SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The City of San Diego hired a San Francisco law firm to conduct a confidential investigation into workplace allegations made against Police Chief Scott Wahl, Team 10 has learned.
Police sources told Team 10 the investigation was launched earlier this year.
Invoices obtained by Team 10 reveal taxpayers spent $37,400.92 on legal fees charged by the Renne Public Law Group.
In July, Team 10 submitted a public records request to the city, asking for all invoices from outside law firms hired to conduct workplace investigations into allegations made against Wahl in 2024 and 2025.
The invoices show investigators with the firm were paid $300-$450 an hour and started their “fact-finding” work back in January.
Nothing in the documents suggests any wrongdoing on Wahl’s part. The police chief was sworn in last June.
Police refuse to disclose allegations
The police department has refused to disclose what allegations were made against the leader, who has been with the force since 1998.
Dave Rolland, a spokesperson for Mayor Todd Gloria, said the mayor has “full confidence” in Wahl.
He refused to say what prompted the city to hire the law firm. “As a matter of policy, we don’t comment on internal personnel issues.”
The invoices obtained by Team 10 show that at the end of April, the law firm billed the city for legal support expenses, including proofreading, edits and comments related to a “report.”
As part of their investigation, lawyers were tasked with interviewing SDPD command staff, witnessing officers and the complainants, according to the contract between the firm and the city.
Investigators were asked to determine if city or department policies were violated and were paid to write a final report that concluded whether the allegations were true or unfounded.
Firm hired to ensure 'impartiality'
The City Attorney refused to release the report to Team 10 in a public records request.
“We have no comment and cannot provide any additional information,” said San Diego City Attorney’s Office spokesman Ibrahim Ahmed.
Records obtained by Team 10 show Assistant City Attorney Jim McNeill approved the contract with the law firm in January.
San Diego police refused to release the report to Team 10 and didn’t return a request for comment sent last month.
But after we obtained the invoices for the firm’s work late Friday, the department finally responded.
Ashley Nicholes, a spokesperson for the police department, said the law firm’s work has finished. She called the issue a “personnel matter.”
Asked if it was appropriate for taxpayers to spend thousands on an outside law firm, she defended the city.
“It is not uncommon for the city to hire outside law firms to conduct independent investigations to ensure impartiality,” she said in a prepared statement.
Team 10 Investigative Reporter Austin Grabish is a government watchdog. He covers military investigations, the Medical Board of California and the border. If you have a story for him to investigate, email austin.grabish@10news.com
