Truhan-Garvey leveled her accusations, the department arrested appellant and turned him over to the sheriff. He was held for eight hours and then released.

The sheriff’s department investigated Truhan-Garvey’s accusations. And for its part, the police department began its own internal administrative review of her charges. During the department’s investigation, Truhan-Garvey additionally accused appellant of…