LOCAL

Fort Collins police sergeant who claimed discrimination retires

Francis Gonzales will step down after decades with Fort Collins Police Services.

Jason Pohl
The Coloradoan
Fort Collins Police Sgt. Francis Gonzales walks away from the scene of a shooting July 24, 2014, on Thompson Drive in southwest Fort Collins.

The longtime Fort Collins police sergeant who was a plaintiff in last year's lawsuit claiming that city police superiors discriminated against minority officers has retired. 

Patrol Sgt. Francis Gonzales joined Fort Collins Police Services in 1981. Known by coworkers and friends as "Paco," he worked beats across the city during his 35 years on the force, earning accolades from the department and bolstering rapport within the community — especially among at-risk youth and vulnerable populations. 

At one point roughly 20 years ago, when he was an officer on the department's gang unit, Gonzales teamed up with a plastic surgeon to help kids get tattoos removed in hopes of helping them cut gang connections. 

The Coloradoan chronicled the effort at the time. Gonzales, now 60, has repeatedly appeared in the newspaper over the years, serving at times as an agency spokesman at emergency scenes across Fort Collins. 

His last day in the office was Wednesday. 

“I wasn’t pressured. I wasn’t pushed out. I didn’t succumb to any internal pressures. I’m not running from anything. That’s never been my nature,” Gonzales said in a telephone interview Tuesday night. 

“I want the best for our agency. It’s tough to walk away from 35-and-a-half years of something I loved to do and I enjoyed doing. It’s just that another opportunity is presenting itself. I have to seize that moment.”

More:Report: Fort Collins police chief lost officers' trust

Gonzales initiated the retirement decision on his own accord. He said he wasn't yet able to discuss details about the new "opportunity," though he said he planned to remain in Fort Collins and work with the public.

His decision to leave comes months after the settlement of the discrimination lawsuit, and weeks after Police Chief John Hutto announced his plans to resign on May 12.

"Francis’ pride in our community has truly been the cornerstone of his service," Hutto said in a statement Tuesday. "For decades, he’s forged countless connections with residents and the business community and has positively impacted many lives. We’re grateful for the time and effort he’s dedicated to public safety, and we wish him well in his next chapter."

Gonzales in September joined the lawsuit first filed in April 2016 on behalf of former Det. Kennyberg Araujo. Gonzales and Araujo said they "suffered ongoing discrimination based on their race and national origin as well as retaliation throughout their employment with the Fort Collins Police Department," the Coloradoan reported previously. 

Gonzales was once described in an annual review as "the gold standard" for task force sergeants, according to court documents. Yet he was never promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

Before joining the suit last summer, Gonzales became more vocal about his concerns.

Later, he was passed over for a special assignment to become the school resource officer sergeant — a position he pursued for more than 10 years — despite his qualifications and years of glowing reviews.

Column:Duggan: Visibility helped and hurt Fort Collins police chief

Araujo and Gonzales struck a $425,000 settlement of the lawsuit with the city in January.

Gonzales was awarded $100,257.55 — $75,193.16 for alleged compensatory damages and $25,064.39 for back pay, according to the agreement. The city agreed to pay Araujo $150,386.33 — $37,596.58 for alleged back pay and $112,789.75 for alleged compensatory damages. Their attorneys, Rathod/Mohamedbhai LLC, netted $174,356.12.

In addition to that $425,000, the city agreed to cover $19,278 for attorneys' fees and costs incurred by the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, which originally brought attention to the issues and spurred the filing of the lawsuit in April.

Fort Collins Police Sgt. Francis Gonzales, center, speaks to others near the scene of a shooting July 24, 2014, on Thompson Drive in southwest Fort Collins.

Though the city did not admit any wrongdoing as part of its settlement, it did agree to implement a series of measures intended to address issues raised in the lawsuit and foster a more inclusive environment. The city also commissioned an outside group to conduct a "cultural assessment" on the department, the results of which were reported last week.

That 156-page report was built on a series of interviews, focus groups and surveys. Authors reported that a chasm had formed between Hutto and the line-level officers. Hutto and officials on the department's executive team were not trustworthy and instead represented the interests of city hall, according to many respondents.   

In the wake of the lawsuit and a series of other high-profile incidents, Hutto last month announced he would step away from the department

More:Cascade of events led to Hutto's resignation

City Manager Darin Atteberry is in the final stages of selecting an interim chief from outside the department, and that decision is expected this week. A permanent replacement will then be sought through a lengthy hiring process that could last the rest of this year. 

Sgt. Gary Shaklee and Assistant Chief Jerry Schiager — both named or referenced in the discrimination lawsuit — remain on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of additional investigations. 

Reporter Jason Pohl covers law enforcement for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason. 

Timeline: Hutto's tenure as Fort Collins police chief