The City of San Luis Obispo and former Police Chief Steve Gesell reached an agreement Thursday regarding his exit earlier this month from the department, according to an official city press release.
"The agreement ensures that no legal action will result from the separation, and is compliant with the severance clause in his offer of employment," its states.
City Manager Katie Lichtig is quoted from Tuesday's City Council meeting saying, “To reach peak performance, the City Manager and Police Chief need to be in complete alignment,” and the release states that Lichtig and Gesell "have fundamental differences about the appropriate roles and responsibilities" of the job.
The release did not elaborate with any examples of those differences.
Gesell will receive a severance is $120,000. Chris Staley will remain Acting Police Chief until further notice.