A sergeant at the Pima County jail was suspended for βunethical actions and conduct,β including leaving work instead of responding to an officer needs assistance call at the facility.
Victoria Dalbey was notified of her two-day suspension without pay May 15, but appealed the decision on May 22, saying she rejects the departmentβs conclusion that her βconduct was unethical or that it fails to uphold the standards expected of a supervisor,β according to Pima County Merit System documents obtained through a public records request.
On July 17, Dalbey withdrew her appeal.
Dalbeyβs suspension stemmed from a series of incidents, starting in October 2016 when Dalbeyβs lieutenant told her she was not authorized to clock into work early, according to the letter of suspension sent to Dalbey.
Two weeks later, after Dalbey continued to clock in early, her lieutenant asked her to prepare a memo addressing the issue, as well as the pattern of Dalbey calling in sick in conjunction with her regular days off, the letter said.
Dalbeyβs memo said she didnβt see the instruction to not clock in early, the letter said.
βIn regard to calling in sick in conjunction with your days off, you simply replied that it was, βbecause I was sick,ββ Sheriff Mark Napier wrote in the letter.
A review of Dalbeyβs sick time showed that sheβd called in sick 10 times for the year, eight of those days being in conjunction with her days off and six of them on a Friday, the letter said.
On Nov. 28, shortly before 11 p.m., an officer needs assistance call came across the jail radio, for an incident in a pod Dalbey was supervising during the shift.
Three other sergeants were in the office when the call came out, two of whom left to respond to the incident.
βYou exited the office as well, but instead of responding to the call, you decided to leave the facility and go home,β Napier wrote in the letter.
According to corrections bureau policy and procedures, all uniformed staff are expected to respond to calls for an officer needing assistance.
The next day, Dalbey asked her supervisor to change her clock-out time, saying she worked another 20 minutes on the incident in the pod. When she met with supervisors, Dalbey initially said she received a phone call from another corrections officer, then changed her story, saying she received an email.
When investigators spoke to the corrections officer Dalbey said had called and emailed her, the woman had no recollection of contacting Dalbey.
Dalbey also said she had already clocked out when the assistance call was broadcast and that one of the other three sergeants told her they would handle the incident.
Subsequent interviews with the sergeants revealed that none of them recalled telling Dalbey they βhad it,β the letter said.
Dalbeyβs actions violated numerous jail, sheriffβs department and county regulations, the letter said.
βYour repeated abuse of sick leave, something you yourself have disciplined subordinates for in the past, is unacceptable,β Napier wrote in the letter. βChoosing not to respond to an officer needs assistance call fails to demonstrate the leadership and concern for employees that I expect from a supervisor.β
Dalbeyβs attempt to claim additional pay time for which she didnβt work, as well as repeatedly clocking in early for shifts, was βdeceptive and insubordinate,β Napier said.
During a meeting in April, Dalbey told a supervisor that she made mistakes and due to personal issues, she was not thinking clearly.
