◼ TS
Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
Posted: 05/10/2008 12:29:16 AM PDT
A Eureka Police Department employee's third-party sexual harassment, hostile workplace complaint brought against Chief Garr Nielsen was found to be unsubstantiated by an independent investigation, according to City Manager David Tyson.
The complaint first surfaced publicly April 4 during a special City Council meeting called to review Nielsen's contract, which saw a number of EPD employees criticize the chief and ask the council to hold off on extending his contract.
Members of the public, meanwhile, largely praised Nielsen and the changes he's brought to the department since taking the helm one year ago. After hearing from dozens of people, the council voted unanimously to approve the chief's new contract.
Before the vote, Dee Dee Wilson, a longtime support services manager for the department, mentioned her complaint during the public comment period.
”I wish I could go into everything that happened to me, but I am unable to do so because I have filed a sexual harassment, hostile workplace complaint against Garr Nielsen, which is currently being investigated,” Wilson told the council.
A third party harassment suit generally means an individual does not claim to be the subject of the harassment but alleges being a witness to harassing behavior and being offended by the actions.
Tyson said Friday an independent investigator hired by the city found the complaint to be unsubstantiated, but he was unable to go into any detail because the matter is a personnel issue.
”We wouldn't even be telling you this except for the fact that (Wilson) announced (the complaint) at the public meeting,” Tyson said, adding that otherwise the entire complaint would have remained confidential.
Nielsen declined to comment on the investigation, saying it was a personnel matter that he could not discuss.
A call placed to Wilson was not returned before deadline, but her answering machine at the department stated: “I'm away from the office with an undetermined time to return.”
Thadeus Greenson can be reached at 441-0509 or tgreenson@times-standard.com
Comments on TS site
Anonymous
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#1May 10, 2008
convict convict convict!
anonymous
San Jose, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#2May 10, 2008
For once, the good ole boy homicidal police network bets biatch-slapped down.
Question the author
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#4May 10, 2008
Of this story.
He is not well respected as a reporter.
(And of course the city is going to say there isn't a problem, they are the ones going to get sued!)
Skippy56
“Truth is Difficult to Find!”
Joined: Dec 18, 2007
Comments: 786
Eureka/Hoopa, CA
ISP: Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#5May 10, 2008
Let's move on, there are more important issues our community needs to work with. This has been beaten to death and it is not something we need to hear each time we alk about the EPD.
anonymous
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#6May 10, 2008
Nice job printing City Hall's press release. If the T.S. wanted to commit actual journalism, it could ask some questions, like "What did the investigator conclude re. the chief's inappropriate relationship with a subordinate?" It seems that didn't make it into the press release, for some reason.
anon
Oakland, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#7May 10, 2008
unsubstantiated does not mean cleared. It means unproven Mr. Tyson.
NoLoveLost
Redding, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#9May 10, 2008
anon wrote:
unsubstantiated does not mean cleared. It means unproven Mr. Tyson.
That's exactly what it means... if the findings had been that it never happened they would have called it "unfounded." Unsubstantiated means there's smoke, lots of it, but they can't find the fire.
mind reader
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#10May 10, 2008
I'm offended by everything, where can I sign up...
Question
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#11May 10, 2008
Question the idiot in comment two, it's this sort of stupidity and cluelessness which gives us hours of comic relief.
MIke
Vallejo, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#12May 10, 2008
“I'm away from the office with an undetermined time to return.†Was there any laughter heard in the background?
anonymous
Oakland, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#13May 10, 2008
Sorry that Garr has put a twist in your panties. Maybe real police officers shouldn't be wearing them.
what next
San Francisco, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#14May 10, 2008
May we move on to more important tasks like protecting the city in lieu of bickering? As citizens we would appreciate the energy.
anonymous
San Ramon, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#15May 11, 2008
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2008/05/1...
Anonymous
Oakland, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#16May 12, 2008
What a crock! Another case of the bad guy getting away...
Gotta LOVE our justice system.
Hang in there Dee Dee!
Masked Patriot
Eureka, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#17May 12, 2008
If we disband the "city" of Eureka and the EPD along with it- there will be no more stories like this one.
Ready
AOL
Reply »|Report Abuse|#18May 12, 2008
Why don't we go to the root of the problem and disband the Masked Patriot instead?
Leon Slanderson
Gresham, OR
Reply »|Report Abuse|#19May 13, 2008
Beat your meat, don't hang your heads in defeat!
The Real Bubba Joe
Hayward, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#20May 13, 2008
The more Garr is unfairly attacked by the EPD minions, the more I realize that Chief Douglas ran a sick, inbred department for far too long.
NoLoveLost
Redding, CA
Reply »|Report Abuse|#21May 14, 2008
The Real Bubba Joe wrote:
The more Garr is unfairly attacked by the EPD minions, the more I realize that Chief Douglas ran a sick, inbred department for far too long.
He hasn't been unfairly attacked in all cases... He just hasn't been exposed for what he is yet.
