Yuma City Council candidate accused of misconduct during time as police lieutenant

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - A Yuma City Council candidate is responding to misconduct allegations from his time as a police lieutenant.

According to an internal investigation document, Henry Valenzuela is accused of missing work hours, failing to supervise, and misreporting his time between January and April of 2025.

The document also claims he used a city vehicle for personal reasons and skipped required training.

Valenzuela denies the allegations.

He believes the investigation was made public at this time to tarnish his political campaign and in retaliation for past criticism of city leadership.

"I saw it on its face for what it was. Again, more political retaliation because i refused to put loyalty above my honor and my integrity," said Valenzuela.

We reached out to the Yuma Police Department and they proved us the following statement:

"It is the department’s policy not to comment on individual personnel matters. The department stands by its administrative procedures, guided by law, policy, and fairness. These processes are designed to ensure transparency where appropriate, accountability in our actions, and fair treatment for every member of the organization. These standards help us maintain the expectations and the trust placed in us by the community we serve."

A memo of investigation is included below: