WHATCOM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

MEMORANDUM
TO: CC: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws, Whatcom County Prosecutor Dave McEachran, Whatcom County Human Resources Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo Paul Murphy, 4A147, Deputy Sheriff May 28, 2012 Improper Governmental Action and Workplace Retaliation

Greetings County Executive Louws, First, congratulations on your recent election as Whatcom County Executive. I do sincerely wish that I could be writing my first official communication to you about something good, however, that is unfortunately not the case. I am the subject employee of yet another internal investigation that I believe is retaliatory in nature, due to historical actions on my part to report misconduct, corrupt practices and significant corruption within Whatcom County government that I inadvertently discovered. Ive been a faithful and dedicated employee of Whatcom County in good standing and of good repute from the date of my hire in May 18th 2001, until around mid-2006, the time of the first report, with noteworthy achievements and commendations through my tenure. Although my work ethic hasnt changed, the circumstances around me have. Circumstances began to devolve into long downward spiral after I reported the misconduct of then Sgt. Steve Cooley, to the WCSO staff around mid-2006. Since that time, Sgt. Cooley has been promoted twice, to Chief Inspector of the Office of Professional Standards. Cooley has been the primary investigator in each internal investigation opened against me, despite repeated conflict of interest objections and repeated requests to Sheriff Elfo that another investigator be assigned to investigate me. Around early-2007, I discovered inadvertently through the course of an unrelated property crime investigation, while assigned to the WCSO detective unit, serious fraud and corruption occurring through Whatcom County Courts and the Public Defenders Office, relating to electronic home monitoring/electronic home detention (EHM/EHD) compliance being falsely and fraudulently reported to Whatcom County Courts, by private monitoring affiants, for subjects who had in many instances not complied with court ordered monitoring, or RCW requirements, even minimally. All of the previously described circumstances were reported at the time to the appropriate department heads and supervisors.
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WHATCOM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

MEMORANDUM
TO: CC: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws, Whatcom County Prosecutor Dave McEachran, Whatcom County Human Resources Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo Paul Murphy, 4A147, Deputy Sheriff May 28, 2012 Improper Governmental Action and Workplace Retaliation

Since that time, in addition to being the subject employee of three full-blown and lengthy Class 1 Internal Investigations, Ive been subjected to workplace hostility, arbitrary and capricious disciplinary practices, extensive double-standards, retaliation and discrimination. Ive been investigated extensively and disciplined for actions that were purposefully misconstrued to suit a particular outcome. The three investigations were very one-sided and clearly ignorant of the facts of each instance of allegations, in many cases completely ignoring exculpatory information. In addition to being extremely wasteful of limited county resources with hundreds of hours, if not thousands, of high paid staff time in conducting retaliatory investigations against myself, as well as others, my wife Lori and I have been forced to endure significant stresses and strains, some of which have exacerbated Loris Multiple Sclerosis condition on many occasions. Ive been deprived of an investigators position that I was good at, personally slandered, personally insulted, undermined, marginalized, wrongfully targeted for retaliation, forced to endure instances of racist comments and deprived of a hostility-free and impartial workplace for what can only be construed as efforts on my part to uphold my oath in trying to do the right things, for the right reasons. I am currently on paid administrative suspension, first on February 10th, 2012, then again since March 2nd, 2012, where I was relieved of all duties. I am likely facing termination from a job that Im good at and a job that I have accumulated a number of noteworthy accomplishments in, doing my small part in benefitting the citizens of Whatcom County and making Whatcom County a safer and more secure place to live. I have significant documentation and information to prove what occurred and the actions I took in efforts to correct instances of identified malfeasance, occurring primarily under direct supervision and direction instruction by WCSO staff and Sheriff Bill Elfo. For these reasons, and more, I also recently supported Sheriff Elfos opponent, Steve Harris, in the 2011 Whatcom County Sheriff election.

WHATCOM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

MEMORANDUM
TO: CC: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws, Whatcom County Prosecutor Dave McEachran, Whatcom County Human Resources Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo Paul Murphy, 4A147, Deputy Sheriff May 28, 2012 Improper Governmental Action and Workplace Retaliation

On December 15th, 2011, a little more than one month after his re-election, Sheriff Elfo summoned me to his office where he demanded my resignation by urging me to make good on comments I made privately to co-workers, at a particularly low point where it seemed futile to try to remain employed at Whatcom County with what has transpired. In summation and for the aforementioned reasons, Im claiming aggrieved status as a whistleblower and Im further requesting an investigation by personnel outside of the WCSO, in accordance with Whatcom County Resolution 93-032, Whatcom County Policies and Procedures for Reporting Improper Governmental Action and Protecting Employees Against Retaliation. (See attached resolution.) I have retained the private law firm of Winston & Cashatt of Spokane, Washington for internal labor and grievance issues associated with the most recent internal investigation. As such, they are being addressed separately and are not related to this request at this time. I can be reached at any time and Im at your disposal for questions or interviews. I can be reached at my personal email: prmurphy@wildblue.net, my home phone 360-398-1099, or my cell phone 360-920-4020. Respectfully Submitted,

Paul R. Murphy, Deputy Sheriff 4A147, WCSO