ANTIOCH — The city has opened an administrative investigation into allegations the former police chief — who left the scandal-plagued department nearly 18 months ago — was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate during his tenure, this news organization has learned.
In an internal email obtained by this newspaper, Antioch City Manager Bessie M. Scott confirmed that ex-police Chief Steven Ford is being investigated after a tipster notified city officials of “potential misconduct” by Ford during his time as police chief, which ended in July 2023. Scott’s email notes that the tip came from someone other than the “aggrieved party” and cites the government code section that prohibits police officers from having sex while on duty.
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Scott’s email is dated Nov. 27, roughly two weeks after Ford’s estranged wife on Nov. 12 emailed city officials accusing Ford of “dating someone who worked in Antioch” last year while Ford was chief, according to an email this news organization obtained.
Ford and his wife are in the middle of divorce proceedings. On Nov. 18, Ford’s lawyer filed a motion in court accusing the woman of missing deadlines to disclose her finances and running a “harassment campaign” against Ford while the two remain living together.
In her email, Scott says the city is mandated to investigate the complaint against Ford, has hired an outside investigator and plans to brief the Antioch City Council on the matter. The city has also notified the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training of the allegations.
“We are taking this matter seriously,” Scott wrote.
Neither Ford nor his lawyer responded to requests for comment.
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Ford was sworn in as police chief in April 2022, at one of the police department’s lowest points. Weeks earlier, the FBI and Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office had seized multiple officers’ phones as part of a joint investigation into rampant misconduct at both the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments.
Ford, a longtime veteran of the San Francisco Police Department, was brought in as a reformer and pledged an overhaul of the city’s use of force policies and training procedures.
It was a bumpy ride, only made worse by disclosures into the FBI investigation, which resulted in criminal charges against 14 current and former East Contra Costa cops in August 2023. Along the way, numerous officers from Antioch were placed on leave for involvement in group chats where racist, sexist and homophobic remarks were made, including racist comments about Ford and the city’s outgoing mayor, who are both Black.
In a letter announcing his resignation in July 2023, Ford said he was “proud” of accomplishments during his relatively short tenure. “I sincerely hope our engagement with the community will continue and flourish,” he wrote.
Ford never stated his reason for leaving the department. His divorce proceedings began around the time of his resignation. After leaving Antioch, he tried and failed to obtain chief jobs in Oakland and at Cal State East Bay.