FAYETTEVILLE -- A veteran police sergeant is on unpaid suspension for violating department policies.
Sgt. Dominic Swanfeld was suspended Sept. 2 after a lengthy investigation by the department and the city's Human Resource department.
The investigation began June 23, said Administrative Capt. Jamie Fields. The investigation was over near the end of August.
Swanfeld was suspended for 160 hours, equivalent to about 30 days.
Swanfeld violated policies on the night of June 21 during a police conference and banquet at the Chancellor Hotel, 70 N. East Ave., according to city documents.
"Information was received from a third-party complainant alleging Sgt. Swanfeld inappropriately touched and had some inappropriate conversation with an individual that was at the police department, not an employee," according to the documents.
"Many people were interviewed. It takes time to do an in-depth investigation. We didn't want to cut corners on an allegation this serious," Fields said.
The investigation found there was insufficient evidence to disprove or prove the allegations that he inappropriately touched the woman and had inappropriate conversations with her. Swanfeld denied the incident happened.
"There wasn't enough evidence, or the investigation could not conclude that the allegation did or did not happen," Field said. "And so, the violation of policy was not specifically for those allegations."
The investigation determined Swanfeld violated Police Department policy after he consumed alcohol at the party and drove his department-issued vehicle.
According to city policies, "No employee of the fire or police department should engage in conduct detrimental to the efficiency or morale of the police department," and, "No employee of the fire or police department shall show dishonesty or deception, or falsify any report or record."
Swanfeld violated a harassment policy by creating a hostile work environment, Fields said.
Fields said the violations did not rise to the level of being fired.
Swanfeld could face dismissal from the department for any further occurrences of city, department and/or civil service policies, procedures or rules are violated, Fields said.
Swanfeld has been employed at the Police Department since 1997 and was a patrol officer.
NW News on 09/16/2014