MARSHALL COUNTY, KY — A Marshall County Sheriff’s Division deputy confronted disciplinary motion after a former Marshall County E-911 dispatcher filed a grievance towards him.
The feminine dispatcher stated the male deputy made her really feel uncomfortable, and he or she made claims of sexual harassment.
The incident unfolded in 2020, however it turned public due to latest tensions between E-911 and the sheriff’s division, that are housed in the identical constructing.
The grievance turned public after E-911 Director Chris Freeman at a 2021 fiscal court docket assembly accused the sheriff’s workplace of retaliating towards Freeman and his employees after the grievance was filed. Freeman stated retaliation included placing a black bag over the E-911 door.
Native filed an open information request with the sheriff’s division for video of the incident and the sheriff’s division’s inner investigation into the matter.
In February of 2020, the dispatcher filed a sworn grievance towards the deputy. It stated Deputy Mark Vallenlunga “Made me uncomfortable of the sexual matter,” and “Has a behavior of getting in my house.”
In a video offered by the sheriff’s workplace, you possibly can see the deputy rubbed the dispatcher on the pinnacle after which leaned on her desk.
An investigation into the dispatcher’s claims occurred within the following days. The dispatcher was interviewed by Marshall County Sheriff’s Workplace investigators.
In a recorded interview, the dispatcher defined how the accused deputy’s actions made her really feel uncomfortable.
The sheriff’s workplace additionally questioned the deputy.
“This blindsided me, 100%,” stated Vallenlunga in a recorded interview. “I might have by no means in my life. In the event you would have stated ‘Oh a dispatcher complained on me,’ I might have had a tough time developing with one. And he or she would have been on the final record.”
The sheriff’s deputy stated he did not imply it to be taken sexually. “I’ve by no means as soon as in my life had any sexual emotions or content material for that lady in any respect. I imply, she could possibly be my daughter’s age,” he advised investigators.
The sheriff’s workplace’s investigation categorized the pinnacle rub as sexual harassment in response to its coverage and process handbook. Investigators stated of their report, “Deputy Vallenlunga did, in truth, violate chapter 13 sexual harassment coverage below subsection listed as sexual conduct, together with “Bodily contact: similar to patting, pinching or fixed brushing towards the physique of one other.”
Investigators additionally added that, “Deputy Vallenlunga did in probably the most technical sense violate the coverage of ‘patting’ by touching Ms. (identify redacted by WPSD) head/hair.”
The sheriff’s workplace concluded {that a} verbal reprimand was applicable motion towards the sheriff’s deputy.
The sheriff’s workplace advised the deputy in his verbal reprimand quote “Your conduct making dispatcher (redacted by WPSD) uncomfortable revealed you probably did, in truth, pat/rub her head. This seems to be a part of a joke involving actions wherein you had simply accomplished with Benton Officer Hampton.
A Benton police officer was within the room when the incident occurred. He was not accused or investigated for sexual harassment or inappropriate feedback.
The investigating officer concluded the contact by Deputy Vallenlunga was not meant to be sexual. After the pinnacle rub, the dispatcher stated Vallenlunga was too near her chair and that he was shut sufficient, “I might have hit him with it if I spun round.”
The video reveals the dispatcher spun round a number of instances with out hitting the deputy. The investigating officer famous this of their reviews.
In addition they stated her written grievance claiming she, “Tries to show round within the console away from him and ignore him in hopes that he’ll go away” was contradictory because of her being seen within the 30-minute video participating in dialog with the deputy and others for a majority of the time.
The dispatcher additionally claimed the deputy requested her a query about tasting her breast milk. Vallenlunga denied he ever made these statements, however stated another person within the room might have.
The investigator famous, “Ms. (identify redacted by WPSD) struggled to 5 I/O [investigating officer] an instance of inappropriate feedback made by Deputy Vallenlunga, then provided the assertion concerning the breast milk.”
E-911 director Chris Freeman declined to remark for this story, though he made claims of retaliation because of the grievance in a public assembly.
Throughout the accused deputy’s interview, he stated he felt the grievance was filed due to the general public disputes between the sheriff’s workplace and the E-911 heart.
In August 2020, a majority of first responders in Marshall County have signed a petition expressing no confidence in E-911 Director Chris Freeman. McGuire was one of many 150 first responders that signed the petition.
McGuire has beforehand denied his workplace has taken any retaliatory acts towards the E-911 heart after the grievance. He gave us a quick assertion concerning the investigation into his deputy.
“Our workplace accomplished an intensive investigation into the allegations. The deputy obtained applicable self-discipline for the a part of the investigation that was substantiated,” McGuire stated.
