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Sandy Police Chief Fired Over Allegations Of ‘Inappropriate Touching’

Erik Neumann / KUER
Former Sandy Police Chief Kevin Thacker spoke to reporters about updated police and hospital staff policies last October following the arrest of nurse Alex Wubbels.

Sandy Police Chief Kevin Thacker was fired on Tuesday over allegations of “inappropriate touching” of other city employees. Sandy Mayor Kurt Bradburn made the announcement during a news conference.

According to Bradburn, the department’s human resources department received multiple corroborating accounts in which employees witnessed Thacker “engage in inappropriate touching and unprofessional conduct with employees.”

Bradburn said the behavior took place over a period of years. Thacker has been on paid administrative leave since April 2, while an outside legal counsel investigated the allegations.  

“Given this information, I believe this is the right decision for the police department and for the citizens of Sandy,” Bradburn said. “By swiftly dealing with this issue, I hope we have upheld public trust and sent the message that this behavior will not be tolerated by my administration.”

The mayor offered no details about the individuals who brought the allegations.

Thacker has served in the department for more than 30 years — and has been chief since 2014. As an appointed official, there is no appeals process after being fired.  

Bradburn has been the mayor of Sandy since January.

Deputy Chief William O’Neal will serve as acting police chief while the city conducts a national search for permanent chief. 

Erik Neumann is a radio producer and writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, his work has appeared on public radio stations and in magazines along the West Coast. He received his Bachelor's Degree in geography from the University of Washington and a Master's in Journalism from UC Berkeley. Besides working at KUER, he enjoys being outside in just about every way possible.
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