Santa Ana Police Association's Trust Fund Operated In Deficit Despite City Overpaying By Millions, Association Invested Taxpayer Dollars In Brokerage Account
In 2023, the police association's medical insurance trust fund operated in a deficit despite the city of Santa Ana overpaying by $3.4 million. The association invested taxpayer dollars in securities.
Update 10/6/2025: A revised audit was issued today and the brokerage account has disappeared from the report. Without the brokerage account, the audit now states that there was no overpayment.
Update 11/11/2025: This article was updated to include a link to John Kachirisky’s bankruptcy filing.
An independent audit of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association’s (SAPOA) medical insurance trust fund revealed a deficit of $608,894 despite the city of Santa Ana overpaying $3.4 million to the fund in 2023. The audit further revealed that the SAPOA held a reserve of around $6 million in securities using a Charles Schwab brokerage account during the same year.
The audit appears to be the first of its kind, with the requirement stemming from the SAPOA and city’s memorandum of understanding (MOU), a collectively-bargained agreement.
On Monday, council member Ben Vazquez called upon the Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office to investigate “potential financial mismanagement” due to the deficit and overpayment.
Vazquez stated that he forwarded this letter to Bonta’s chief of staff, which formally requested a “forensic audit of all SAPOA accounts dating back 10 years.”
SAPOA President John Kachirisky and spokesperson Claudio Gallegos did not respond to requests for comment by publishing time. The SAPOA issued a statement yesterday asking for an apology from Vazquez, but provided no explanation for the deficit. The statement did not address the brokerage account.
The trust is funded by the city’s taxpayer dollars, including Santa Ana police officers who contribute monthly through their paychecks. It is unclear what happens to potential profits from investments. Vazquez stated that the Charles Schwab investment account— because it is funded by taxpayer money — needs to be investigated by the attorney general’s office.
A police association member Inadvertent spoke to on the condition of anonymity was not aware of the trust fund being invested. He stated, “It should not be touched for anything but medical is my understanding.”
Per the MOU, trustees are appointed to manage the fund. The SAPOA’s medical insurance fund trustees are Kachirisky, Pedro Duran, Jose Mendoza, Luis Barragan and Paul McClaskey — they are also the SAPOA’s executive board and current or former Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) employees.
Kachirisky and his wife declared bankruptcy in 2011 due to credit card debt totaling over $70,000. According to court records, a repayment plan was followed until 2017 when the case was dismissed. Kachirisky was the vice president of the SAPOA before becoming the president in 2023 after then-President Gerry Serrano was forced out by then-City Manager Kristine Ridge.
This is a developing story.