By MATT ERICKSON
Staff Writer

A former part-time Crosby police officer is suing the Crosby Police Department and four of its officers, claiming human rights violation, defamation of character and violation of Minnesota law allowing an employee to review his or her personnel file.

In the lawsuit filed Friday, Douglas Ahle is seeking in excess of $50,000 for what he claims was a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act on the part of the Crosby Police Department, in that his employment was terminated because of a statement he made against a co-worker in a sexual harassment investigation.

Ahle also is suing officers for allegedly making false statements about him in retaliation to his statement in the sexual harassment investigation, and because he was not granted access to his personnel file at the police department.

Named as defendants in the three-count lawsuit are the Crosby Police Commission, the Crosby Police Department, Crosby Police Chief John Drennan and Crosby police officers John Reed, Chad Visser and Jesse Smith.

Patricia Beety, an attorney with the League of Minnesota Cities, is representing all the defendants. She said she will bring a motion to dismiss the complaint sometime in the future. Until then, she said her clients will answer the allegations in Ahle's complaint Monday.

"We have done an investigation into the allegations and we believe the claims are without merit," said Beety. "We're prepared to defend against them."

Drennan, Reed and Crosby Mayor Steve Goshey declined to discuss the lawsuit. Smith was on vacation this week. Visser no longer works for the Crosby Police Department.

According to Ahle's lawsuit, his three-count complaint stems from a sexual harassment investigation of former Crosby police dispatcher Joe Ballard, filed by former dispatcher Tamara Sallis after an incident April 24, 2002.

According to the lawsuit:

* Ahle claims Ballard, Visser and Smith, all off duty and appearing to be intoxicated, came to the Crosby Police Department about 1:30 a.m. and that Ballard made unwelcome, rude and sexually suggestive comments to Sallis.

* Ahle, Visser and Smith witnessed Ballard's actions and provided statements to the Aitkin County Sheriff's Department, which was investigating Sallis' complaint. The investigation concluded that Ballard had sexually harassed Sallis, Ahle stated in his lawsuit.

Aitkin County Sheriff Dennis Landborg confirmed Undersheriff Scott Turner conducted an internal investigation at the request of the Crosby Police Department, but Landborg didn't have access to the results of the investigation. Turner was out of the office this week.

Sallis declined to discuss the specifics of her sexual harassment complaint, but did say it was settled out of court. She left her job as a police dispatcher in March.

Ballard, 47, died April 2 near Hardin, Mont.

The lawsuit further stated:

* In May 2002 Visser filed two complaints against Ahle, claiming Ahle used excessive force in handcuffing a suspect and that Ahle had padded his statement in the sexual harassment investigation.

* Also in May 2002 Smith filed a complaint against Ahle stating Ahle was having an affair with a co-worker, that he lied in the sexual harassment investigation and that Ahle had attempted to "tamper" with Smith in regard to the sexual harassment investigation.

Ahle said the accusations made in the complaints by Visser and Smith were false and made only to "harass, retaliate and lower Douglas Ahle's esteem, reputation and character in the community," and that Visser and Smith "made these comments and statements with actual malice."

Beety said in her investigation of the sexual harassment complaint she found that the police department followed up on it quickly and thoroughly, and that there were no facts supporting Ahle's allegations that he was retaliated against.

The lawsuit further stated:

* The Crosby Police Commission in June 2002 held a hearing on the claims of excessive force and statement padding against Ahle. The commission concluded that Ahle had used excessive force, but made no findings regarding statement padding by Ahle and left the future of Ahle's employment up to Drennan.

* The lawsuit states Drennan told Ahle that no action would be taken against his employment, but because he had exceeded the 1,040-hour limit for 2002 as a part-time police officer he would not be scheduled for the remainder of the year. Ahle also asked for a copy of his personnel file, which he said Drennan failed to provide.

In November 2002 the Crosby Police Department advertised for a full-time police officer. Ahle applied but claims he was discriminated against by Reed, a Crosby police officer, who in conducting a background check made false, defamatory statements against Ahle, including that he had a pattern of excessive force complaints against him in his prior police employment and that he was biased against and discriminated against others.

In January, Ahle asked Drennan when he would be placed back on the work schedule as a part-time officer, but he received no response. Instead, Ahle claims, Drennan notified the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training Board that Ahle was no longer employed with the Crosby Police Department, and Ahle said he received first notice of his termination from that board.

"As a result of the wrongful actions by the defendants, Douglas Ahle's reputation, esteem and standing in the community has been irreparably harmed and damaged," the lawsuit stated. "He has suffered severe injury to his mind and body requiring medical and psychological care and treatment. He has been unable to obtain employment in his chosen field."

The civil lawsuit was filed in Crow Wing District Court. No court date has been set.