Pullman, Wash. ( Associated Press) — The Washington State University police chief and two of his top subordinates say they will retire after an internal investigation concluded they had sex during a complaint against an officer and subsequent punitive action. Punitive action taken for possession.
Police Chief Bill Gardner, Assistant Chief Steve Hansen and Captain Mike Larson were placed on home assignments in July, after WSU launched a formal investigation into the department, reports the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Wednesday.
Phil Weiler, vice president of marketing and communications, said an investigation conducted by the WSU Human Resources Department has since concluded. The command staff decided to retire to avoid further administrative action, including the prospect of their employment with the university.
According to an investigation report obtained by the Moscow-Pullman Daily News via a public records request, the officer at the center of the investigation is Sgt. Matthew Kuhrt has been charged with sexual misconduct.
Kuhrt was also placed on a home assignment in March, Weiler said.
According to the report, Kuhrt is accused of having sex with several women, including employees, at various locations on campus, such as the presidential suite at Martin Stadium and the WSU Observatory.
According to the report, Gardner assigned Larson to investigate the allegations.
The report said Larson found that the alleged sexual activity was consensual and occurred while Kuhrt was on duty.
Larson provided the results of his investigation to Gardner, and Kuhrt received a warning letter, stating that his behavior violated the university’s standards of conduct surrounding sex while on duty, according to the record.
The report states that Gardner did not provide this letter to Human Resources for inclusion in Kuhrt’s personnel file.
In addition to not including the letter in Kuhrt’s personnel file, Gardner, Hansen and Larson failed to report the alleged sexual misconduct to Human Resources and Compliance and Civil Rights. The report said that by failing to report incidents to the Human Resources and Compliance and Civil Rights departments, it contributed to an “intimidating, hostile and aggressive environment by not adequately addressing Sgt. Kuhrt’s behavior, creating an environment when it appeared (from) to minimize or hide Sgt. Kuhrt’s conduct, which had the potential to discourage reporting from employees aware of the situation. ,
Weiler said recently retired Pullman Police Department chief Gary Jenkins will serve as interim police chief at WSU.
