You’d must work a very long time to earn $1 million, except you’re the previous Redlands police deputy chief who topped California’s public payroll after by no means working a day final yr.
Newly launched knowledge from the State Controller’s Workplace information reveals a Redlands Police Division deputy chief obtained almost $1.2 million in wages in 2025, the biggest complete reported by any metropolis worker statewide. Public payroll information and Clear California establish the worker as former Deputy Chief Travis Martinez.
In line with the controller’s database, Martinez obtained $81,804 in common pay, $890,467 in different pay and $231,099 in lump-sum compensation earlier than retiring in April. Town additionally contributed $55,864 towards retirement and well being advantages, bringing his complete compensation bundle to roughly $1.26 million.
The payout exceeded the earnings of each different municipal worker in California, together with a Los Angeles Fireplace Division battalion chief who obtained greater than $921,000 in wages and a Los Angeles Division of Water and Energy supervisor who earned greater than $779,000.
The State Controller’s Workplace publishes annual wage knowledge for public workers throughout California, together with wages, additional time, pension contributions and advantages, utilizing payroll data submitted by 1000’s of presidency businesses. Whereas the database doesn’t establish workers by title, Clear California linked the compensation to Martinez.
In line with The Orange Nation Register, Martinez’s unusually massive payout adopted an settlement that ended a prolonged dispute with town.
He had been on paid administrative go away from the police pressure for about 18 months earlier than retiring in April 2025. As a part of a settlement, Martinez agreed to retire and dismiss a authorized declare he filed in opposition to town in alternate for a fee reported to complete roughly $872,000.
In that 2023 declare, Martinez alleged metropolis officers retaliated in opposition to him after he reported what he described as misconduct inside the division.
Amongst his allegations, Martinez mentioned he raised considerations about makes an attempt to hide proof involving issues of safety related to a lethal Metrolink practice crash that killed a Redlands girl and her 11-year-old daughter. He additionally claimed he was retaliated in opposition to after reporting allegations of sexual misconduct involving then-Deputy Chief Mike Reiss to the FBI as a result of he believed the matter was not being correctly addressed internally.
Martinez additional alleged that metropolis leaders pressured him to miss misconduct and stay silent.
In line with sources aware of the matter, Martinez was positioned on paid go away in October 2023 and by no means returned to lively obligation earlier than his retirement.
The allegations in opposition to Reiss have led to a number of authorized settlements for town. Reiss retired in March 2023 after accusations that he groomed, sexually harassed and preyed on a number of division workers over a interval of years. Former Police Chief Chris Catren additionally retired days earlier, citing a work-related harm and denying any connection to the controversy.
Over the previous three years, Redlands has authorized greater than $3.3 million in settlements to resolve sexual harassment lawsuits tied to Reiss. The newest got here in June, when the Metropolis Council authorized a $475,000 settlement with former forensic specialist Geneva Holzer. As a part of the settlement, Holzer agreed to resign and dismiss her lawsuit.
In his authorized declare, Martinez pointed to his 29-year profession with the division, saying he helped develop policing initiatives that had been later adopted by businesses nationwide. He additionally alleged he was repeatedly handed over for promotion as a result of he refused to disregard misconduct inside the division.
