Ex-Turlock police chief steps down from Seaside post after being placed on leave

Former Turlock Police Chief Robert Jackson announced his retirement Monday afternoon from the same position in Seaside, days after he was placed on paid administrative leave.

Officials in the city of Seaside in Monterey County, where Jackson became head of the police department in November, would not confirm why Jackson was placed on leave last week.

However, the city's announcement came after a column in the Monterey County Weekly reported that Jackson had shared Facebook posts containing "racists conspiracies."

Contacted by The Bee Monday night, Jackson said he decided over the weekend that the incident had "compromised my ability to be chief." He said he informed Seaside City Manager Craig Malin hours earlier that he would retire, effective Oct. 18.

Malin could not be reached for comment.

One of the posts shared by Jackson, according to the columnist, came from Southern Rebel, the Facebook page for americasfreedomfighters.com, which had an article titled "A list of Obama's accomplishments as the first black president of the USA." Among them: "First president to smoke crack cocaine in the White House" and "First president to marry a man."

In the share text of his Facebook page, according to the columnist, Jackson wrote: "Impressive!" Another called into question climate change and Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Jackson confirmed sharing those posts, but contended there were others not made public satirizing candidates or issues of all political affiliations. He denied being racist.

"I've shared stuff on Trump, Hillary, Bush ... sent things with a certain slant," he said. "I wasn't intending to make a political platform. Just satire. Most of the stuff I shared was absolutely unbelievable."

Asked about calling "Impressive!" Obama's "accomplishments," Jackson said he was referring to the enormity of the list. He admitted how it could be construed, and said he learned that "You have to be careful on what you post. It's not the intent, but how other people might take it."

He said the investigation into the incident had not started, and that his conversation with Malin on Monday was neither negative nor positive. He insisted he would have been absolved of any wrongdoing, but that stepping down "was the right call" and that he was "putting the department first."

He said what he thought he was sharing was just going out to only those who follow him on Facebook. The columnist in Monterey said he went through Jackson's timeline, which he said was public.

A few days after the column appeared, according to the TV station KSBW, the city's human resources director wrote an email to members of the Seaside Police Department stating: "I am sending this email to you on behalf of City Manager Craig Malin. Effective immediately, Police Chief Robert Jackson has been placed on paid administrative leave until further notice. This action is non-disciplinary and non-punitive. Chief Jackson should not be contacted for police, departmental, or city related matters unless authorized by me, and he is prohibited from entering a City of Seaside owned or operated facility, except for those areas open to the public. Please afford Chief Jackson every courtesy we would provide to any member of our community or the public."

Before becoming chief in 2012, Jackson was a Turlock police captain for four years and served nearly 20 years with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

Upon his hiring in Seaside, Malin, the city manager, said: “Chief Jackson’s experience, skill and leadership qualities made him the clear choice of the interview panel, and I look forward to his contributions here."

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 9:29 PM with the headline "Ex-Turlock police chief steps down from Seaside post after being placed on leave."