ORLAND, CA — Suspended Orland Police Chief Paula Carr returns to work Wednesday, three months after she admitted to borrowing money from a police K-9 fund, and having the incident investigated by the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office.

Firing her may be too harsh a punishment, City Attorney Tom Andrews said last week after reviewing the investigation report, but members of the Orland Police Officers Association didn’t appear happy Tuesday about learning her position would be restored.

In a written statement to the media, OPOA President Sean Johnson, a seven-year veteran with the department, said the association played no role in the decision to allow Carr to return to duty.

“The OPOA does not condone the actions of Chief Carr in any way and are proud of its members for stepping forward and doing what was right when they learned of her actions,” Johnson wrote on behalf of association members.

He said he couldn’t comment further about the association’s role in reporting Carr’s indiscretion. She admits using “very poor judgment” in using the funds to purchase a horse at auction, although she replaced the money the next day.

Johnson said he may be at liberty to comment further in a few days.

“We just wanted to make sure people we deal with on a daily basis know how we feel,” Johnson said.

He said he believes the incident will have an impact on the future relationship between the chief and the association, which represents all rank-and-file officers, and two civilian employees in the department.

Johnson said association members “will continue to provide the highest level of service possible with the professionalism, integrity, and ethics that the members of this community have come to expect from their police department.”

From The Chico Enterprise Record