Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Laurie Smith, the first female sheriff in the state of California, has been accused of harassment by three former officers. Smith was first hit with the allegations back in April after one of her accusers sent a retirement letter to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department. The letter, which was addressed to Smith, said: “You will recall how, on multiple occasions, you sexually harassed me.”
According to ABC 7, the letter was sent by a 30-year correctional officer who did not want to be identified to avoid possible repercussions for his children
Speaking through his lawyer, the unidentified officer said that he “had experienced sexual harassment from Sheriff Smith and remained silent or largely silent’ because he feared ‘retaliation'”
via ABC 7:
This retirement letter delivered to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department in April begins “Dear Sheriff Smith”. It was sent by a 30-year correctional officer who asked not to be identified to avoid possible repercussions for his children. He wrote, “You will recall how, on multiple occasions, you sexually harassed me.”
The retirement letter is now part of an investigation at the county’s Equal Opportunity Department, and officials tell us the officer has been interviewed by an EOD investigator.
The officer says Smith was his supervisor at Main Jail when she first propositioned him, and that she touched herself in a way that made him uncomfortable. Another time, he says she suggestively handled a police baton, and that she propositioned him a third time in a trailer while they worked the 1994 World Cup at Stanford Stadium.
In addition, Retired Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sergeant Gary Brady also came forward with allegations against Smith. Furthermore, former correctional officer Ed Albanoski claims Smith was four ranks above him when she came onto him during lunch at Elmwood Women’s Jail back in the 1980s.
A spokesman for Sheriff Laurie Smith released a statement on Smith’s behalf saying that “these false narratives are nothing more than an orchestrated attack on the integrity of the Sheriff’s Office and my personal reputation.”