A Dallas police sergeant has been accused of taking a female officer’s phone, accessing a locked photo gallery and sending himself her “intimate” images in what a police women’s group described as a “horrific breach of trust.”
Sgt. Daylon L. Grandberry received a 15-day suspension over the alleged privacy violation involving the unidentified officer, which occurred “a few months ago,” according to the Dallas Police Women’s Association.
In a statement Monday, the organization said Grandberry allegedly initiated a casual conversation with the officer about games on her phone while watching her enter her passcode.
The senior officer then allegedly asked the subordinate to let him download a game onto her device, and she agreed, handing the phone to him.
Once he had the phone, Grandberry allegedly said he was having trouble with cell service and stepped away from the officer, creating distance before opening her password-protected “hidden” photo folder.
He allegedly sent two text messages containing the photos to himself before returning the phone to the officer.
The alleged misconduct was not discovered until hours later, when the officer noticed Grandberry was listed as the last person she had texted, despite having no memory of sending him anything. She then found that the photos had been sent to the sergeant, the group said.
Although the officer feared possible retaliation or consequences for reporting him, she ultimately filed a complaint against Grandberry.
“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.
