COVINGTON, Ky. — The Covington Board of Commissioners decided in a 5-0 vote to suspend and demote a Covington police sergeant who's accused of sexual harassment, unwanted touching and creating a hostile work environment.
They found that the sergeant's actions violated police policies, the city said in a press release.
The board made the decision in a special meeting. Testimony and evidence presentations began Wednesday evening around 5:30 p.m. and ran until around 1 a.m. Thursday.
While disciplinary hearings are usually conducted in private, the board said Jason Hartzler requested the hearing be made public.
The original recommendation from the police chief was for Hartzler to be suspended for 8 days without pay. Hartzler appealed, which resulted in Wednesday's special meeting. The board of commissioners then recommended a 30 day unpaid suspension and a demotion of one rank.
According to the City of Covington, 10 witnesses took the stand at Wednesday's nearly 8 hour meeting.
The city requested the accusers not be named nor shown, so WCPO will refer to them as Woman No. 1 and Woman No. 2.
"I felt scared and unsafe," said Woman No. 1.
Woman No. 1 described a situation from January 2023 where Hartzler wanted her to come into a restricted room with him. She said she felt uncomfortable and asked a detective to go with her, mouthing, "Please help me."
"He said there was a peephole in the ceiling and he wanted to show me," she said. "I had to get down on my hands and knees."
The woman said Hartzler made a sexual remark about what a chair in the room was used for, which his lawyer did not deny he said but argued he did not direct it at the woman.
"This is not sexual harassment under the law," said Luke Morgan, Hartzler's lawyer.
Morgan also said the situation was being taken out of context, saying the only way to see the peephole was to get on their hands and knees.
Woman No. 2 then described a "very awkward and uncomfortable interaction" where Hartzler messed with her uniform.
One male police sergeant who witnessed Hartzler's unwanted touching described the interaction as "uncomfortably close." Woman No. 2 said she did not report him but other officers saw and allegedly reported it.
Woman No. 2 said Hartzler then gave a "half-ass apology."
"I would say this so-called apology turned into more like a rant about getting in trouble and how he was told he shouldn't interact with females," she said.
She said Hartzler also tried to "mansplain" how to clear a room, contradicting what she's learned.
Morgan defended his character and argued he didn't break any federal laws. While testifying, Hartzler called the unwanted touching a practical joke and said he "absolutely regretted" what he called his humor in talking about the chair.
When asked what he would do to ensure his behavior doesn't cause others discomfort, Hartzler said he needed to be "more cognizant of how I interact with them."
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