The Top Ranking Female Officer In Mesa Just Got Terminated

Chief Frank Milstead

Two Years ago, Kathy Kirkham became Mesa’s top ranking female officer. This year, on March 11, Kirkham was terminated and to add to the lost, she was fired 3 days before qualifying for her pension which covers a 50% of her salary for life and lifetime health benefits.

While the city spokesman, Steve Wright announced that the cause of termination involves Kirkham accessing a computer database without authorization, he was not able to provide the details on how Kirkham misused Chief Frank Milstead’s email.

While Kirkham was not present to tell her side of the story, the President of the Mesa Police Association, Ryan Russell defended her by saying that her termination is an injustice and that the allegations of her misusing Police Chief Frank Milstead’s email are “100% untrue.” Russell further explained that terminating her three days before qualifying for her pension has an agenda which is to “pressure Kirkham to drop her EEOC complaints.”

In AZcentral, they explained that Chief Frank Milstead gave Kirkham the position as assistant police chief yet just after a year, Milstead decided to demote her to commander. After this demotion, Kirkham’s attorney, Kathryn Baillie sent a letter to the city explaining that “Kirkham is a victim of sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation at the hands of the Mesa Police Chief, Milstead,’’

This complaint had been denied by Brady on 2012 since the investigation did not see any evidence of any harassment done on Kirkham at the workplace.  via [azcentral.com]

image from: eastvalleytribune.com