Police captain placed on leave

Newport Beach Police Department Capt. Jim Kaminsky has been placed on administrative leave, police sources confirmed Thursday.

Kaminsky, who has been with the department since 1982 and heads the detective division, was removed from active duty earlier this week, according to internal sources, who asked their names not be used for fear of retribution.

Police sources could not confirm the reason Kaminsky was taken off the job.

Acting Police Chief Robert Luman deferred questions to the Police Department spokesman, Sgt. Steve Burdette, who declined to comment.

The detective division’s secretary said Kaminsky was not in the department Thursday, and she did not know when he would be available.

Kaminsky started his law enforcement career in 1977 in Illinois. With Newport Beach, he worked as a vice and intelligence investigator, narcotics investigator and hostage negotiator and was promoted to sergeant in 1989.

He was promoted to lieutenant in 2003 and captain in 2007.