San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen placed on leave amid investigation
SAN LEANDRO – Officials in San Leandro announced that Police Chief Abdul Pridgen was placed on leave amid allegations of violating department policy.
In a statement Friday, the city confirmed that Pridgen was placed on paid administrative leave on Monday. Officials did not provide details about the allegations against the chief.
The city said Danville-based Kramer Workplace Investigations will conduct the investigation into Pridgen. It is unclear how long the investigation would take.
"State law dictates many of the next steps, and the City will observe these laws during this process," officials said.
In the meantime, city officials said they have named law enforcement veteran Kevin Hart as interim chief. Hart has served as a chief of police in two other agencies and has more than 35 years of experience in law enforcement.
"His extensive background and proven leadership skills make him an excellent candidate to lead the department while Chief Pridgen is on leave," City Manager Fran Robustelli said in a statement.
Pridgen was appointed to San Leandro Police in 2021 after serving as chief of police in Seaside, near Monterey. He also served as command staff for the police department in Fort Worth, Texas.