WATCH: Colorado State Patrol Leader Retires After Investigation of Homophobic Environment

[dlwickham]

Source: Advocate

The former leader of the Colorado State Patrol was asked to retire shortly after his organization completed an internal investigation surrounding allegations of antigay discrimination and harassment within the CSP, according to Denver's 7News.

James Wolfinbarger was named head of the Colorado State Patrol in 2009, and reportedly retired at the urging of the Governor and head of public safety on January 31, 2013, according to 7News. Wolfinbarger's retirement comes less than a month after an internal investigation into an alleged homophobic culture at the CSP reportedly found no wrongdoing, reports 7News. Wolfinbarger was reportedly paid $90,000 after being asked to retire.

The internal investigation was sparked by several allegations of an antigay environment within the CSP, including two instances where officers were not rehired for reasons they say related to their sexuality.

7News reports that last July, an administrative judge issued a 50-page ruling charging the CSP with discrimination based on sexual orientation in its failure to rehire former trooper Capt. Brett Williams, who is gay, after Williams answered an inappropriate question in a lie-detector test about a sexual encounter with a male masseuse.

Read more: http://www.advocate.com/news/2013/02/09/watch-colorado-state-patrol-leader-retires-after-investigation-homophobic

[brett_jv]

1. Not sure if this is the best scenario with which to draw the proverbial 'line in the sand'

Whilst I'm 'all for' the promotion of a non-homophobic work environment, at the same time, as a Police Officer, I would expect that if I was paying prostitutes (i.e. breaking the law in most states), that I would putting my job in jeopardy.

I dunno, I just kinda feel like, if, in fact, Officer Brett was guilty of paying for sex services, it makes it so this ... case ... is really not the best horse for hitching one's carriage to in the larger fight for equality.

[dlwickham]

2. the question was inappropriate and should have never been asked