SALT LAKE CITY — A police force in central Utah has agreed to pay $80,000 to a former state representative who complained he was passed over for the chief’s job because of religion.
Carl Wimmer and the Gunnison Valley Police Department signed the settlement in June. FOX 13 News obtained a copy last week. In the settlement, Gunnison Valley did not admit to any discrimination.
“In reaching the agreement, both parties agreed to a finding of no fault for either party,” Gunnison Valley police said in a statement to FOX 13 News. “GVPD categorically and unequivocally denies it violated any of Wimmer's rights by selecting another candidate for the open Police Chief position. After much debate and discussion, GVPD made the decision to resolve its case with Wimmer in effort to save taxpayer funds which would be expended in lengthy litigation proceedings.”
Under the agreement, Wimmer cannot discuss the settlement itself. But in an interview last week with FOX 13 News, he maintained he was discriminated against.
“The fact is, is that religious discrimination happens in Utah,” he said.
Wimmer entered law enforcement in 1997. He also represented Herriman as a Republican in the Utah House from 2007 until 2012. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After leaving office, he became an Evangelical.
In 2020, he was working as a detective at the Gunnison Valley Police Department, which protects the towns of Gunnison and Centerfield, when the chief job came open. Wimmer applied.
When the police board selected a candidate with less qualifications that was a Latter-day Saint, Wimmer filed a complaint with the Utah Antidiscrimination and Labor Division. It investigates accusations of workplace discrimination.
The division came to agree with what Wimmer suspected – that the Gunnison Valley police board passed over Wimmer due, at least in part, to his religion.
The UALD report, provided to FOX 13 by Wimmer, said board members denied discussing religion. Yet, when the investigator listened to audio recordings of the board’s deliberations, the report says, members referenced Wimmer’s “preaching” and Youtube videos where he discussed his faith.
The division also agreed Wimmer was the only candidate who met all the job qualifications, and said the board also discriminated against Wimmer’s age. It was a rare ruling. FOX 13 News reported last year how UALD sides with workers in about 1.5% of cases.
It took FOX 13 News months to obtain the settlement. Gunnison Valley denied two public records requests and did not respond to appeals. The Utah State Records Committee was scheduled to hear the case last month when Gunnison Valley offered to provide a copy of the agreement.
Wimmer has retired from policing. He’s living in Duchesne where he’s a pastor and coaches track.
He was asked last week whether, if he had it his way, he would be the chief at Gunnison Valley today.
“No, I would not change anything,” Wimmer replied. “Does that change the fact that what happened to me was discriminatory and wrong? No. But God makes Beauty from Ashes.”