Sexual Harassment

Two steps to officially report incidents of sexual harassment

After the harasser has been told to stop, the complainant will submit a written or verbal grievance to the first level of supervision not involved with the incident (pursuant to Sex.34-38(f)(2) of CoD Personnel Rules), notify Employee Relations Division of Personnel by sending a copy of the grievance to the Personnel Director

How are formal (written) allegations treated seriously?

All written charges of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and will be dealt with in a prompt and effective manner

How are juveniles similar to adults as victims of harassment?

Aware of police authority and their lack of credibility

How might an officer and a citizen engage in illegal use of police authority?

Citizen offers sexual services for favors, preferential treatment, or additional protection

Why might an unwilling citizen conduct actual sexual activities with an officer?

Citizen yields solely on the basis of the police authority to arrest and prosecution

Hostile Work Environment

Committed by anyone, exists when sexual harassment is so severe or pervasive that it creates intimidating, offensive workplace, alters the condition of employment

Quid Pro Quo

Committed by supervisors, states or implies employee must consent

How do officers harass offenders?

Conducting body searches, frisks, and pat downs

Preventative Action/Employee Responsibility

Conducting themselves in a professional manner, maintaining professional attitude and dressing appropriate for the workplace, avoiding any type of action or discussion that the harasser knows or should know the other person will regard as offensive, ceasing immediately any behavior or discussion if told that such conduct is offensive, responding immediately, verbally or in writing, to sexual harassment by reporting to the harasser that such conduct is unwelcome, advising the harasser that further incidents will be reported to management, documenting the presence of witnesses, the time, place, and date the incident occurred

Supervisor

Employee vested with the authority to control tangible benefits of the complainant

Complainant

Employee who reports sexual harassment to management

What is sexually motivated non-sexual contact?

Female citizen not aware of behavior or underlying motivations, officer initiated contacts without legal basis or probable cause, officer motivation to get closer look at female or gain information by invalid traffic stop, running vehicle license to obtain information, or stopping females on foot to obtain information or initiate conversation

What factors can contribute to juvenile females being victims of harassment by officers?

Highly impressionable and easily influenced, less likely to be streetwise and understand the limits of police authority and proper police behavior

Officers engaged in sexual shakedowns are also involved in what?

Illegal activities and subject to severe penalties

Retaliation/Reprisal

Intimidating, vengeful action by management and/or employees taken against complainant

What are the seven types of sexual harassment commonly perpetrated by public safety employees?

Non-sexual contact sexually motivated, voyeuristic contact, contacts with crime victims, contacts with offenders, contacts with juvenile females, sexual shakedowns, citizen initiated sexual conduct

What are the steps taken by management once a serious incident involving sexual harassment has occurred or charges have been made?

Notify Employee Relations Division within five days to seek guidance and assistance in the investigation, ensure employees do not suffer reprisal, conduct interviews with complainant, accused, witnesses, etc., review personnel files for prior incidents, give accused opportunity to respond before taking disciplinary action, release information only on a need to know basis, maintaining confidentiality throughout the investigation

How might a lonely or mentally disturbed woman seek attention and affection from an officer?

Offers sex in exchange for time and attention

What are offenders aware of that might preclude reporting sexual harassment by an officer?

Officer authority as well as the offender being in position where their complaints may be disregarded or downplayed

What are sexual shakedowns?

Officers demanding sexual service from prostitutes, homosexuals, citizens involved in illegal or illicit activities

What's another common form of voyeuristic contact?

Others seek out parked cars on lover's lanes to observe sexual activities

Exchange for Economic Benefit

Promotion, merits, retention, etc, results in affecting employee's job status (demotion, termination, denial of employment)

What three types of juvenile females are particularly susceptible to harassment by officers?

Runaways, truants, and delinquents

Preventative Action/Management Responsibility

Setting good examples, demonstrating courteous and professional behavior at all times, actively monitor the work environment, ensure each employee is aware of the city's policy regarding sexual harassment or misconduct in the workplace, obtaining and maintaining a signed statement from each employee acknowledging receipt and review of the city's policy regarding sexual harassment, advising employees of the range of penalties for sexual harassment including discharge depending upon the severity of the offense, attending sexual harassment workshops or seminars discussing the nature of sexual harassment with employees

What is voyeuristic contact?

Sexual gratification in spending time seeking opportunities to view unsuspecting women partially clad or nude

Examples of Sexual Harassment/Environment

Threatening retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, displaying photos, magazines or posters, alluding to another person's or one's own anatomy, telling sexually oriented jokes or making inquiries or inferences into someone's sexual preference, alluding to another person's or one's own mode of dress IN A MANNER WHICH THE HARASSER KNOWS OR SHOULD KNOW THE OTHER PERSON WILL REGARD AS OFFENSIVE

Examples of Sexual Harassment/Touching

Touching another person's anatomy, touching another person's breast, chest, buttocks, or genitals, touching one's self IN A MANNER WHICH THE HARASSER KNOWS OR SHOULD KNOW THE OTHER PERSON WILL REGARD AS OFFENSIVE

What units may exchange preferential treatment for sexual favors?

Vice squad, traffic detail, patrol, investigative squad, etc.

Why are crime victims particularly susceptible to sexual harassment by police officers?

Victim emotionally upset and turn to officers for support and assistance, officer will make unnecessary call backs to the residence of female victims

Disciplinary Consequences

Written or oral apology, written reprimand, warning, suspension (with or without pay), transfer, demotion

What are police groupies?

Young females attracted to the uniform, weapons, or power of the police officer

Sexual Harassment

unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature