Sergeant accused of misconduct again

A board has recommended a Largo officerbe reprimanded after a volunteer complains. The same sergeant was suspended in an Explorer scandal.

By JANE MEINHARDT

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

LARGO -- More allegations of sexual misconduct have surfaced at the Largo Police Department.

Gina M. Mazzaro, 34, a member of the department's Volunteers in Policing program, has accused Sgt. Scott Doerflein of making unwelcome sexual advances, according to records released Thursday.

Last month, Doerflein was suspended for three days for misconduct that occurred in the early 1990s involving a female police Explorer who went to his apartment. Officer Karl Gracy was suspended for five days for having consensual sex with the same Explorer, who was 18 or older.

Mazzaro's allegations involve more recent incidents. Mazzaro became a volunteer at the police department in December, and she said that was when her problems with Doerflein began.

In a written statement May 1, Mazzaro said Doerflein touched her hands and arms inappropriately, grabbed her hair and commented on its appearance, made a lewd gesture, indicated he wanted to date her and made her fear he would retaliate against an officer she was dating.

"His actions, while under the color of authority, make me fearful of his capabilities outside of the uniform as well," she wrote in her statement, calling Doerflein "a disgrace."

Mazzaro, who still works as a volunteer when Doerflein is not on duty, said Thursday she made no complaints to anyone until Deputy Chief Judy Gershkowitz asked her in April to meet and discuss Doerflein, who was being investigated at the time for misconduct with an Explorer.

"They're the ones who initiated this," Mazzaro said. "They wanted to know what I knew and what I heard. They didn't care if it was hearsay. Doerflein is vile, but they've made me the fall guy in this."

After providing a written statement, Mazzaro declined to be interviewed by Internal Affairs investigators because she was uncomfortable with how the situation was being handled.

"I got bad feelings that this has been turned around against me," she said. "They used me."

Investigators determined the only facts that could be substantiated were that Doerflein touched her hand during greetings and touched and commented on her hair. Doerflein admitted making a lewd gesture in the presence of a dispatcher.

Doerflein's chain of command met last month and recommended a one-day suspension for the officer. On Thursday, a Disciplinary Review Board of officers and a civilian met to consider the investigation's findings and recommend a penalty.

Bill LauBach, Police Benevolent Association director, represented Doerflein and told the board that "political expediency" has perverted the department's disciplinary process.

The review board upheld the misconduct charge against Doerflein and briefly discussed the problems presented by Mazzaro's refusal to be interviewed to clarify her complaints. The board then voted 4-1 to reduce the penalty from a one-day suspension to a written reprimand.

The board's recommendation goes to police Chief Jerry Bloechle, who will make the final decision.

Complaints surfacing now show that sexual misconduct allegations were not limited to incidents in the early 1990s and involve more than police Explorers, a Boy Scout program that provides on-the-job training for youths 14 to 21.

Mazzaro's complaints come in the wake of a report released June 9 showing that police administrators improperly handled another volunteer's sexual harassment complaints.

The report by Largo's personnel director showed that Bloechle never investigated complaints from another volunteer, Nanalee Matthews, 64 about comments Doerflein made to her in January. Doerflein later apologized for making her feel uncomfortable.

The report also said Bloechle did not investigate Matthews' complaints in 1998 that former police spokesman Mac Williams hugged her and asked her to go to a city event with him. Williams, who resigned in May when the chief threatened to fire him for mishandling the media during the Explorers scandal, denied doing anything improper.

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