Ex-Redlands deputy police chief was Californias highest city earner in 2025, but didnt work a day
You’d have to work a long time to earn $1 million, unless you’re the former Redlands police deputy chief who topped California’s public payroll after never working a day last year.Newly released data from the State Controller’s Office records shows a Redlands Police Department deputy chief received nearly $1.2 million in wages in 2025, the largest total reported by any city employee statewide.Public payroll records and Transparent California identify the employee as former Deputy Chief Travis Martinez.According to the controller’s database, Martinez received $81,804 in regular pay, $890,467 in other pay and $231,099 in lump-sum compensation before retiring in April.
The city also contributed $55,864 toward retirement and health benefits, bringing his total compensation package to approximately $1.26 million.The payout exceeded the earnings of every other municipal employee in California, including a Los Angeles Fire Department battalion chief who received more than $921,000 in wages and a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power supervisor who earned more than $779,000.The State Controller’s Office publishes annual salary data for public employees across California, including wages, overtime, pension contributions and benefits, using payroll information submitted by thousands of government agencies.While the database does not identify employees by name, Transparent California linked the compensation to Martinez.According to The Orange Country Register, Martinez’s unusually large payout followed an agreement that ended a lengthy dispute with the city.He had been on paid administrative leave from the police force for about 18 months before retiring in April 2025.
As part of a settlement, Martinez agreed to retire and dismiss a legal claim he filed against the city in exchange for a payment reported to total roughly $872,000.In that 2023 claim, Martinez alleged city officials retaliated against him after he reported what he described as misconduct with...