Calexico Police Dept. 'Plagued by Extortion,' New Chief Says

Calexico, the Imperial County city with a population of 39,000, is bordered on three sides by lettuce and alfalfa fields, and on the fourth by the fence dividing the U.S. from Mexico. It’s the kind of town where everybody knows everybody — and everybody’s business.

But many locals said they were surprised when the FBI paid a visit to the Police Department in late October. Agents took files and computers. Four cops were put on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. One of them was fired shortly before Christmas.

FBI spokesman Darrell Foxworth said the agency is looking into alleged on-duty criminal conduct, but he won’t comment further on the investigation.

Calexico’s new police chief, on the other hand, has been quite vocal about problems he’s found at the department since he took over in October.

“It’s so embarrassing and humiliating, the crap that my cops have been up to,” Michael Bostic said in an interview in December.

Bostic said leaders of the Calexico Police Officers Association — the police union — were “acting like the mob.” He said they intimidated good cops and threatened residents who presented complaints about officers.

Read the full story at KPBS