LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Editor's note: This story may contain graphic material. Viewer discretion is advised.
A female Louisville Metro police officer sued the department Tuesday, alleging she was sexually harassed by two male members of LMPD and received nude photos from one of the officers in question.
Officer Christine Silk filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court and accused officers Justin LeMon and Dale Cottongim of sexually harassing her on numerous occasions. The suit was filed less than a week after Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was placed on paid administrative leave while outside entities investigate her handling of a separate sexual harassment allegation.
The lawsuit was filed by attorney Sara Collins.
“She was previously aware of other officers who had been sent unsolicited pictures, other officers who had experienced sexual harassment, and she wanted to stand up against that, but at the same time she was terrified," Collins said.
According to Silk's lawsuit, LeMon was her field training officer in 2023 when she first joined the department, and began making "inappropriate comments and advances" as she began Phase B of her training. He repeatedly asked Silk if she would be interested in him romantically if he were not married.
Read the lawsuit in its entirety below. Mobile users may need to click here.
The lawsuit states Silk repeatedly told him she was not interested and wanted their relationship to remain professional. According to the suit, LeMon often complained about his marriage to Silk, saying the amount of money he spent on OnlyFans led to strife between him and his wife.
Silk also alleges LeMon touched her arm frequently while riding together in the same vehicle and once asked to read a sexual fantasy that included various sex acts he wanted to perform on her.
According to the lawsuit, LeMon tried to hug Silk on her last day of training, told her the hug gave him an erection, and insisted she look at it.
In November 2023, LeMon sent Silk several sexually charged text messages, including one of his naked penis. Screenshots of the texts are included in the lawsuit.
Silk also made several allegations against Cottongim in the lawsuit.
She claims he asked her in front of her police academy classmates if she had a one-night stand and if that was the reason her son doesn't have a father.
"In front of her classmates, Cottongim suggested Christine 'whore herself out for childcare,'" the lawsuit states.
Findings against Cottongim were sustained for violations of LMPD policy regarding conduct unbecoming and courtesy. He was exonerated of a sexual harassment charge.
The lawsuit goes on to state Silk has faced "backlash" from within the department and has been the victim of rumors spread by colleagues.
"LMPD and its members have taken no action to protect Christine from Justin LeMon or Dale Cottongim," the lawsuit states. "Christine is not the only victim of harassment and discrimination to suffer by the actions and failures of LMPD. LMPD remains a disturbing internal culture where pervasive patterns of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviors of officers have been repeatedly excused, ignored, concealed, and fostered."
Silk claims she remains subjected to discrimination regarding employment terms, conditions and privileges. She said she faced retaliation after reporting incidents to a superior.
"Instead of taking them seriously, employers including but not limited to LMPD, end up closing ranks and finding ways to put pressure on the accuser, rather than investigating and taking seriously the allegations. Those end up resulting in retaliation," said University of Louisville Law Professor Sam Marcosson. “Sexual harassment allegations have been plaguing LMPD now for years. And it appears that the problems are continuing to surface, continuing to plague the department, virtually no matter who the leadership happens to be at any given time.”
Marcosson said this latest lawsuit could benefit the policies outlined in the looming DOJ federal consent decree.
"Now the department of Justice can take this into account. These ongoing problems and these instances of conduct – and make sure that those are addressed in the consent decree. That it's toughened, that it's specific to issues of sexual harassment within the department," he said.
An LMPD spokesperson provided the following statement to WHAS11:
“LMPD will not tolerate sexual misconduct within this agency as those behaviors run afoul of our mission to provide a safe work environment for all Sworn and Professional staff. We take all allegations of this nature seriously and immediately launch internal investigations once they are brought to our attention per our Standard Operating Procedures. Regarding the specific allegations contained in the lawsuit, one investigation was completed in 2023. That officer was disciplined and transferred. The other investigation is ongoing and while it is ongoing, the officer has been reassigned with powers limited pending the outcome of the investigation. Neither is assigned to the same division or unit as the officer who has asserted the allegations. While we appreciate the opportunity to respond, we are unable to provide additional comment due to pending litigation.”
"We have seen lawsuit after lawsuit filed, we have seen PSU investigation after PSU investigation, and the Department of Justice issued findings calling LMPD out on their handling of sexual misconduct/sexual harassment cases, and that hasn’t been enough," Attorney Collins said.
Silk is currently on administrative leave following a May fatal police shooting in the PRP neighborhood.
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