A Dallas Police sergeant is accused of taking a female officer’s phone, breaking into a locked gallery and sending himself her “intimate” photos in an “horrific breach of trust.”
Sgt. Daylon L. Grandberry was handed a 15-day suspension for committing a privacy violation against the unidentified cop “a few months ago,” according to the Dallas Police Women’s Association.
Grandberry allegedly approached the female officer and began asking “innocuous questions” about the games on her device as he watched her input her passcode, the organization said in a statement Monday.
The superior officer then allegedly asked the subordinate if he could download a game to her phone, which she obliged and handed it over to him.
While in possession of the phone, Grandberry allegedly claimed he had poor cell reception and began backing away, creating space between the two and opening the password-protected “hidden” photos.
He managed to fire off two text messages to himself with the photos before handing the phone back to the officer.
Grandberry’s accused perverted deeds went unnoticed for a few hours until the female officer found he was the last person she texted without remembering ever sending the messages, only to find the photos were sent to the sergeant.
The officer feared repercussions if she reported Grandberry’s violation, but still filed a complaint against him.
“She placed her trust in a supervisor, only to be devastated by his betrayal,” the DPWA said. “The thought of her intimate images being exposed is mortifying. Who would have to witness her vulnerability? The very department that has shattered her trust is charged with handling this sensitive investigation.”
“Can you fathom the soul-crushing weight of that reality? It is devastating. She feared the repercussions of filing a complaint against this extreme and illegal violation of her privacy. What does this say about our department and its handling of such matters? And her fears were indeed justified!” the organization said. “Yet, in the face of this horrific breach of trust, she chose to file a complaint—because she understood that this is not about her.”
The police department opened an investigation into Grandberry, who has been with the force since 2008, ultimately handing down the 15-day suspension without any further discipline.
The DPWA blasted the police department for handling the investigation and punishment of Grandberry, calling it a “slap in the face to every female officer in our department.”
Grandberry claimed it was an accident but is refusing to appeal his suspension, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The suspension was announced along with the firing of four Dallas police officers who violated several department policies ranging from alleged DUIs to “violating personnel rules of conduct,” the outlet reported.
The DPWA has called for a third-party investigation because the department allegedly “fosters a toxic environment that devalues female officers.”
The Dallas Police Association said the accusations against Grandberry should be investigated.
“The allegations in this matter are serious, and any conduct that undermines trust in the workplace or the professionalism expected of Dallas Police officers should be taken seriously,” union President Sean Pease said, according to Fox4 Dallas.
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