San Bernardino Threatens Councilwoman with Lawsuit Over Police Misconduct Claims

City accuses Treasure Ortiz of making false and defamatory statements about police corruption

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The city of San Bernardino has sent a cease and desist letter to Councilwoman Treasure Ortiz, ordering her to stop publicly alleging that police provided information about her from a law enforcement database to a political opponent. The city claims Ortiz's "repeated public accusations of corruption, dishonesty, and unlawful conduct" have subjected city employees to "unnecessary ongoing reputational harm." Ortiz was charged in January with secretly recording conversations with San Bernardino police, which she has pleaded not guilty to.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between local government officials and law enforcement, as well as the challenges of balancing transparency and accountability with protecting the reputations of public employees. The city's threat of legal action against an elected official for her public statements raises concerns about free speech and the ability of representatives to hold authorities accountable.

The details

According to the city's cease and desist letter, Ortiz filed a $2 million legal claim last year alleging that a San Bernardino police detective who was also a police union official used a law enforcement database to do a criminal background check on her, then threatened to provide the confidential information to her political opponents. The city denies Ortiz's characterization of a meeting she had with the police chief, in which she says she was told the database search was illegal. The city claims Ortiz's "knowing indifference to factual findings" has undermined public confidence and created a hostile work environment for city staff.

  • In January 2026, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office charged Councilwoman Treasure Ortiz with secretly recording conversations with San Bernardino police.
  • On February 19, 2026, Ortiz pleaded not guilty to the charges.
  • On February 27, 2026, the city of San Bernardino sent a cease and desist letter to Ortiz ordering her to stop making public allegations about police misconduct.

The players

Treasure Ortiz

A San Bernardino city councilwoman elected in 2024 who has accused the police department of misconduct, including illegally accessing her personal information.

Darren Goodman

The San Bernardino police chief, who Ortiz claims told her that a database search on her was illegal.

Irma Rodriguez Moisa

The outside counsel for the city of San Bernardino who sent the cease and desist letter to Councilwoman Ortiz.

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What they’re saying

“Repeated public accusations of corruption, dishonesty, and unlawful conduct have subjected City employees to unnecessary ongoing reputational harm and unsupported professional scrutiny.”

— Irma Rodriguez Moisa, Outside counsel for the city of San Bernardino (Cease and desist letter)

“My hope through this whole process is that we are sending a message to the residents, to public employees and to future leaders that no one is above the law. Doing the right thing is not optional, it is expected.”

— Treasure Ortiz, San Bernardino city councilwoman (Inland Empire Community News)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow Councilwoman Ortiz to be released on bail for the charges related to secretly recording police conversations.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between local government officials and law enforcement, as well as the challenges of balancing transparency and accountability with protecting the reputations of public employees. The city's threat of legal action against an elected official for her public statements raises concerns about free speech and the ability of representatives to hold authorities accountable.