Oakland interim police chief fired amid sexual misconduct scandal

Just six days after he was named the interim police chief of the Oakland Police Department amid a sexual misconduct scandal, Ben Fairow was fired by the California city's mayor.

Libby Schaaf said she made the decision to fire him after receiving "information that has caused me to lose confidence in Ben Fairow's ability to lead the Oakland Police Department at this particular moment in time." She called his appointment a "mistake I made, and the important thing is I'm fixing it." While she would not say why he was fired, Fairow's former boss, BART Police Chief Kenton Rainey, issued a statement saying he welcomed Fairow back to his old job, and the fact that Fairow had an extramarital affair more than 10 years ago does not preclude him from "serving as a sworn law enforcement officer or as one of my deputy chiefs."

Fairow was named interim police chief after the last chief, Sean Whent, resigned; Schaaf will not reveal if Whent resigned in connection with the misconduct scandal, which revolves around a sex worker who allegedly had sex with dozens of officers from the Oakland Police Department and other local agencies while underage. With the investigation ongoing, five Oakland officers have been put on leave, and two resigned in May, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up