San Bernardino Councilwoman Charged After Allegedly Recording Police Illegally; Arraignment Set for Feb. 19
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Photos by Manny Sandoval: San Bernardino City Councilwoman Dr. Treasure Ortiz speaks after being sworn in during a Dec. 18, 2024 City Council meeting at Feldheym Central Library.
Criminal charges were filed Wednesday, Jan. 21, against San Bernardino City Councilwoman Dr. Treasure Ortiz in a case tied to allegations that she illegally recorded San Bernardino police personnel. Ortiz is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 19.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed the case — identified by the city as District Attorney Case No. 2026-00-0000627 — alleging a violation of Penal Code section 632(a). The city alleges Ortiz “intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication, used an electronic amplifying and recording device, to eavesdrop and record communications with San Bernardino Police Department personnel.”
The city’s statement was released at the start of Wednesday’s City Council meeting at Feldheym Central Library, shortly after 5 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem Kim Knaus, stepping in for Mayor Helen Tran, asked City Attorney Albert Maldonado whether there were closed-session items to report. Maldonado announced “Treasure Ortiz v. City of San Bernardino,” and said the council, by a 5-0 vote, directed the city to issue a press release.
Councilman Fred Shorett made the motion and Councilman Ted Sanchez seconded it. The council approved it 5-0, with yes votes from Councilmembers Ibarra, Sanchez, Shorett and Flores, along with Mayor Pro Tem Knaus. Councilman Juan Figueroa was not present for the vote. Ortiz was present at the meeting.
The city links the criminal case to Ortiz’s federal lawsuit against San Bernardino, in which she is seeking more than $2 million in damages over what she alleges was an illegal search of her confidential information in the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, commonly known as CLETS.
Ortiz previously framed the dispute as an effort to expose wrongdoing. Speaking to Inland Empire Community News on Aug. 12, 2025, during a press conference on the steps of San Bernardino City Hall about her lawsuit, Ortiz said: “I will never, ever be threatened to be quiet and not expose corruption in this city.”
The city said it hired an outside firm to review Ortiz’s claims and disputes her allegations. “After Councilmember Ortiz filed her claim, the City engaged an experienced independent outside firm to review and investigate her allegations and found them to be entirely unfounded,” said attorney Stephen Larson, who is defending the city in the lawsuit.
Larson also wrote in an email: “The investigation found that any criminal background searches as alleged in the complaint were conducted in strict accordance with the law, a fact confirmed by official audits. The City believes that Councilmember Ortiz’s allegations of wrongdoing are entirely baseless and will be exposed as such in court.”
The city also said the CLETS system is “heavily regulated and audited annually by the State of California Attorney General’s Office,” and said that despite Ortiz’s complaints to the California Attorney General and other law enforcement agencies, “no agency has pursued charges against those who she alleges engaged in wrongdoing.”
The city called Ortiz’s lawsuit a “complete misrepresentation of the facts and an unfair disparagement of City employees and officials in an attempt to obtain millions in taxpayer dollars from the City.”
Ortiz has said she has audio recordings she describes as “receipts” and contends they support her claims about the CLETS system, the city said.
“At this time, the City will offer no further comment on the criminal matter which is the responsibility of the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office,” the statement said.
