Costs climb as investigation at juvenile justice center widens

EVERETT — The cost of investigating potential misconduct among Snohomish County juvenile detention staff is expected to creep higher into the six figures as a web of accusations grows more entangled.

The Human Resources Department wants the County Council to authorize up to $350,000 for an outside attorney’s ongoing investigation — a potential 75 percent jump in cost. The current contract is for a maximum of $200,000. The personnel inquiry covers allegations of sexual harassment, racial discrimination and retaliation against employees who speak out.

The request could reach the council next week for discussion.

“This was an extremely large and complex case,” county human resources director Bridget Clawson said.

The county is paying Mill Creek attorney Marcella Fleming Reed $300 an hour to conduct the investigation.

The scope of the work has grown to include nearly all of the detention staff at the Denney Juvenile Justice Center.

To date, Reed and her staff have spoken to 78 employees, some multiple times, Clawson said. That’s led to 140 interviews.

The investigation has explored complaints from 14 different people, she said. There are 21 people accused of misbehavior.

That work has generated 40,000 separate documents for review, Clawson said. The interviews are done, but the attorney still needs to finish separate reports for each complaint. That’s expected to take at least another month.

The probe covers sexual harassment allegations that have kept Everett City Councilman Ron Gipson on paid administrative leave from his day job as a county juvenile corrections officer since early this year.

A detention supervisor placed on leave at the same time as Gipson has returned to work, said court administrator Bob Terwilliger, who oversees Denney.

Early findings from the investigation turned up nothing to warrant keeping the supervisor away from the workplace, Terwilliger said. No one else is on leave, he said.

The turmoil in the juvenile lockup came to light in February, when three women accused Gipson and unnamed supervisors of sexual harassment and retaliation. To settle the claim, they asked the county for $450,000 each in damages, plus attorney fees.

The women sued the county in April over the allegations. The plaintiffs are Dee Thayer, Barbara Lucken and Karen Hastings. In the suit, they describe a locker-room atmosphere where they felt threatened and ridiculed.

All three have worked in juvenile corrections at the county since the late 1990s, slightly less time than Gipson.

Three black men who work at Denney, including Gipson, said they’ve been subjected to a racist smear campaign. He and two black supervisors lodged a complaint about it in February.

The personnel problems come during a protracted labor dispute at Denney. A 12-person bargaining unit that represented juvenile detention supervisors recently split in two. The employees are trying to form separate unions.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Everett postal workers gather for a portrait to advertise the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County letter carriers prepare for food drive this Saturday

The largest single-day food drive in the country comes at an uncertain time for federal food bank funding.

Everett
Everett considers ordinance to require more apprentice labor

It would require apprentices to work 15% of the total labor hours for construction or renovation on most city projects over $1 million.

A person walks past Laura Haddad’s “Cloud” sculpture before boarding a Link car on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 in SeaTac, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sound Transit seeks input on Everett bike, pedestrian improvements

The transit agency is looking for feedback about infrastructure improvements around new light rail stations.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Dani Mundell, the athletic director at Everett Public Schools, at Everett Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett Public Schools to launch girls flag football as varsity sport

The first season will take place in the 2025-26 school year during the winter.

Clothing Optional performs at the Fisherman's Village Music Festival on Thursday, May 15 in Everett, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)
Everett gets its fill of music at Fisherman’s Village

The annual downtown music festival began Thursday and will continue until the early hours of Sunday.

Seen here are the blue pens Gov. Bob Ferguson uses to sign bills. Companies and other interest groups are hoping he’ll opt for red veto ink on a range of tax bills. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)
Tesla, Netflix, Philip Morris among those pushing WA governor for tax vetoes

Gov. Bob Ferguson is getting lots of requests to reject new taxes ahead of a Tuesday deadline for him to act on bills.

Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard
A new law in Washington will assure students are offered special education services until they are 22. State Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, a special education teacher, was the sponsor. He spoke of the need for increased funding and support for public schools at a February rally of educators, parents and students at the Washington state Capitol.
Washington will offer special education to students longer under new law

A new law triggered by a lawsuit will ensure public school students… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.