In Florida, $500K to settle complaints against former Cedar Rapids Police Chief

City leaders in Ocala, Fla., agreed Tuesday to pay $500,000 to settle complaints against the city's police chief, Greg Graham, who led the Cedar Rapids Police Department from 2008 to 2012.

Accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination by three former Ocala police officers led to the settlement of $270,000 for Matthew Sams, $155,000 for Casey E. Walsh, and $75,000 for Rachel Mangum, according to Ocala.com, the online version of Ocala StarBanner newspaper.

Walsh and Mangum had alleged Graham made sexually charged comments to them during a night out drinking in May 2016 and separately faced inappropriate sexual comments on other occasions, according to the newspaper.

Graham took a temporary leave of absence during an internal investigation, which cleared him of wrongdoing. Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn has maintained support for the chief and urged the city to continue defending Graham rather than settle, according to the paper.

Federal and state complaints also were filed. A federal magistrate dismissed sexual harassment complaints by Walsh but not two counts of retaliation, according to the paper. The federal equal employment commission found 'reasonable cause” to believe Graham discriminated against Mangum because of her sex, according to the paper.

Paid through city insurance, the settlement acknowledges no wrongdoing by any party and dismisses any pending complaints, according to the paper.

Graham had been an officer in the Ocala Police Department for 25-years when he resigned in 2008 to become police chief in Cedar Rapids. He resigned Jan. 3, 2012, to return to the Ocala department as its chief.

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