WELLINGTON, Utah — A Wellington City employee accusing the former police chief of sexual misconduct says she’s lived a nightmare.
On Friday night, Rory Bradley was fired for sexual harassment and retaliation against three women.
FOX 13 is not naming the woman because she is an alleged victim, but in a video interview she said she hit a breaking point after two inappropriate encounters that were captured by security cameras.
Video captured December 8, 2020, appears to show former Wellington Police Chief Rory Bradley making an obscene gesture toward an employee at city hall. Moments later, it shows him wrapping his arms around her face and neck in a headlock.
"He was Chief of Police. I was scared. I didn’t know how to respond," the woman told FOX 13 Monday.
Later that same morning, video from another camera shows the woman walking past Bradley. Holding a notepad, the former police chief appears to “wind up” before hitting her on the backside.
“I didn’t know what to do. I looked at him and I said, ‘You can’t do that to me. That’s sexual harassment. Don’t ever touch me again,’” she said.
The videos were included in formal complaints against Bradley in February. The city attorney argues that for months, Bradley also sent inappropriate and flirtatious text messages to the employee, even asking for nude photos while he was on duty.
Bradley was fired Friday by the city council, of which he is a member.
“The text messages were meant to be funny. That’s all it was meant to be. That’s all she knows it to be,” Bradley said during the city council meeting.
Bradley’s attorney Nate Nelson told FOX 13 News: “He’s disappointed. He loves Wellington. He grew up there. He’s disappointed he is no longer able to serve in that capacity based on the vote by the city council.”
“It’s not a victory. I don’t feel like a victory at all. He got what he deserved because you shouldn’t do that to anybody, period. Especially the chief of police. You don’t touch anybody,” the alleged victim said.
Days after the harassment complaint was made by the woman, Bradley was accused of submitting a counter-complaint as retaliation, claiming she came on to him and touched him inappropriately.
He also made complaints against two other city employees that were found to be untrue.
