This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has called an ex-deputy police chief's alleged sexual harassment "simply unacceptable."
Three Salt Lake City police officers plan to file a lawsuit against the city after they say they were sexually harassed by a deputy chief, Rick Findlay, and subjected to retaliation.
"I take any claim of harassment and discrimination very seriously," Becker said in a statement Sunday. "… It's simply unacceptable."
In a notice of claim, the three women say they were dissuaded from promptly complaining about Findlay because he occupied a position of authority over them and, as deputy chief in charge of Internal Affairs, their complaints would be screened by him. And when they did complain, the claim says, the women's concerns were not handled "in the ordinary course of such complaints" and the investigation was delayed until Findlay could retire last year.
"It took courage for the three female officers to bring this claim forward," Becker said. "I recognize it is particularly difficult to do so in a professional, and potentially public, setting. My administration will not tolerate any instance of retaliation associated with these or any other claims."
Becker added that his office will continue to work closely with the Human Resources Department and the City Attorney's Office to prevent such behavior in the future.
The Salt Lake City Civilian Review Board found in December 2013 that Findlay had violated the city's sexual harassment policy and committed conduct unbecoming of an officer. Another review, by the city's human resources department, made the same findings.
In a disciplinary letter to Findlay dated June 4, 2014, Chief Chris Burbank concluded the allegations had been sustained but said "your conduct did not rise to the level of termination." Findlay resigned that month.
Twitter: @MikeyPanda