City of Chattanooga HR

Investigative Report

Date: August 8, 2018 (revised August 13, 2018)

To: Beverly Moultrie, Director of Human Resources

Tyna Hector, Deputy Director of Human Resources

Re: Complaint filed by Cadet’s and , c/o Sergeant John Monroe

Prepared by: Michael Anthony, Director of Safety, Compliance & Risk Management and
Alicia Niehoff, HR Quality Assurance Officer

A. Executive Summary

A complaint was submitted on Friday, June 15, 2018 by Chattanooga Police Department’s Sergeant John Monroe
alleging Cadet’s and were sexually harassed per a series of events involving Instructor
Ricky Ballard. A Human Resource investigation was initiated on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, and closed on August 6,
2018. Director of Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management Michael Anthony, and HR Quality Assurance Officer
Alicia Niehoff conducted a total of thirteen (13) interviews during the course of this investigation, to include Cadet
on June 19, 2018; Cadet on June 20, 2018; Instructor Ricky Ballard, his legal counsel
Stevie Philipps, as well as City Attorneys Valerie Malueg and Phillip Noblett on June 27, 2018; Cadet
on July 2, 2018; Officer on July 12, 2018; Instructor Matthew Balinger on July 17, 2018; Instructor
Ryan Zirk on July 23, 2018; Instructor Bryan Wood on July 24, 2018; Officer on July 25, 2018;
Lieutenant Bakari Welles on July 31, 2018; Officer on August 1, 2018; and Officers
and on August 2, 2018. The Human Resources investigators also met with Lieutenant Toby Hewitt in
the Police Internal Affairs Division to seek procedural guidance and clarification on July 25, 2018, and contacted
Sergeant Les Stover via telephone to ascertain how remedial range training was scheduled and conducted on
August 6, 2018.

Based on the extensive testimonial and media evidence obtained during this investigation, the allegations of sexual
harassment are sustained.

B. Allegations

Cadet and Cadet , assigned to Police Academy , filed a complaint with the Police
Department, alleging sexual harassment by Instructor Rick Ballard. In their complaint, they cited multiple
comments and events that illustrated the basis for their complaints.

C. Policy Implications

Allegations fall under City’s Anti-Harassment Prevention Policy, Section IV, Subsection B of the City’s Employee
Information Guide. Subsection B states “Any form of harassment related to an individual’s age, sex, race, color,
religion, disability, national origin, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic
origin, political affiliations, genetic information, marital status or any other protected basis in accordance with
applicable federal, state and local laws is a violation of this policy and will be treated as a disciplinary matter.

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 described the incident as “confusing” and “crossing the line”. also stated that Instructor
Ballard sent her flowers while she was still a cadet.

8. Officer stated that at the cadet graduation party Officer Ballard “forced” her to drink
alcoholic beverages by tipping her cup up when it was three quarters or half full. Officer
stated that Instructor Ballard told her that “you’re not drinking enough”. Officer sat at the
table with Officer and Instructor Ballard, and stated that he was “aggressive about her
drinking that night,” and that “he was trying to get her drunk.” Officer was told by others
that Instructor Ballard touched her back and buttocks while she was inebriated, but she could not
remember who told her. Officer was not able to confirm Instructor Ballard’s physical
actions other than continually bringing her drinks and in her opinion trying to get Cadet
drunk.

9. Additionally, Officer stated that Instructor Ballard approached her at Gold’s Gym in Hixson
after this investigation began at which time Instructor Ballard told her this investigation was ‘not
of a sexual nature’ and asked her if “we are good?” Officer was at the gym with her
boyfriend whom she had already shared her uncomfortableness about Ballard as well as his
flirtatious behavior towards her and tried to keep focused on her workout. Officer states
that she has never had any relationship with Instructor Ballard.

E. Conclusion

Extensive evidence reveals a pattern of sexual harassment of female cadets by Instructor Ballard. This
harassment has spanned multiple academies and touched multiple cadets; several of them stated they did not
want future cadets to experience what they experienced.

The Human Resources Department’s investigation confirms the validity of the sexual harassment claims made by
Cadet and .

F. Recommendations for Employee

1. Suspend Instructor Ballard for a period not to exceed 160 hours;

2. Provide Instructor Ballard with a Last Chance Agreement that addresses his sexually harassing behavior
toward female colleagues, and

3. Require Instructor Ballard to attend sexual harassment training.

G. Recommendations for Department

1. Include questions specific to harassment/bullying in the anonymous-optional evaluations of all

instructors;

2. Add a female instructor to all future academy classes; and

3. Sexual harassment training be given to instructors and then to cadets at the commencement of the new
academy.

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 Appendix with Exhibits

Exhibit A: Statement of Sexual Complaint and Intake, Sergeant John Monroe, June 15, 2018

Exhibit B. Text Message to Officer from Officer , June 25, 2018