James T. Butts Jr.

James Butts joined the police force of Inglewood, California, in 1972.[6] He held several positions as a police officer, commander of a SWAT team, an undercover officer,[7] and homicide detective.[4] Butts was promoted to Sergeant in 1981, to Lieutenant in 1984, and then to Commanding Officer of the narcotics division in 1986. He led a team of 30 undercover agents that helped reduce drug trafficking in the Dixon-Darby and Lockhaven neighborhoods.[7] In 1986, Butts was promoted to Chief of Operations and became the first African American at that level within a South Bay, California, police department.[7]

In 1991, Butts moved to Santa Monica to accept a job as the city's Chief of Police,[6] a position he served until 2006.[8] During Butts's tenure, crime was reduced by 64 percent.[9] Early in his tenure, Butts conducted a month-long crime assessment at the request of the city council. In his assessment, Butts concluded that drug dealing and violent crime at Palisades Park could be reduced by enforcing a city ordinance against sleeping in public parks. The city ordinance had been controversial; its enforcement was opposed by city attorney Robert M. Myers, who refused to prosecute homeless people arrested for violating the ordinance.[10][11] This made it difficult for Butts to enforce it, since those arrested would not be prosecuted.[12]

In 1995, Butts was one of five police officers named as a defendant in a lawsuit alleging the police department was engaging in forceful questioning that violated Miranda rights.[13][14][15] In 2000, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the police officers were accountable for Miranda violations, despite arguments by the police officers that they qualify for immunity since they were trained that continued questioning was allowed.[16][17]

During Butts's tenure as Chief of Police, one of his direct reports was Eric Uller, the department's lead systems analyst who was accused of sexual abuse by over 200 people, many of whom were children at the time. Despite not being a law enforcement officer, Uller was given an unmarked police vehicle for his personal use, which was considered by others in the department to be improper, and he allegedly used it to transport victims and commit his crimes. Although many former Santa Monica employees told investigators in 2018 that they reported Uller's misconduct, Butts claimed in 2023 that "he was never made aware of any allegations against Uller."[18] The city of Santa Monica paid out nearly $230 million in settlements to Uller's victims.[19]

In 2006, Butts took a position as the head of security and law enforcement for Public Safety Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).[20] According to the Los Angeles Times, Butts improved training and discipline at LAWA and fostered better relationships with local law enforcement agencies. In 2009, the TSA named LA International Airport as the most secure Cat X airport in the United States.[21]

Butts lobbied for a $1.86 billion proposal to build an NFL stadium, which the city council approved in February 2015.[22] He also convinced the NFL to relocate the Rams to the stadium in 2016, after 20 years without a professional team in the Los Angeles area, and brokered a deal with Stockbridge Capital Group to purchase 238 acres where the stadium and entertainment complex will be built.[4][33]

According to USA Today, Butts has been "flattered by supporters" and "irritated by skeptics" on the deal.[4] According to a March 2015 article in The Los Angeles Times, Butts made Inglewood an "unlikely frontrunner" as a potential home to an NFL team, but he was "criticized as dictatorial." Some citizens suspected budget approval was rushed, because the city was under the influence of stadium developers, who made $100,000 in donations to the city. Butts said the same stadium developers also donated to his political opponents.[22] In a 14-page report commissioned by opponents of the stadium plan, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned that because of its proximity to LAX, terrorists could score a "terrorist event 'twofer' by shooting down an airplane over the stadium. Aviation experts, in a study commissioned by city of Inglewood, disputed the report’s claims. Butts called the Ridge report "fraudulent."[34]

In 2018, an investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission began into the award of a 2012 trash hauling pact contract. The contract, valued at $100 million, went to a bidder with personal connections to current Mayor James T. Butts. The successful bidder, Consolidated Disposal Services, secured the contract soon after hiring Michael Butts, brother of Mayor Butts, as an operations manager. Another firm had refused to hire Michael and was not awarded the contract, even though their bid was $11 million less.[35][36] Butts was also found to have loaned $150,000 to the election campaigns of longtime Inglewood Councilman George Dotson and was accused of failing to disclose the status of repayments.[37]

In March 2018, the Madison Square Garden Co., which owns The Forum in Inglewood, filed a lawsuit against Butts and other city agencies for fraud and breach of contract. MSG alleged that Butts tricked them into terminating their lease of city-owned land by saying the city was going to use it to develop a technology park. Once MSG gave up the lease, they allege that Butts and the city of Inglewood engaged in secret talks with the Los Angeles Clippers to develop the Intuit Dome on that land.[38][39]

In May 2019, Butts was driving a vehicle owned by the city of Inglewood and turned left on a red light. He collided with a vehicle coming the other direction and then his vehicle hit a LAPD motorcycle officer, who was thrown into a water fountain and injured.[40] The officer suffered from broken ribs, nervous system damage, and permanent physical disability, and he and his wife filed a lawsuit against Butts and the city of Inglewood. The driver of the other vehicle also filed a lawsuit against the city for injuries suffered by her and her 4-year-old son. A third lawsuit was filed by the city of Los Angeles against the city of Inglewood for $290,000 in damages, to cover the LAPD officer's worker's compensation and damage to city property.[41]

In 2010, Butts began a romantic relationship with Melanie McDade-Dickens when she worked on his mayoral campaign.[42] After his election, he hired McDade-Dickens as his executive assistant and she was later promoted to aide to the city manager, with a salary of more than $300,000, yet Butts never disclosed their relationship.[42][43] McDade-Dickens alleged that during the relationship, Butts insisted that she perform sexual acts with him in his office at City Hall; performed hypnosis on her; and made her massage his feet up to four times a day.[42] McDade-Dickens ended the relationship in March 2018 and she alleged that Butts took away some of her work responsibilities; barred her from meetings; yelled, cursed at and threatened her in the office; texted her hundreds of times; followed her to a salon to confront her about who she was dating; and entered her home without permission on more than a dozen occasions, standing over her bed to watch her sleep and frightening her daughter.[43][44] In July 2018, McDade-Dickens was escorted out of Inglewood City Hall by a security guard and placed on administrative leave; the city of Inglewood then fired her in January 2020.[45]

In January 2021, McDade-Dickens sued Butts and the city of Inglewood for wrongful termination, sexual harassment and retaliation. In August 2021, she filed a second lawsuit alleging that Butts continued to stalk and harass her and intimidate her clients, in order to destroy her business and interfere with her ability to earn a living.[46] An attorney for the city said Butts "denies any and all allegations of coercion or harassment."[42]