The Miami Herald
KEY WEST — Bill Mauldin, chief of the Key West Police Department, resigned Tuesday afternoon in the wake of allegations he sexually harassed a female employee.
During an inquiry conducted by Key West’s city attorney and human resources director on Tuesday, the veteran chief denied the allegations made by Christie Phillips, spokeswoman for the police department and the city of Key West.
But when the inquiry ended, Mauldin submitted his resignation to pursue other personal and professional opportunities, according to a news release from Key West City Manager Jim Scholl.
SERVED SINCE 2005
Mauldin, who took over as police chief in 2005 after serving as the department’s accreditation manager, could not immediately be reached for comment at the home in Key West that he shares with his wife Terri.
“I don’t think this necessarily is a black eye to the department,” Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson said. “Every individual makes their own decision. I haven’t seen any of the facts of the investigation yet to know what the resignation is based on.”
The city’s news release said there were four or five instances of alleged sexual harassment that occurred in late 2006 and stopped in November of 2006, when Phillips told the chief his actions crossed the line.
Phillips, 28, who began as the police department’s spokeswoman in March 2006, declined to specify what she says Mauldin did.
“I prefer not to get into that,” Phillips said. “It was bad enough to have to dredge it up years later.”
Phillips said she told someone about the harassment when it occurred, but did not notify anyone in an official capacity at the time because she was struggling to cope.
“There is no course in college on how to deal with sexual harassment,” she said.
It’s unclear how the allegations surfaced, but McPherson heard about them nearly four weeks ago and requested the inquiry. Mauldin was put on administrative leave with pay last Wednesday.
Police Capt. Donald Lee has been acting police chief since Mauldin went on leave.
“It is a relief to have such a fast resolution of things,” Phillips said. “I had been crying for the last week at work. This has been rough, but I’ve received a lot of support.”
STELLAR CAREER
Mauldin had come to Key West with a stellar law enforcement and military career that included retirement from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. He had also served as police chief of the Blacksburg, S.C., Police Department.
He had been one of five finalists recently for the chief job in Columbia, S.C., but his application was hindered by a defamation lawsuit filed by one of his officers, who claimed he falsely accused him of impersonating an FBI agent and possessing a stolen gun. That lawsuit is pending.
Copyright 2008 The Miami Herald