DENVER (KDVR) — The chief of the Ouray Police Department was fired Monday on complaints of policy and law violations, which came after months of turmoil stemming from allegations that the chief’s stepson and two others were involved in a rape at the chief’s home while he slept upstairs.
The former chief, Jeff Wood, was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 29 as the city awaited the outcome of the criminal trial in the alleged rape. On Monday, the city administrator wrote that he no longer trusted Wood to “comply with policy, let alone enforce it or lead by example, and I do not trust your judgment to lead the police department.”
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After two investigations, city leadership issued a “notice of contemplated disciplinary action” to the chief on June 7.
City Administrator Silas Clarke wrote that there have been two internal affairs investigations, conducted by independent investigators, because of three written complaints the city received. The first complaint and subsequent investigation involved a juvenile, whose record was expunged, but Clarke said the investigation into the potential crimes involved “excessive force and, to a lesser degree, police misconduct.”
The second complaint, and subsequent investigation, alleged that the department mishandled an investigation into the janitor of an elementary school who was taking inappropriate photos of children at the school. The third complaint was wrapped into the second investigation and involved a 22-year-old who “said that she was made to feel uncomfortable on two different occasions” by comments Wood allegedly made.
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Clarke said Wood requested a meeting with him on Friday after the disciplinary action notice was sent to Wood. Clarke alleged that Wood’s attorney and the city attorney attended the meeting and during the meeting, Wood gave Clarke a “list of accomplishments for me to consider.” Clarke also said that Wood claimed the second investigation was unfair and targeted.
“After considering all the facts and information before me, I have determined that you engaged in poor work performance, violations of state law and other actions inappropriate for the Chief of Police,” Clarke wrote.
Clarke said the violation of state law stemmed from a failure to use body-worn cameras as the chief while enforcing the law or investigating possible illegal actions. The city administrator also said that he’s seen “no evidence that you are being unfairly targeted or that the investigations were in any way unfair.”
“In fact, it seems just the opposite,” Clarke wrote. “Recently, people have spoken to me about your behavior and concerns surrounding you, but due to fear of retaliation, they were unwilling to provide formal complaints. From what I could tell, if you had not placed members of the public in fear of reporting, the City may have received more complaints which needed investigation.”
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Clarke also alleged that Wood called the Black Lives Matter movement a “terrorist organization” while on duty, and said that he did not believe that to be protected speech, “and in any event your speech while on duty would not be protected.” The city administrator also said he was disappointed to see Wood sitting in his personal vehicle, parked on Main Street, with an explicit window decal involving children.
“Not only is this graphic in poor taste and not conduct becoming of the Chief of Police, given the allegations involving your stepson and the type of activity at issue in those allegations, it is offensive,” Clarke wrote. “There is no legitimate reason for such a graphic to be on your vehicle and it constitutes a violation of the law enforcement code of ethics contained in the 2016 Ouray Police Department Policy Manual.”
Clarke also said “recent photographs” could provide separate grounds for discipline, but because of the lesser offenses would not move forward with those grounds.
“These photos show, at best for you, a horrible lack of judgment and, at worst, an intent to make a mockery of allegations of rape and a continued cavalier attitude as to sexual related offenses and your actions associated therewith,” Clarke wrote.
Wood’s stepson is scheduled for a status conference on Aug. 1 for the rape charges.