DENVER — Committing a deceptive act while acting as a law enforcement officer in Denver often leads to termination based on the discipline policy, however, the city is giving one of its officers a break after he made “untruthful statements” during an internal affairs investigation.
9NEWS Investigates obtained discipline documents that reveal city police officials looked into witnesses' claims that Officer Thristin Halliburton accused police employees of being racist, alleging he was forced to redo training because he is Black.
Discipline documents say Halliburton struggled to make it completely through the Denver Police Department Academy twice, however, he was allowed to walk with his class in October 2022 even though he had more training to complete. Documents indicate an injury also caused him to miss days of training.
In the documents, several witnesses told city officials and internal affairs investigators Halliburton made statements indicating he was going to sue for racism and “push the race card” because he was required to redo training.
One employee says in the documents he was “upset about the allegations of racism against him and felt uncomfortable sharing a workspace with Officer Halliburton.”
Two other officers witnessed Halliburton make claims of racism, according to discipline records with one of them saying it made her feel “uncomfortable.”
When asked by city officials if he made such claims about racism, Halliburton said he could not recall making the racism claims however he later admitted during a pre-disciplinary hearing he occasionally joked about “playing the race card.”
“Feigning a lack of memory is an unreasonable attempt by Officer Halliburton to avoid facing consequences for making untruthful statements throughout this investigation,” Chief Compliance Officer Mary Dulacki wrote.
“There is clear and convincing evidence that Officer Halliburton violated this department rule when he made an untruthful statement during his EEO interview with HR and again during his IA interview,” Dulacki writes. “...Officer Halliburton’s conduct constituted ‘a willful and wanton disregard of Department values.’’
The violation for deception in the Denver Police Department comes with a “presumptive” penalty of termination, however the city felt Halliburton deserved a “mitigated penalty” because of “challenges Halliburton has faced during the past four years as he pursued a career with the Denver Police Department, including restarting the DPD academy, injury and repeating key training programs.”
Halliburton was given a 90-day suspension instead of termination which will begin June 10.
DPD says in an email to 9NEWS Investigates that Halliburton is in a non-patrol assignment.
If you have any information about this story or would like to send a news tip, you can contact jeremy@9news.com.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations & Crime
