CALDWELL, Idaho — Last year, the Caldwell Police Department reached a settlement with a former female employee who alleged instances of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation during her time at the department.
As Idaho News 6 previously reported, these concerns mirror complaints recently filed in three ongoing lawsuits, two of which were filed by police officers and another from the department's director of Human Resources. All expressed concerns around gender-based harassment, discrimination, and retaliation within the Caldwell Police Department.
RELATED: Caldwell Mayor backs police chief amid harassment and discrimination allegations
After reporting her claims to superiors at the police department, including Human Resources, the former employee claims she was demoted. She resigned a few days later. The former employee remains anonymous.
When asked by Idaho News 6 for records surrounding the settlement, the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program confirmed that Armis Law received a $150,000 payout last July.
Idaho News 6 received copies of email correspondence between lawyers representing the employee and the Caldwell Police Department that detail her claims in a series of vivid accounts. In that email, the lawyers representing the former employee claim that starting in 2022, the Caldwell Police Chief acted inappropriately in various settings. In the letter, the lawyers demanded compensation or else face legal action. A formal claim was never filed.
In the seven-page email from attorneys at Belen Meyers Law and Armis Law, the lawyers claim Chief Ingram participated in "racial harassment" and made "sexist requests."
In one instance, they assert that Chief Ingram told the former employee that if she were a "different kind of woman," his wife would have her fired.
Another example says that the Chief visited the former employee's home late at night, unannounced, to check on her during a thunderstorm.
Idaho News 6 reached out to Chief Ingram for a comment on the settlement. He told us, "[I] will not allow allegations or lawsuits to distract the department from their mission of keeping Caldwell a safe community." He declined to comment on the pending litigation but said, "I will say that I am and always have been dedicated to professionalism and integrity."
“It is an important standard to uphold that we do not comment on pending litigation. The reason for that is to ensure that all parties involved are afforded their constitutional right to due process. Public statements about the facts of any case before they are litigated can potentially taint a jury pool and/or impact the outcome of litigation. We respect this standard consistently, no matter who is the subject of the litigation. With that said, speaking for myself alone, I will say that I am and always have been dedicated to professionalism and integrity. I would encourage everyone in our community to focus on the incredible work that our team is doing to make Caldwell a safer place. For example, crime has decreased nearly 32% under my leadership, and that is due in part to the new training opportunities we’ve provided to our team, empowering them to do better in their jobs every single day. I am proud to represent the men and women of the Caldwell Police Department and I am grateful to advocate for law-enforcement agencies across the state in my role as the president of the Idaho Chiefs of Police Association. I will not allow allegations or lawsuits to distract us from our mission of keeping Caldwell a safe community for all of us to live, work, and play.”
- Chief Rex Ingram Caldwell Police Department
In a statement, Attorney Belén Meyers, Esq. said, "We acknowledge and appreciate the media's inquiry. At present, we are unable to provide any commentary regarding this matter. We appreciate your understanding."