Federal suit filed against embattled former Ukiah police chief alleges sexual battery, civil rights violations

A federal civil rights lawsuit accuses a former Ukiah police chief of sexual assault around the time he was put on administrative leave before being fired in June.

Noble Waidelich and the city of Ukiah are named in the 12-page complaint filed Feb. 28 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Eureka.

The complaint was filed by Johnston & Hutchinson, a Los Angeles-based law firm which represents the plaintiff, who was only identified as Jane Doe.

It alleges sexual battery, battery, violations of civil rights and negligent hiring.

Waidelich could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.

“The City has no comment on the sexual battery allegedly perpetrated by former police chief Noble Waidelich because it has no knowledge of what did or did not happen between Waidelich and Jane Doe,” said Patrick Moriarty, an attorney representing the city, in a statement.

“The City and department will defend against Jane Doe's claims that they were responsible for the allegedly unlawful acts of Waidelich.”

Allegations stem from an incident said to have occurred June 13 at Jane Doe’s home in Ukiah.

“During the acts and omissions alleged herein, Chief Waidelich was on duty, in uniform, and wearing a badge and carrying a firearm,” according to the complaint.

Further details about the incident aren’t included in the complaint, which still provides a small window into events from the week of Waidelich’s termination.

He was placed on paid administrative leave June 14 and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reported at the time it was investigating “an allegation of criminal conduct.”

The Sheriff’s Office forwarded the case to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office before it was passed to the California Attorney General’s Office in October. One month later, the AG’s office referred it back to Mendocino County after declaring there was no conflict of interest.

Waidelich was fired days after the investigation began in June, but city staff said it was for an unrelated violation of police department policy that was never disclosed.

Ukiah Police Capt. Cedric Crook was appointed acting police chief following Waidelich’s departure. He was sworn in full time March 15.

Waidelich was hired as an entry-level officer in 2005, tapped as the interim chief in September 2021 and named chief just over a month later. His annual salary was $187,789.

In the allegation against the city, the complaint states, “Defendants city of Ukiah and Ukiah P.D. owed plaintiff a duty to properly hire, supervise and retain or dismiss Chief Waidelich.

“On information and belief, defendants city of Ukiah and Ukiah P.D. knew or should have known that Chief Waidelich was a risk to members of the public and specifically Jane Doe and should not have hired him.”

At the time of his termination, Waidelich was involved in a 2017 civil lawsuit filed by his former fiancee, Amanda Carley. Her daughter, Madison, filed a separate but similar lawsuit at a later date.

The former Mendocino County probation officer alleged years of domestic abuse by Waidelich and retaliation by the county after she reported it.

Both cases were settled in October, according to the plaintiff’s attorney, Richard Freeman.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi