Report: Denver’s public safety cadet manager fired on bullying allegations

(Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

staff photo

The woman supervising the early training of Denver cops, firefighters and deputies has been fired after allegations that she bullied cadets, according to documents released by the city.

Kim Fresquez was the program manager for the Public Safety Cadet Program. After a cadet complained in June, city officials began to investigate, according to a termination letter from Stephanie O’Malley, the Department of Safety head.

“When one cadet showed you a high school photo of herself, you said, ‘You look like a bitch,'” the letter states.

She also reportedly said things like, “How fucking stupid can he be?” in reference to a cadet.

Also, the letter states that during “a recent kickball event, one cadet witnessed you hugging male cadets ‘from behind.’ Other cadets witnessed you rubbing male cadets’ shoulders and on one instance saw you slap another cadet on his butt.”

Fresquez also was accused of slapping a male cadet upside the head, and of lifting a female cadet’s shorts to reveal a thigh tattoo. “Yikes,” she allegedly commented.

Fresquez has denied some of the allegations.

Fresquez accepted responsibility for cursing at work, said she could not remember the thigh-tattoo incident and said that she had made a “mistake” in talking about cadet’s personalities and performance, according to the termination letter.

She reportedly accepted responsibility for allowing overtime work to happen without overtime pay. She denied all other allegations or cited “external reasons,” according to the letter.

Her attorney says she will appeal the firing, the Denver Post reported.

CBS 4 first reported on the firing.

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