Lieutenant Placed on Administrative Leave

Lt. Dave Sears, a 14-year veteran of the Petaluma Police Department, has been put on administrative leave, while the department conducts an internal investigation, the Argus Courier is reporting.

Sears was placed on paid administrative leave starting last Thursday, but the department would not say what prompted the investigation. Lt. Lyons referred all inquired to the City Manager John Brown, who said putting a sworn officer on leave was “not uncommon.”

“The department has a responsibility to investigate any complaint raised against an employee by members of the public or other employees,” Brown told the Argus Courier.

Sears was hired by Petaluma in 1999 after serving 12 years as an officer at the Benicia Police Department. His duties in Petaluma have included criminal investigations, SWAT, patrol and administrative service. He was later promoted to captain and was a contender to succeed Chief Steve Hood after he retired.

But when the city voted to eliminate captain positions to trim police costs, Sears was demoted from captain to lieutenant, a move that angered many. The demotion resulted in a $35,000 pay cut and Sears sued the city, but later withdrew his suit. 

Sears is a respected member of the department and for the past year has been working on a new ordinance to tighten regulations of massage establishments in town. He’s also very involved in the community as a member of the Petaluma Youth Network and on the board of the Sonoma County Housing Land Trust. Sears is also currently attending law school at Empire College.

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