America is waking up. There is a toxic culture of sexual harassment that is pervasive in many arenas of various workplaces. Harvey Weinstein, a powerful American film producer and former film studio executive. He was fired by his own company after accusations by multiple women of sexual harassment and sexual assault. The New Yorker broke the story, and the floodgates were open.
A few days later, disgraced cable news channel Fox host Bill O’Reilly, who had been fired for sexual harassment of many women it was discovered that even after Fox News knew of a $32 million dollar settlement to a fellow Fox employee, former legal analyst, Lis Wiehl, Fox renewed a $25 million dollar contract with O’Reilly. This astounding payment was even more exorbitant than the payout to former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson, who sued former Fox Chief, Roger Ailes for sexual harassment.
It’s obvious that there is a problem in the culture of our work environments.
The Philadelphia Police Department is not exempt. There have been many accusations and payouts over the years of sexual predators who don a badge and a gun. In one instance, as previously reported here, Chief Inspector Carl Holmes was accused of “digitally penetrating” the vagina of a female officer. The problem here is the person in Internal Affairs who is responsible to send this type of sexual assault to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, failed to do so.
In an explosive complaint of Philadelphia Police Officer Michele Vandegrift vs. City of Philadelphia, Officer Vandegrift alleges that Chief Inspector Carl Holmes sexually assaulted her in 2007. And this isn’t the first time at the rodeo for Holmes.
Another police officer, Christina Hayburn, alleged that Holmes sexually assaulted her in 2006. The suit states that in Holmes chased Hayburn as she was trying to leave a bar, pulled her into his vehicle and “began kissing her “really hard” as he touched her breasts and put his hands on the outside of her pants toward her genitals.” It should be noted that Carl Holmes is a 6-foot-6, 280-pound former offensive tackle for Temple University. One can easily see how this imposing figure would have no problem overpowering a woman. Account of Officer Hayburn’s incident here.
The suit further alleges that during this encounter, Holmes “digitally penetrated her vagina, after which he pulled out his penis and placed Officer Hayburn’s hand on top of it”. Hayburn stated she said “No”, after he attempted to have intercourse and oral sex, but that Holmes “eventually ejaculated”
As a result of the investigation into this complaint, Holmes city car was impounded and forensic evidence found “seminal stains containing spermatozoa”. Holmes denied the allegation and claimed he had sexual relations with a female civilian in the city car twice, which is why there was semen in the car. The investigators did not ask for the name of the civilian employee, or for her description and Holmes did not provide it.
Holmes has denied any wrong-doing involving Vandegrift. But he did admit to having sex in his tax-payer funded vehicle with a civilian city employee. Conveniently, there was no further investigation of that civilian. Therefore; the police department doesn’t know if that civilian was a victim of a crime, or a willing participant because they only had the side of Holmes.
Vandegrift further alleges in the complaint that Holmes “wanted to know how wet she was” and that he inserted his finger into her vagina. The complaint also alleges that he pulled his hand out, tasted his finger, and remarked “it tasted good”. This allegedly happened in his office while they were both working. The complaint then goes on to name 24th District officers and Southwest Detectives, both places where Vandegrift worked, who engaged in highly inappropriate, and in some cases, criminal sexual behavior.
The complaint is a salacious and disgusting account of what became a nightmare for Michele Vandegrift. Read Complaint Here
Ironically, also in a deposition regarding the suit, Chief Inspector Christopher Flacco admitted that he authorized disciplinary action against Vandegrift as a result of something she had written on Facebook, because another officer had been disciplined for a Facebook message because of her complaint.
And Officer Vandegrift named names in her lawsuit. There was a litany of allegations against numerous 24th District Officers and Southwest Detective personnel of various ranks. From Inspector Anthony Washington, to Lieutenant Anthony LaSalle to Detective James Priadka and countless other police personnel who made lewd comments and at least one who “slapped her on the backside.” The details are lascivious.
In a deposition involving former Philadelphia Police Officer Keisha Johnson against the City involving Staff Inspector Jerrold Bates, (or Master Bates as he is now called), Bates admits to having a orgy with Officer Johnson, another Police Captain, Nicholas Brown and a friend of Officer Johnson.
Bates was Officer Johnson‘s boss at the time. Bates also admits that he saw pictures of Johnson with another employee, Corporal Gail Newsome Middleton, in which he shared with Captain Brown. In her lawsuit, Johnson alleges “Plaintiff (Johnson) also sent Bates numerous cell phone pictures of herself, at his request, so he could masturbate when he was home. (Id. at 69:12-75:11.) Bates also talked about having Plaintiff go to a hotel with him, which she refused, and he solicited her to have group sex with Corporal Newsome-Middleton and Sergeant Williams, which also did not occur. (Id. at 75:8-77:4.) See deposition here: bates-deposition-v-city-doc42-5-bates-depo. Officer Keisha Johnson Lawsuit here: Keisha Johnson vs. Jerrold Bates, ETAL
There are going to be people in Internal Affairs, as some did in depositions, who will claim to remember how Officer Keisha Johnson and Corporal Newsome-Middleton, dressed like whores. If this is factual, once again, the supervisors in Internal Affairs who allowed this behavior to exist is part of the problem. The problem is systemic and persuasive in policing. No matter how Officer Johnson and Corporal Newsome-Middleton dressed, it isn’t an open invitation for predators to pressure and harass their way into sexual relationships with unwilling participants.
If orgies and menage a trois’ can go on involving the then, Staff Inspector Jerrold Bates, who was in charge of the EEO unit, and his Captain buddy with subordinates, while assigned to Internal Affairs, where does it stop?
This goes beyond the old adage of “boys being boys”. Alot of this behavior is criminal. When the victims cannot rely on the head of policing agencies to protect them, what can the citizens, whom they are sworn to protect expect?
Even after all of these shenanigans and in the instance of Carl Holmes an alleged sexual assault, (Holmes admitted to having sex in his city-issued police vehicle with a police civilian employee whom Internal Affairs never asked about, nor attempted to reach out to this woman to see if the incident was consensual), is still in positions (pun intended) to interact with women police officers.
Inspector Anthony Washington has also been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. Washington too, is in a position to interact with women police officers.
In the recent weeks, a female Sergeant by the name of Amina Brown-Minor , who was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, was put in the 5th District. One of the four (4) districts in which Washington oversees. Inspector Washington allegedly orders the 5th District Captain to remove a seasoned male Lieutenant from the prestigious five (5) squad position, and place the newly promoted Sergeant in this position. Of course, it was the request heard around the police department.
An astute Captain, allegedly complained of the order to none other than Chief Inspector Carl Holmes, who reversed Inspector Washington’s order and took the newly promoted Sergeant out of that assignment. Perhaps Holmes was trying to save Washington from himself. Or perhaps he’s learned from his own predator accusations.
A male officer, John Massi, also filed a complaint involving sexual misconduct by Inspector Anthony Washington.
On June 21, 2011, Officer Jamie Miles filed a lawsuit against the city and four of her her superiors over alleged sex discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment.[252][253] Miles received $62,500 to settle her suit. In 2011, two federal sexual harassment lawsuits filed by police officers against then Captain Anthony Washington were settled for $75,000.
Commissioner Ramsey did demote Holmes and was passing over Washington at one time or another for promotions. However; Ramsey still installed Holmes as Chief in the Philadelphia School District, which raised alot of eyebrows.
In light of the current #MeToo environment, it’s time to protect the women and men in the Police Department. It’s time to put Washington and Holmes in positions (pun intended) in the department where they can cause the least harm. There are predator in all sections of life and in all business environments. The predator is much more troubling, which he has the power to command women along with a gun and a badge.
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