BY AMY HIGGINS and JANICE MORSE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FAIRFIELD - Longtime Police Chief Gary Rednour resigned Monday amid allegations he made sexually disparaging comments about female officers in his department.
Mr. Rednour could not be reached for comment Monday. But in his resignation letter submitted Monday to City Manager Art Pizzano, the chief wrote: "Based on recent events in the police department, I feel that I can no longer be effective as chief of police."
Mr. Rednour, 61, has been chief here for 20 of his nearly 36 years with the department. Lt. Richard St. John was tapped as acting chief, effective immediately.
"The police department is still under strong leadership," Mr. Pizzano said.
Mr. Pizzano said Officer Mary Wehmeier, one of the 49-member department's seven female officers, made a verbal complaint to him about the chief's actions on Friday afternoon. The city manager told Chief Rednour of the complaint Saturday, after which the chief said he would resign.
His written resignation arrived in Mr. Pizzano's office Monday - the same day Officer Wehmeier's written complaint landed.
The officer could not be reached for comment.
In her complaint, a copy of which was obtained Monday by The Cincinnati Enquirer, Officer Wehmeier alleged the chief made a vulgar sexual reference to her and insinuated sexual activities between her and another officer.
The officer also alleged the chief referred to her and other female officers as "goddamned women."
"The word offended does not even scratch the surface of how I feel. Knowing that my chief of police would vocalize such statements about me infuriates me," Officer Wehmeier wrote in her complaint to Mr. Pizzano.
"I find it very difficult to work for a police department, whose chief of police has such little respect for his officers, and women in general."
Mr. Pizzano said Monday her complaint had more to do with the timing of Mr. Rednour's leaving the department than whether he would leave. "The man has been eligible to retire for some time," Mr. Pizzano said.
Mr. Pizzano said the city's sexual harassment policy is a standard zero-tolerance policy that requires city employees treat each other with respect.
Mr. Rednour's resignation is effective 5 p.m. Feb. 23. Until then, he will be on accrued vacation and personal leave. Mr. Pizzano said Mr. Rednour is eligible for and will receive retirement benefits.
Longtime City Councilman Sterling Uhler said he was surprised to hear of the chief's resignation because the chief had been eligible for retirement for a number of years and has had several health problems. The sexual harassment complaints came as a shock, Mr. Uhler said. "I never had any official complaints (about Mr. Rednour) that got up through the city manager to my level."
Mr. Uhler said he considered Mr. Rednour to be highly respected among his officers. "He has assembled a good organization. There are a lot of good officers over there."
"You always want people to leave on a high, riding on a white horse while people are throwing flowers at them," Mr. Uhler said. "But, of course, that's the time they're least inclined to leave."
