The first woman promoted to sergeant in the Gig Harbor Police Department has resigned.
Police Chief Mike Davis confirmed Thursday that Sgt. Sharon Cox left the force, effective Jan. 14.
In September, Cox filed a claim against the department and the city, alleging sexism and harassment, seeking between $2.5 million and $5 million. Davis said Cox’s resignation was not part of any settlement in the claim.
Cox’s resignation letter highlighted the same allegations made in her claim, Davis said.
The allegations include insubordination by some lower-ranking officers, including members of the Gig Harbor Police Guild; subordinates reviewing a memo Cox wrote to Davis about her use of sick leave and his taking no action in response; and inappropriate accessing of Cox’s employee file and leadership attempting to dissuade her from making an issue of it.
An outside investigator has looked into Cox’s allegations, Davis said, and there are no plans to make the results public.
Cox’s attorney, Julie Kays, said in November that she expected to file a lawsuit in the matter, pending a response from the city. Those plans had not changed as of Thursday, she said.
“I anticipate we will be filing shortly,” Kays said. “There’s no reason why it hasn’t been filed. We have some outstanding requests of the city for documents.”
Kays said Cox resigned in part because she did not feel safe in the field with the other officers in the department as her backup.
The News Tribune staff writer Alexis Krell contributed to this report.
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