PORT ANGELES — A critique of internal and external investigations into misconduct allegations against former Clallam County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Dave Fontenot, 36, concluded that he engaged in behavior that was “at least unprofessional and inappropriate.”
The report by Portland-based labor attorney Jill Dinse also said Fontenot’s supervisors were aware of complaints about his frequent vulgar language and did nothing to correct it.
In the thick stack of documents released publicly by the department Wednesday, the county-contracted investigator also concluded that Fontenot had been dishonest with investigators during a sexual harassment investigation conducted Aug. 29 by a Port Angeles police detective.
Fontenot was accused of sexually harassing female coworkers, a charge Fontenot denies.
Dinse also found that an internal investigation of allegations of evidence mishandling and falsifying documents missed the mark, possibly because Fontenot’s supervisors favored the up-and-coming sergeant.
‘Immature’ actions
In particular, Dinse found that Fontenot regularly used profane and vulgar language, and that he engaged in behavior that was “at least immature and inappropriate.”
Specifically, Dinse found that:
* Fontenot twice pretended to unzip his pants in the presence of a female coworker.
* He asked a female subordinate to display her breasts.
* He asked a female coworker what she was wearing and if she was wearing panties during a telephone conversation.
* He read pornographic passages aloud from a book seized as part of a child pornography case in the presence of a female coworker.
The coworker told Dinse that she was not offended.
* And he referred to female subordinates as his “bitches,” despite the woman saying she was not offended.
After two people “credibly” described the incidents, Dinse alleges that Fontenot lied about asking a female coworker about her undergarments and asking another to show him her breasts.
He later modified his statement from denial to say he didn’t recall saying those things, but vigorously asserted that he would not do so.
Fontenot said he has not read the report, but doubts its veracity partly because Dinse never interviewed him about the incidents.
