Moments after we posted our article about Mesa Assistant Police Chief Mike Denney (at right), a Mesa officer called to let us know other named replacements for Chief George Gascon have been investigated, too.
The officer, who wanted to stay anonymous, tells us that department policy dictates that any complaint against an officer must be investigated. That means the complaints might be meritless. However, the source tells us that in addition to Denney:
*Assistant Chief Mike Dvorak's ex-wife filed a complaint against him.
*Assistant Chief John Meza was investigated for some sort of internal problem regarding another police officer.
Our source tells us the details of the investigations should break soon. After three top cops were named as potential replacements for Gascon, who's leaving to become San Francisco's police chief, local news outlets put in public records requests for their personnel files.
The source also says that former candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff, Dan Saban (pictured below), is throwing his name in the hat as Gascon's successor. Saban retired from the Mesa department in 2004 after attaining the rank of commander.
Saban could sure follow in Gascon's footsteps when it comes to opposing Sheriff Joe Arpaio, but we imagine he made enemies as well as friends during his time in Mesa.
Any current or former Mesa officer might create as many morale problems as they solve, which is why the city picked an outsider the last time the job was open. But the city reportedly does not want to wait months to vet candidates.
Maybe San Francisco will change its mind.