ANTIOCH — In the latest police-related controversy to hit this beleaguered city, officials here have agreed to pay $190,000 to the former chief, who filed a legal claim after details about a then-pending administrative investigation were leaked to the press.

In the end, officials cleared ex-police Chief Steven Ford of allegations he had an improper relationship with a city staffer, finding them “unfounded,” according to documents the city released Thursday. A legal settlement signed Aug. 25 promised the city would pay Ford $190,000 and, “at a minimum,” inform a specific newspaper reporter about the agreement.

A statement released by the city says that information about the investigation was “inappropriately revealed to the press” before Ford even learned of it, and that this resulted in

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