Loveland, Co. (KDVR) — A controversy is brewing between the City of Loveland Police Chief and a city council member.
In a confidential document, acquired by FOX31, an outside law firm wrote they were hired to investigate the case.
The investigation started after Loveland’s Police Chief, Tim Doran, filed a complaint against City Council Member, Erin Black, according to the report.
Details of the investigation’s findings are detailed in the 27-page confidential report.
FOX31 has not read the report in its entirety.
One part of the investigation focused on the chief’s association with a religious organization. The document stated the investigation stemmed from a complaint filed by Doran. It also stated Black made allegations against the city and the chief.
The report focused on five questions:
- Did Councilor Black discriminate against Chief Doran on the basis of his religion?
- Has Councilor Black retaliated against Chief Doran for filing a complaint?
- Has Councilor Black violated the city charter in her interactions with Chief Doran?
- Is Chief Doran practicing his religion in a way that violates separation of Church and State?
- Did the city retaliate against Councilor Black in this investigation?
FOX31 spoke to people on both sides of the issue.
“If anyone is asking questions it’s because there are concerns and if those concerns are not being addressed or answered. If the information is not being given through requests or any other public information source that we have, that is an extremely concerning and alarming situation,” Loveland Justice League Member, Jen Castaneda, said.
The report does indicate that there may have been retaliation and discrimination.
“The end result of all this right now in all this controversy is the city is just not getting its work done. The city council is not getting its work done to provide the direction of the city staff so they can meet the needs of the public whether it’s from sidewalks to public safety,” Former City Council Member and Mayor Pro-Tem, Don Overcash, said.
The report also stated the city was required to investigate the chief’s discrimination complaints.
FOX31 reached out to the law firm in Grand Junction whose name was at the top of the report.
FOX31 has not heard back from that firm to confirm its authenticity. FOX31 also reached out to Doran and Black.
A spokesperson for the City of Loveland said it could not comment on employee complaints and that it is now investigating how the confidential document was leaked.
Here is the full statement from the City of Loveland:
The City of Loveland is committed to confidentiality for personnel matters, as required by C.R.S. § 24-72-204(3)(a)(II). To uphold these protections, the City cannot confirm or deny the existence of any complaints.
Unfortunately, a harassment complaint and investigation involving a City employee and a City Councilor were made public through a Reporter-Herald story on November 14, despite the protections of attorney-client confidentiality. This disclosure undermines the integrity of the City’s confidential processes and the trust they are designed to uphold.
This breach is deeply disappointing – for the employee involved and for what it signals about the handling of sensitive information.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
