BY GREGORY A. HALL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT WRIGHT -- Police Chief Mark Brown is on paid administrative leave after a female officer's resignation citing harassment, discrimination and the threat of physical harm in the department.
Officer Julie Walker resigned May 11 saying she had no choice. "It has become obvious to me that I will never be able to work in an environment free from discrimination and harassment while I am still employed by the city," she said in her resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Enquirer through the Kentucky Open Records Act.
She had been on the force since Jan. 25, said City Administrative Officer Marc Bergman. He said he could not comment further.
The chief was placed on leave May 11 by Mayor Cindy Pinto. She could not be reached for comment, and Mr. Bergman and Chief Brown declined to say whether the officer's resignation was the reason. Ms. Walker said she hoped a May 8 meeting would allow unspecified problems she was encountering to be corrected. She then said events that day forced her to resign.
"As I am sure you are aware, Chief Brown verbally attacked me in the presence of Mr. Bergman on Friday (May 8), in effect guaranteeing that he would do whatever it took to terminate me," she said in the letter. "Even worse, he later physically accosted me in the hallway outside Mr. Bergman's office and would not let me past him. In light of these events, I sincerely fear for both my job and, more importantly, my physical well-being."
Neither Mr. Bergman nor Chief Brown would say what precipitated the May 8 meeting referred to in the letter. Attempts to reach Ms. Walker were unsuccessful, and the city would not release the name of her attorney.
"The entire situation is being investigated by the city and will be addressed, I'm sure, in the courts," Chief Brown said. "I have done nothing that I am ashamed of, and, hopefully, as we get through this process, the truth will come out."
He said he did not know the contents of the resignation letter until it was read to him by a reporter.
"I assure you that I did not attack her, or whatever she said," Chief Brown said. "I never threatened her or anything else."
