Six or seven women working for the Davis County corrections division — some of whom have since left — were harassed, sometimes sexually, by three male deputies over a two-and-a-half year period, according to a county-led investigation.
The investigation began Jan. 25 after “multiple employees” reported the alleged harassment to the county’s human resource office, said HR Director Debra Alexander.
Over the course of the two-month probe, Alexander said, investigators interviewed about 38 people, some more than once, and collected 220 pages of notes.
At the conclusion of the investigation March 27, the human resources department delivered its findings to Sheriff Todd Richardson for discipline.
On April 16, the three deputies and two supervisors — a captain and a chief deputy who did not participate in the harassment but failed to appropriately address it — were placed on paid administrative leave and notified of the allegations and the potential discipline they faced, Alexander said.
On April 20, the men were each given letters informing them of disciplinary action that the county intended to take against them. Four of them — the three deputies and the captain — have until the end of the business day Friday to appeal the county’s decision, Alexander said. Until the appeals process is over, specifics about the proposed discipline and the officers’ identities are not being released, she added.
Because the position of chief deputy is appointed rather than merit-based, Alexander said that Kevin Fielding was automatically demoted to captain without the option to appeal. The demotion comes with a pay reduction, she said.
Harassment by the deputies reportedly occurred as recently as last fall, Alexander said, and through the investigation, allegations of additional harassment that had occurred years earlier were brought to the attention of human resources.
More than half of the people interviewed, possibly about 20, Alexander said, reported seeing the deputies’ inappropriate conduct, which targeted the six or seven women.
The group of women targeted by the harassment consisted of both sworn corrections officers and non-sworn civilian employees, Alexander said.
Some who were allegedly harassed have ended their employment with the county, Alexander said, and despite efforts to contact them, investigators were unable to do so. About half of the women who were targeted are still employed by the county, she said.
Alexander declined to elaborate on the specifics of the harassment, saying only that it was “a violation of Davis County policy.” Detailing the alleged harassment might compromise the deputies’ right to due process, she said.
Each person who spoke with investigators — including the women and deputies — was told verbally and in writing that the county will not tolerate retaliation and that if they believe retaliation is occurring, they “need to let us know right away,” Alexander said.
As of Thursday, Alexander said she is not aware of any legal action being taken against the deputies.
The Davis County deputies aren’t the only Utah law enforcement officers being scrutinized for alleged workplace misconduct. Earlier this week, Sandy police Chief Kevin Thacker was fired for “inappropriate touching,” said Mayor Kurt Bradburn at a Tuesday news conference.
But Thacker penned a letter to the department describing himself as a “hugger” with a goal to make people feel “cared for,” not to cause offense.
And in Provo, five women are suing the city, its former mayor John Curtis and former police Chief John King, who was asked to resign last year following an accusation that he’d sexually assaulted a police volunteer.
The city has said the claims in the lawsuit are “inconsistent with what actually occurred,” and Curtis — now the Republican representative for Utah’s 3rd Congressional District — has denied that he attempted to protect King from discipline. King has not responded to requests for comment from The Salt Lake Tribune.
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