Ex-Officer Claims Police Retaliation For Sex Suit Female Official Who Allegedly Harassed Him, Chief, Lieutenant Charged In Action

Former Spokane police Officer Ken Lesperance has filed a civil suit against the city in U.S. District Court.

The lawsuit names community policing coordinator Cheryl Steele, Spokane Police Lt. Glen Winkey and Police Chief Terry Mangan.

It alleges that the three retaliated against him after he filed a sexual harassment complaint against Steele in September.

Lesperance quit the police department Monday.

He alleges in the civil suit that he was reassigned from his Neighborhood Resource Officer position because he complained about Steele’s advances, which he said began in 1996.

City officials cleared Steele of any wrongdoing, although they determined that she may have made comments that could be interpreted as insensitive.

The suit claims that Mangan, Steele and Winkey began a personal attack on Lesperance and revealed confidential information about him.

He claims the investigation against him was based on unfounded complaints.

Lesperance and his wife, Kristine, are seeking an undisclosed amount of damages in the suit.

He initially filed a $3.5 million claim with the city in October and received no response.

He has deferred comment to his attorney, Amy C. Clemmons. Attempts to reach Clemmons on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Assistant City Attorney Rocco Treppiedi spoke on behalf of those named in the suit Tuesday.

“We are prepared to prove that there was absolutely no retaliation,” Treppiedi said. “About the only thing true (in the lawsuit) is that (Lesperance) was a police officer.”

The suit comes four months after Lesperance was reassigned from his NRO position in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood to patrol duty.

The reassignment was made when the police department launched an investigation into allegations of his misconduct.

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