ANTIOCH — In the latest police-related controversy to hit this beleaguered city, officials here have agreed to pay $190,000 to the former chief, who filed a legal claim after details about a then-pending administrative investigation were leaked to the press.
In the end, officials cleared ex-police Chief Steven Ford of allegations he had an improper relationship with a city staffer, finding them “unfounded,” according to documents the city released Thursday. A legal settlement signed Aug. 25 promised the city would pay Ford $190,000 and, “at a minimum,” inform a specific newspaper reporter about the agreement.
A statement released by the city says that information about the investigation was “inappropriately revealed to the press” before Ford even learned of it, and that this resulted in “damaging media coverage on or about” the day this news organization published a story on the probe last December.
“Under California law, investigations regarding peace officers may only be revealed publicly when allegations are sustained. In this matter, the allegation against Chief Ford was found not true,” the statement says. “The city expresses its appreciation to Chief Ford for his previous service as Antioch police chief. It wishes Chief Ford the best for his future law enforcement career.”
Ford, a longtime veteran of the San Francisco Police Department before coming to Antioch, didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Ford’s claims against the city centered on an administrative investigation that was opened in late 2024 — nearly a-year-and-a-half after his departure. It was an initiated by a civilian tipster who accused Ford of having an improper relationship with a staffer, according to an email by City Manager Bessie M. Scott informing Lamar Hernandez Thorpe, Antioch’s then-mayor, about the investigation. The email doesn’t name the tipster but was sent roughly two-weeks after Ford’s estranged wife emailed city officials accusing Ford of “dating someone who worked in Antioch” during his tenure.
In 2022, Ford took over a department that appeared headed for stormy waters, assuming control after the FBI and Contra Costa District Attorney conducted a series of raids targeting officers who were suspected of crimes. Much of Ford’s tenure was spent crafting reforms, attending community events and promising to win back public trust. He abruptly resigned in July 2023, but tried and failed to get his job back in 2025, which later became a piece of his legal claim.
The claim accused the city of “defamation,” invasion of privacy, inflicting emotional distress and a “failure to re-hire in retaliation” when Ford sought the chief’s job in 2025.
He filed the claim last April, after officials announced they’d selected Joseph Vigil, a veteran Antioch officer who’d served as acting chief, for the job. On Feb. 18, Vigil sent Ford a letter stating a third-party investigation had cleared him.
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.
In August 2023, a federal grand jury and Contra Costa prosecutors charged a total of 14 ex-Antioch and Pittsburg police officers with various crimes, including three ex-Antioch officers charged with violent civil rights abuses. One was later convicted at trial, a second pleaded guilty to become a government’s witness and the third is set to go before a jury next month.
By then, details of another related scandal had already been made public, involving Antioch officers who shared racist, sexist and homophobic communications in text groups. These included slurs and disparaging comments about Ford, who is Black, as well as local politicians and other officers.
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.