Posted on 07/22/2004 6:10:18 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952
Two of the men viewed porn on Internet; lawyer calls it 'locker room-type atmosphere'
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Three Austin police officers have been suspended for telling dirty jokes and making sexual comments in front of a female co-worker and must attend any training or counseling a department psychologist recommends.
Two of the officers also viewed Internet pornography that included nude photos of actresses such as Pamela Anderson and a naked obese woman, according to their attorney and disciplinary memos obtained Wednesday.
"It was basically a situation where there was a locker room-type atmosphere," lawyer Jamie Balagia said.
Police Chief Stan Knee suspended officer William Monte for 42 days, officer Jesse Sanchez for 30 days and officer Duane Williams for 18 days. The unpaid suspensions began July 9.
The three worked together in an eight-member unit in Northwest Austin that carries out special assignments such as drug and prostitution stings. Monte and Sanchez have worked for the department about seven years; Williams joined the force 12 years ago.
Balagia said the officers will be reassigned.
He said the case against his clients began after a female officer complained several months ago that she was being harassed. He said the group worked together about three years and routinely traded jokes and used "colorful language" around one another.
The woman often participated, but decided she objected to the behavior, Balagia said.
The three violated department policies concerning personal conduct and sexual harassment, the disciplinary memos said. The rules forbid "sexually oriented jokes, remarks, innuendoes or gestures" and the circulation of offensive photos.
Monte and Sanchez also broke a general order that prohibits employees from viewing, displaying, transmitting or receiving sexually explicit material.
Each officer must meet with the department's psychologist and attend classes about sexual harassment and cultural sensitivity. They waived their right to appeal the suspension and were told that failure to comply with terms of their suspensions could lead to more discipline.
"We want to have a good work environment for all our officers, no matter their race or gender," Assistant Police Chief Rick Coy said. "That is very important to our department -- that all employees are treated with dignity and respect by each other."
Balagia said the officers cooperated with the months-long internal investigation and are eager to return to work.
"They just want to get on with the business of being good police officers," he said.
Wait for it...
wait for it...
So, she was for it before she was against it?
I see this at times. Some women participate in this bantering and joking and then get upset about something and bring it all up. If the two guys in trouble she should be suspended too if she has participated previously. I counsel guys to be serious and watch what they say around women because some will turn on you on a dime, esp if encouraged by their buddies.
"The woman often participated, but decided she objected to the behavior, Balagia said. "
Nuff said. Perhaps they shouldn't have done this, but making a federal case of this kind of stuff has gone too far, and personally, I don't think women should be police officers anyway.
Its ridiculous to see these little girls parading around in a ton of guns, walkie-talkies, etc and trying to look tough.
I don't care if she does have a black belt. A police officer needs to exude an intimidating presence and such a presence very often is more than enough to prevent an evil-doer from acting out.
Female police officers should be restricted to certain limited duties like directing traffic, family disputes and other similar activities.
Your right, she should be suspended too. Where I work alot of the females have fouler mouths than the males. And this type of thing happened at our place. The girls participate and then when they get mad about something they make a complaint and file lawsuits.
Not all women are like this though and they shame the rest of us who aren,t.
This should get the case thrown out but likely won't. You see this all the time in the work place -- a couple co-workers are starting to tell each other a joke or two -- and everyone would be able to tell by the smirks on their faces that it's going to be obscence --- you'll see certain others make a mad dash to get in on it -- hear what it's going to be about and then pretend to be shocked. The type of women who try to fit in by participating -- maybe trying to get a date or belong socially tend to be the worst ones about later getting revenge.
We had a female employee who was way more foul-mouthed than most of the guys, and who participated in bawdy innuendos with one particular male employee. Apparently she got miffed one day, as she filed sexual harassment charges against him.
But alls well as ends well. She subsequently got knocked up (by the same male employee), quit her job, broke up the male employee's marriage (2 kids) and married him herself.
Now she sits at home with her one kid.
Way too many "sexual harassment" charges are made by willing participants who get a hair up their nose. If it's quid pro quo it's a valid complaint, but this "hostile work environment" business is crap.
How ironic is it that I can say these things without fear of reprisal, because I am a woman! Just not the aforementioned type.
I've had several women working for me during the past few years. There were some whose language would make a sailor blush and the first to mention harassment. I'm glad they found work elsewhere.
1. If I'm thinking of the right guy, Duane Williams is one of Austins "Bike Nazi's". Motorcycle patrolmen that are notorious in Austin. The tickets they hand out are pure revenue generation and are unapologetically hostile to the commuters in the area. Those same tickets have been purported to be the easiest to get the traffic court judge to "flip" or dismiss.
2. This same Duane Williams was involved in the questionable shooting death of illegal immigrant Albert Jaurez on a suspicion of drunk in public charge. Albert supposedly had a box cutter razor knife and that he "lunged" at the officers, although not such razor was found later.
Every large police force is gonna have one or two bad apples. They need to be weeded out.
You know anything about the 3rd "apple" ?
Not a clue. I suppose I could google it if you wanted me to.
Uhhh,,,, You can intimidate me ANYTIME!!!
I completely understand what you are saying, and agree for the most part.
I work in a predominantly male environment, and I enjoy having a laugh with the lads. There's never any harm in it, IMO.
However, if that joking and bantering escalated to the extent that my male work colleagues were down-loading pornography etc. in front of me, and on a regular basis, I wouldn't be happy about it.
No.
Although I may allow you to think so sometimes. <|:-)~~
Google up minion
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