Just prior to LaChapelle being hired, then Police Chief Jack Smith had been hired to restructure the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) by then Mayor Joan Shoemaker and the City Council. He was tasked with introducing and implementation of the Problem/Community Oriented Policing concept throughout the department. Chief Smith received major resistance from the police command he had inherited upon his arrival in 1988. Smith eventually left the department in 1994 after facing serious resistance and realizing that the change were not occurring. Chief Smith accepted an Under-Sheriff position with the San Diego Sheriff's Department under Sheriff William Kolender. During Chief Smith’s tenure with the El Cajon Police Department, he and LaChapelle forged a close working relationship to cultivate and develop the police department’s relationship with the community.

LaChapelle was highly decorated receiving numerous awards for community leadership. Additionally, he sat on numerous boards, commissions, and routinely accepted invitations for public speaking engagements. He was a leader in the community, motivating and inspiring many to get involved in volunteerism to make their community a better place. For details click here.

Mr. LaChapelle was consistently chastised for striving to implement Mentorship programs which he strongly believed would be effective in re-directing at risk gang youth. The programs were in fact extremely effective. Many of the gang youth that he personally mentored are now adults with incredible success stories. For details click here.

LaChapelle was criticized by many for his questioning of improprieties throughout his career. One example of this would be an incident that occurred in 1994 in which he arrested a documented gang member for assault with a deadly weapon. He was stunned when he received an official rejection notice from the District Attorney's Office stating that the case would not be prosecuted. The reason stated for this DA reject was: "Victim is a dirt bag, no humans involved!" LaChapelle questioned the appropriateness of this, especially when the Hispanic victim had no criminal record. One of the D.A.'s made a reference to the fact that most Hispanics are gang members. This was an outrageous and racist assertion. Several weeks later, the suspect committed a major crime of violence and was involved in a standoff with police. Of course this would not have happened if the case had been issued in the first place.

In 1992, LaChapelle received information regarding forced sexual acts upon two young teenage girls. LaChapelle was stunned to learn that the suspects in the case were a fellow Police Officer, and the son of his immediate supervising Lieutenant. LaChapelle conducted the initial interview of the victim, and turned over the victim and his initial findings to neighboring La Mesa Police Department who had jurisdiction over the location in which the crime occurred. The officer and Lieutenant's son eventually both pled guilty in the case and were sentenced. The Sheriff's Department said they were unable to provide protection in the County Jail due to the nature of the crime, so they were given house arrest. During this case, LaChapelle was subjected to severe pressure for violating the "police code of silence". A seven page document was submitted to the District Attorney's Office by one police sergeant, trying to discount the rape case by discrediting LaChapelle. This sergeant was a close friend of the police officer suspect. The District Attorney's Office immediately discredited the letter and continued prosecuting the case. For details click here.

This would begin a long rough journey for LaChapelle. His Lieutenant continued to be his immediate supervisor. She did everything possible to make things uncomfortable for LaChapelle. The Lieutenant told others she would get back at LaChapelle for doing this to her son. She would later use LaChapelle's involvement with local Churches of various faiths to cloud the issues and discredit him by asserting that it was interfering with his job as a Police Officer.

The police administration and police union leadership who opposed Chief Smith’s plan to restructure the police department continually sought to undermine the programs in which LaChapelle was commissioned by the Chief to undertake. LaChapelle held a strong power base within the community, which offered some protection from the initial retaliation against him from his Lieutenant and several of her close colleagues.

In 1994, LaChapelle was elected to the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Governing Board of Education with the highest votes out of ten candidates. For details, click here. He was asked to run for the position by members of the public who had alleged financial corruption among the districts top officials. For details, click here. He additionally had uncovered misappropriation of funds at one of the schools federally funded programs. For details, click here. During his election campaign, the opposition did everything possible to destroy his credibility to thwart a successful election. LaChapelle succeeded in his bid for election.

After being seated in his newly elected position, the Lieutenant and her colleagues began making assertions that it was a conflict of interest for LaChapelle to remain a Police Officer and seated as an Elected Public Official simultaneously. The Police Department advised LaChapelle that due to the fact that he was assigned to gangs at the local schools, that he should be transferred to a different position in which he would not have a “perceived conflict of interest” at the schools in which he was now a Governing Board Member. The lieutenant also held close relationships with the top officials from the school district.

Because of Chief Smith’s resigning from the department, LaChapelle no longer was protected against the increasing retaliatory measures being deployed against him. He eventually was reassigned to an undercover vice assignment. This was despite the Police Departments knowledge that LaChapelle had serious allergies to cigarette smoke, and had personal convictions which went against his "hanging out" in strip clubs and bars in which his new assignment required of him. LaChapelle continued for six months in this assignment until his sinitus was too severe from the allergies to cigarette smoke, and they reassigned him back to patrol.

