TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A former Pima County Sheriff's Department sergeant is facing charges in connection with a sexual assault of a PCSD deputy last December.
A group that represents deputies now wants an investigation into how the incident was handled from the start.
The Pima County Deputy's Organization has asked Sheriff Chris Nanos to immediately launch an investigation into how the victim's lieutenant, captain and chief, handled the reported sexual assault involving two of their own personnel, according to a letter sent out by PCDO to news organizations.
The letter alleges PCSD refused to intervene for more than 80 minutes while the victim was being sexually assaulted by her superior, Sergeant Ricardo Garcia, during a private party at his home.
"The lieutenant stood outside the residence for over 60 minutes," Dawn Barkman, vice president of the Pima County Deputy's Organization, said in an interview with KGUN. "I heard it was 80 minutes before the deputy actually called 9-1-1. I'm sure it was very frustrating for him because he probably felt like someone should do something."
In an interview with KGUN, Nanos said his deputies did everything they could to help the victim and maintained internal investigations are conducted after criminal investigations are completed.
Sheriff Nanos said he immediately terminated Garcia the morning after hearing about the sexual assault arrest. As for an investigation into how his deputies handled the situation—or if they took too long to take action—Nanos said he didn't get the complaint asking to look into their actions until eight months later.
"Think about the deputy who got the 9-1-1 call," Nanos said. "He gets there and he goes, 'Oh my goodness. This is the president of the association. This is a sergeant in my department. This is involving other employees, my partners. I think I'm going to call my sergeant.'
"He does and the sergeant runs out there and goes, 'Wow, this is a mess. I'm calling my lieutenant.'"
Nanos admitted that the process can be slow, but maintains his people did nothing wrong.
Barkman said any victim, especially one who works for a department that maintains such high ethical and moral standards, deserves the right to know.
"I would expect that she would suspect that she could get some help in determining what happened and why she wasn't helped, and I think that's all she wants," Barkman said.
Garcia is scheduled to appear in court in two months.
