Pedro

The City of Los Angeles and Charles Beck (collectively the City) appeal a judgment granting a peremptory writ of mandate in favor of Jason Pedro, a police officer. Beck, as chief of police, charged Pedro with four counts of misconduct involving the use of a city police vehicle for personal business on two occasions, making a discourteous statement to a member of the public, and making a misleading statement to a supervisor conducting an official investigation. A board of rights found that three counts were barred by the statute of limitations. Beck expressed his disagreement, and the board later found Pedro guilty on all four counts and recommended a 22-day suspension without pay. Beck approved the recommendation. Pedro filed a petition for writ of administrative mandamus challenging the decision.

The trial court found in favor of Pedro on each count. It concluded that Beck had improperly directed the board of rights to find that the counts were not barred by the statute of limitations. Exercising its independent judgment, the court found that counts one and four were barred by the statute of limitations, and that counts two and three were not barred. It also concluded…