Parents, teachers outraged after Pasadena school custodian mistaken for burglar by police

Officials from San Rafael Elementary School and Pasadena Unified School District, are trying to figure out how the school's custodian, who has worked at the school for 14 years, wound up on the ground in handcuffs and detained by police Sunday. 

One teacher who spoke with CBSLA said she's outraged that this happened to one of her colleagues when, according to her, he was just doing his job. 

"How ridiculous and there is no reason for it," said San Rafael Elementary teach Juana Orozco. "That could've also been myself. That's what he told me when I saw him this morning, that we both would have been on the ground, guns drawn." 

Orozco, who has been a teacher at the PUSD school for six years, said she saw the custodian on Saturday, as they were both preparing classrooms for the school week. 

"He had mentioned to me that he was coming on Sunday as well to continue whatever he had to finish," Orozco told CBSLA.

On Sunday, police were called to the school on a report of a burglary in progress. 

"I just saw somebody scaling a fence of the San Rafael School," the 911 caller can be heard saying on the call. "They were carrying a backpack and a bag. Looked like a tall female, but maybe it was a male. It's hard to tell. It looked white and uh, I would say in their 20's, in their 30's maybe." 

Orozco disputes that the custodian was scaling the fence at the school. 

"There was no evidence of him climbing over the fence and that was the reason why the police came," she said. 

When police arrived, she said that the custodian identified himself and even had his uniform with his name and title on it. 

"He said he was there for about 30 minutes or so, until, I guess, the principal came to identify him," she said. 

The custodian was eventually released. 

In response to Sunday's incident, PUSD Superintendent Brian McDonald, Ed. D. put out the following statement:

"A deeply concerning incident took place on Sunday, August 14, 2022, involving a Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) custodian and a number of police officers from the Pasadena Police Department at San Rafael Elementary School.

On Sunday, August 14, 2022, the San Rafael Elementary School head custodian who has worked for PUSD for 14 years, was on campus performing additional work requested by the school administration.  He was wearing his District uniform and had a set of school keys in his possession.  Pasadena police officers arrived at campus apparently in response to a report of a possible intruder at the school.

I have concerns about the manner in which the PUSD employee was apprehended and the way he was treated. I also have questions about misstatements possibly made by the individual who called the police.

Yesterday, I spoke with the interim Pasadena Police Chief to voice my concerns. He has pledged to investigate. I also spoke with the interim city manager today who also pledged to look into the matter.  I am seeking a full explanation of how this situation was handled.

While we see the Pasadena Police Department as a partner agency in our city, as with all Pasadena community members, we expect that law enforcement will act respectfully and appropriately when dealing with members of the public, including our PUSD staff. We will continue to gather information before determining any further action."

The Pasadena Police Department forwarded a report to CBSLA from the private security company contracted by the school, in which a security guard stated he noticed Principal Ramirez's "irate demeanor" when he arrived at the scene. 

Principal Ramirez is set to meet with parents Monday at 7 p.m. on a zoom call to discuss the situation. 

Meanwhile, Pasadena PD also continues to investigate.