PASADENA — The Pasadena Police Department is under fire for allowing a police sergeant to retire without taking any action on three personnel complaints that were filed against the officer.

“It’s been 18 months since three personnel complaints were filed against Bugh,” Attorney William M. Paparian said on Monday. “No action was taken. This is conduct that is as unprofessional as the conduct of the police department in arresting these two women.”

Sgt. Michael Bugh retired shortly after the city agreed to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by his sister, Michelle Rodgers and family friend Selah Chavet. That suit came about because of an arrest officers made in March 2015 against the two, after Bugh made a false report about a disturbance at the home of Bugh’s mother.

The arrest came just 10 days after Rodgers filed a personnel claim with the Pasadena Police Department against Bugh. In the claim, Rodgers said Bugh abused his position as a police officer to gain control of their family trust.

At the time of the arrest, Bugh headed the Pasadena Police Department’s financial crimes unit and supervised the detectives investigating his sister.

In a personnel claim filed with Pasadena PD against Bugh, Rodgers called the arrest a “preemptive strike by my brother… to attempt to silence me,” She noted that Bugh hoped to prevent Rodgers from protecting the assets of the family trust.

Rodgers also said her brother “abused his position as a police officer for personal gain.” The March arrest of Rodgers and Chavet followed the filing of the personnel claim.

“The City and the PPD had actual notice long before these incidents that Sgt. Bugh lacked judgment and was unable to keep his personal life separated from his responsibilities as a Pasadena Police officer and supervisor,” Paparian said. “When the city and Chief Sanchez learned about the first arrest, they did not prevent the second.”

Ultimately the Los Angeles District Attorney rejected the elder abuse case and the Pasadena City Prosecutor rejected the trespassing case. In May, the city agreed to pay $300,000 to Rodgers and Chavet.