Chula Vista residents rally for Police Chief Roxana Kennedy as city denies removal effort allegations

Public support and a dispute over leadership

A rally and a series of public comments at a Chula Vista City Council meeting brought renewed attention to Police Chief Roxana Kennedy’s standing inside City Hall, after claims emerged that some city leaders were seeking to replace her. Supporters gathered outside the Civic Center and later addressed the council during public comment, urging that Kennedy remain in her role.

The city has rejected allegations that there is any coordinated effort to force Kennedy out. In a written statement issued in response to the claims, city officials described the suggestion of a conspiracy to replace the chief as false and said the matter is constrained by legal considerations.

What supporters said at City Hall

Speakers included community members and faith leaders who portrayed Kennedy’s tenure as a stabilizing force in local public safety and community policing. Several speakers framed their support in terms of continuity of leadership and confidence in the department’s direction. The city council did not take public action on Kennedy’s employment status during the meeting.

Supporters asked city leaders to keep the chief in place and argued that decisions about police leadership should not be driven by political considerations.

The holiday party incident at the center of the dispute

Kennedy’s attorney, Cory Briggs, has asserted that the controversy traces back to a Dec. 13 police union holiday party. Based on statements made by the attorney, the incident involved off-duty officers dancing during an event where one participant removed his shirt during a contest. Briggs has said Kennedy briefly placed dollar bills into the individual’s front pockets and took a bow, without further physical contact.

Briggs has said city staff later told Kennedy that complaints had been received about her conduct and that an audit of the police department was being discussed. In early February, Briggs sent the city a legal preservation request seeking that records and evidence related to the incident and subsequent actions be retained.

Leave status and potential legal claims

The city has said Kennedy is on approved personal leave. Briggs has described the leave as medical and time-limited. Separately, he has publicly discussed preparations for a potential federal discrimination lawsuit, alleging that Kennedy was targeted for removal in order to replace her with a Latino successor. City officials have categorically denied those allegations and characterized the claim as offensive.

Key facts and unresolved questions

• Kennedy has served as Chula Vista’s police chief since Dec. 30, 2016.

• Public speakers urged the council to retain her; no public vote or reportable action occurred at the meeting.

• The city has denied that there is a plan to remove the chief and has limited public comment on specifics.

• Potential legal action has been raised by Kennedy’s attorney; no filed lawsuit was confirmed in the available records reviewed for this report.

The situation leaves several issues unsettled: whether any formal employment action has been initiated, whether an internal review is underway, and how the city manager and council will address the competing claims. For now, the conflict is playing out through public statements, legal positioning, and visible community mobilization at City Hall.