3 Women Accuse Denver Cop Of Unwelcome Advances
By Brian Maass
DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver police officer is off the streets and facing a week-long unpaid suspension after three females said they experienced unwelcome advances from the officer.
"I have no problem with women and no problem dealing with them," said DPD patrol officer Ramone Demar Young when contacted by CBS4 via phone.
A CBS4 investigation found that Young -- who only joined DPD in 2013 -- has now faced three separate complaints about inappropriate conduct with women, including one store clerk who told investigators she was so uncomfortable with Young's behavior she would hide in a back room when she saw the officer approaching her store.
Young's issues started in 2015 when he responded to Rose Medical Center on a reported sexual assault. In the course of that call, he contacted a female custodian who was not involved in the call or any part of the criminal investigation. According to DPD documentation, the officer joked and flirted with the woman. He then went to his patrol car and used a sensitive law enforcement database to find the woman's phone number. After that, he called her and left a voicemail.
The woman reported to police that the call was "unwelcome" and she was "upset … she did not wish to hear from Officer Young again." The city penalized Young by taking away two days' pay.
According to another disciplinary letter filed last month, two more women have now come forward saying Young made "unwanted advances and exhibiting behavior that made them feel uncomfortable."
One of the women is a 7-Eleven store clerk and told DPD that Young came in often, but his behavior toward her made her "very uncomfortable. She indicated that when Officer Young came into the store, she would hide in the cooler to get away from him."
A second woman said Young frequently patronized the bar where she works, sometimes wearing his DPD uniform when he was working off duty. She told police investigators he would "linger and watch and make (her) very, very uncomfortable along with the rest of (her) staff." She said that on one occasion, at about 3 a.m. after the bar had closed, Young followed her most of the way home.
"This made her very uncomfortable" said the restaurant worker.
Denver Police Chief Robert White told CBS4, "Obviously I was greatly disturbed about his behavior ... obviously his actions were inappropriate."
For the most recent cases involving women, Young was ordered suspended without pay for seven days, which he will serve later this month.
In a phone conversation with CBS4, Young said the claims were "very much exaggerated," but he declined to explain. "I've been disciplined. It's over …. "I want to move on ... and get back to my job."
But the police chief indicated Young is receiving additional scrutiny.
"There are still some other parts that we are looking at as it related to his overall behavior and actions … still some part of the investigation that are still ongoing."
White would not elaborate on those comments.
Civilian women are not the only ones complaining about the officer.
"Other officers who worked with Officer Young also described his inappropriate interaction with females," said his latest disciplinary letter. "As a result of Officer Young's conduct, one officer requested that Officer Young not be assigned to work with him."
For 2014 and 2015, DPD supervisors graded Young as "meets expectations" on his annual reviews.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