In mid 1995, LaChapelle was told by his Lieutenant that he would be required to work Thursday evenings in which his lieutenant clearly knew was his scheduled board of education meetings. LaChapelle was in the process of attempting to uncover serious allegations made against the school district for financial improprieties. Because LaChapelle knew of the importance of the financial condition of the school district, he chose to resign from the police department, and remain an elected member of the Board of Education.

LaChapelle filed a lawsuit against the City of El Cajon Police Department for the retaliation. The City of El Cajon won a summary judgment from a judge who refused to even hear any of the hundreds of documents submitted to the court as evidence. LaChapelle sought to appeal the case to a higher court; however he was threatened by the city with thousands of dollars in attorney fees in which they would seek from him. LaChapelle agreed to dismiss the appeal.

After two years on the Board of Education, and his pursuit of uncovering the alleged corruption, he was viciously attacked and maligned daily in local newspapers. In addition, LaChapelle's opponents did everything they could to stop him. For details, click here. The teachers union was closely aligned with the Superintendent, JoAnn Smith and Fred Martinez, the Director of Business Services in which LaChapelle was investigating. The administration and union leadership did everything possible to prevent LaChapelle from accessing the necessary documents he needed to uncover the truth. At one point they even censured him and orchestrated a meeting with hundreds in attendance to dissuade LaChapelle from continuing his investigation. Fortunately scores of community members attended the orchestrated meeting as well to support LaChapelle in his efforts. For video footage of the meeting, click here. To view the audits click Vavrinek and/or Deloitte.

In 1996, the Superintendent JoAnn Smith resigned her position and Fred Martinez, the Director of Business Services fled without a trace. The FBI became involved and even at one point placed a body wire on LaChapelle and recorded fellow Board Member Michael Harrelson trying to coerce LaChapelle into backing off from his pursuit of an investigative audit of district funds. Harrelson requested LaChapelle to put a stop to his inquiries into the alleged corruption, and in return told LaChapelle he would stop the retaliation from the police department in exchange for LaChapelle working to stop the investigations. Harrelson further stated that he had a close friend on the El Cajon City Council Todd Keegan who would help him. For details, click here.

An investigative audit was conducted of the finances of the Grossmont Union High School District by Deloitte & Touche. Immediately following this audit, one of the auditors contacted LaChapelle, advising him that a number of serious discrepancies were found during the audit, and that he believe there was evidence of criminal activity. He wanted to meet with LaChapelle and District Legal Counsel to discuss his findings. For details, click here.

LaChapelle received death threats; he had credible sources within the Police Department advise him that the Police Administration had been holding strategy sessions. The sole topic discussed was how to "get rid of LaChapelle". They also were doing everything they could to "find dirt" on him; to no avail. For details, click here.

As a result of LaChapelle's tenacity on the school board, the entire school district administration was eventually replaced, and accountability was instilled back into the school district. LaChapelle did not seek re-election after his term expired in 1998. LaChapelle received letters from top adminstrative staff commending him for his efforts. For details, click here.

All of the facts in this case are verifiable through depositions taken during the lawsuit filed against the El Cajon Police Department. Included within the evidence that a Federal judge would not allow admitted into evidence was a sworn deposition from LaChapelle’s former Police Chief Jack G. Smith. Within that deposition, the Police Chief said he feared for the safety of LaChapelle. He recalled meetings conducted by other high ranking officers, in which, they would strategize on how to neutralize LaChapelle. The Police Chief resigned months before LaChapelle resigned from the force.

In 2001, LaChapelle applied for a position as a Special Agent for the California Department of Justice. After passing his polygraph examination, he was called in for a secondary background interview. During this interview, one of the investigators advised LaChapelle that he had spoken with LaChapelle’s former Lieutenant with whom he was close friends with. He began interrogating LaChapelle demanding to know if LaChapelle was tape recording their conversation. He then advised LaChapelle that he knew of the actions he had taken while working as an El Cajon Police Offier. Needless to say, LaChapelle was no longer considered for that position.

Several other Officers have alleged corruption within the El Cajon Police Department even as recent as 2004. Click on the picture at the bottom of this page to view recent news footage. One Officer, Robert Cartwright, who brought forth major allegations of corruption was retaliated upon severely. He and his wife were subjected to a false anonymous tip alleging they were involved in money laundering in which the FBI conducted a raid of their home. Later the FBI acknowledged the information had been provided solely by top level officials at the El Cajon Police Department, and that the information later was confirmed to be baseless. That Officer has pending litigation against the City of El Cajon for this incident.

The lieutenant is now a Captain. She along with her husband and a few other colleagues continue to hold a tight grip on the El Cajon Police Department. Anyone that questions their activities is silenced, discredited and destroyed. The nepotism within the department is alarming. Very few individuals dare question this powerful clique.

Now with focus and clarity, LaChapelle is committed to his non-profit organization founded in 1999. LaChapelle currently is committed to Mentoring current and future Police Officers, equipping them to resist the temptations that go along with the job, and instilling in them the cardinal virtues which enable them to stand up for what is right, no matter what the cost!