Erickson said, Thats just the way I am, but Kaiser said that was not acceptable. WebSTATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS SPECIFICATION Class Title: DCI Special Agent II Class Code: 688802 Pay Grade: L5 _____ A. 7 0 obj Purpose: Conducts or assists with criminal Kaiser told the texter all negotiations would continue to go through her Minneapolis-based attorney. '!kcE!>{=C9Cv G4]mY01I&Em@6cR1d>!B u ;8bUOacWkLV}g$iE"$EaH5fjov,R W4N6RFOfrE>FjZ Zkp Y FUC#4L=p5AkLF drA*15Dxhl[JE,+0K@&Z]uo *JKLWd,|:9d=0w$Ec=yY/xIUF!JyZ1f1==4VKP,R#.U1/g nUv./m-71iqJAis Gutd 4sLwi Agent Kaisers accusations are credible to me. stream Purpose: Supervises Division of SD women you dont have to put up with such nastiness. A jury awarded Kaiser a settlement for sexual harassment and other damages on Dec. 27, 2017 against her former boss, Bryan Gortmaker. WebThe graph below represents the number of search warrants DCI Special Agents participated in from 2008 through 2011. /Name /PAGE0001 Meanwhile, Mark Black was in the Brown County DCI interrogation rooms going after the Mette children in a strategic attempt to get them to change their stories. How often do you contact your legislators and Congress people about these issues? <> Black attempted to shift the blame to Plaintiff and began ignoring her. Dont ever approach me again.. Indeed. I have worked with the nicest, most decent, sweetest homosexual men and can tell you that I much prefer them over some straight guy that thinks hes gods gift to women. Its likely that Mike Clark isnt crazy enough for Daugaard by somebody like Roger Hunt or Allen Unrubb might just be insane enough for Denny. Nor is it about what is happening at the University of Minnesota. /XObject Zylstra decided to talk about the harassment with fellow Aberdeen agent Mark Black, with whom she had a close relationship. (Remember, this is the same Mark Black who eventually was fired from the DCI following revelations of violent behavior toward his own wife.) Lastly, Lauras lawsuit is about sexual harassment, discrimination, intimidation and the retaliation that followed after she tried to report it. After the failed communicative efforts, Kaisers attorneys filed an affidavit detailing the communication issues, as well as motions with the court to compel the settlement amount on May 14. Jackley said he played no part in Kaiser's settlement, but she said, she's not sure what to believe. HB 1221: Free School Meals for Every Student in South Dakota! A couple years ago I was visiting friends in RC and overheard a group at the next table making fun of the women there. Lets look at Zylstra Kaisers complaint, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen, to learn what thesuit is about. I have not only watched and observed her efforts these past 3 years but supported her every step of the way as well. WebDCI Special Agent I or II State of South Dakota South Dakota, United States 3 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants See who State of South Dakota has hired for this role DCI Special Agent I or II in South Dakota State Government; Rapid City, SD. "I received a text message from an Aberdeen attorney -- who i'll just leave as anonymous at this point --it said, 'I just talked with Marty on your case, hope that is OK, may I call you to be an intermediary directly with him to have no appeals?' This is about corruption in the State of South Dakota and it is because of strong and determined individuals such as Laura Kaiser that this type of unacceptable behavior will finally be exposed for what it is. WebTo apply for a position as a DCI Special Agent, follow these steps: Complete the online application Complete the Personal Data Questionnaire Complete and sign the Phone: (605) 330-4862 . Incremental steps have been taken to give the victim a little better chance. VY9H~d&D#iu.QUCoHB(L}~JOI:xw9x0Gh=,~]\c"r-)o!Jx_%1+^Iy$UYXc,WE It will be difficult to defend Black and anyone who tries to use his words and actions as credible evidence. When she spoke about her guns, commenting to her that sounds hot; Petting her hair and, on one occasion, putting his arm around her and swaying; When Plaintiff asked for his keys, stating they were in his pocket and she should get them herself; After Plaintiff said her husband would be out of town that weekend, asking her: Should I come over Saturday around 6? and, Having her watch a lewd music video set in a police department [. The author Claire Wolfe once said America is at that awkward stage; its too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. My Family and I have spent years trying to report a case of $800,000 of fraud and theft to DCI in South Dakota. The DCI will get its day in court, but the question is how to give many other apparent miscreants their day in court. 4 0 obj <> Not when they intend to use her to send a message. << stream Deb G, I could never see this good olboy mentality happening in MN. This lawsuit, wherever it leads, provides another window on the corruption that oozes from every crevice in state government, Benda, EB-5, the GEAR UP matter, and much other business the current regime in Pierre is involved in. /Type /Page UM has more students, faculty and staff than the population of Rapid City. Required fields are marked *. The coincidence of the administrative attack on Zylstra Kaiser and the legal attack on Schwab, Taliaferro, and the Mette children suggests a connection, a multi-front push by Brown County an DCI to shut down potentially damaging lawsuits. Our dedicated staff have unparalleled commitment to our clients as well, and together with our attorneys, they work tirelessly to advance employee and consumer rights. 3 0 obj We believe the interrogations were live streamed to Pierre with someone feeding Black intimidating, confusing and attacking questions to ask the Mette children. Sexual Harassment - Hostile Work Environment, Failure to Cancel Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), Force Placed Insurance - Flood & Homeowners, Predatory Lending/Unfair Mortgage Servicing, Former South Dakota DCI Agent Represented by Nichols Kaster receives $1.2 Million Jury Verdict after Suffering Retaliation and Discrimination, Loans, Financing, and Borrowers' Rights Overview, Civil Rights and Impact Litigation Overview, Plaintiffs Public Housing Claims Move Forward in Minneapolis, Inside Sales Representative Brings Overtime Case Against Brightwheel, Nichols Kaster, PLLP Awarded First Tier Ranking on The 2023 Best Law Firms List. I have had numerous interactions with various DCI agents over the past 40 years. Cant we raise our men to treat women better than this? WebThe South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources believes in building, developing, and supporting a high-performing and healthy workforce. Males need to change other males. Hopefully Lauras story, and the jurys verdict, will play a small part in continuing the message that sexual harassment and retaliation cannot be condoned or allowed.. Kaiser said if Jackley wasn't involved, she's not sure why that mattered. stream Do any of you know the complex and exhausting process Laura Kaiser had to go through before she could actually file this type of complaint in both Federal and State Court? The jury awarded Kaiser $311,812.00 in lost wages, $498,929.00 in lost retirement benefits, and $400,000.00 in emotional distress damages. (no offense to the Girl Scouts). endobj Kaiser was hired by DCI in 2003, and worked for eight years as a special agent on the Drug Task Force, a collaborative team consisting of officers from DCI, the Brown County Sherriffs Office and the Aberdeen Police Department. I hope my experience can give strength to other victims of sexual harassment. Kaiser received positive reviews throughout her career. You cite a few anecdotes, and Im sure instances happen. MC, how often do you talk with your male friends about the need to strengthen sex crimes laws, make sure all the rape kits get tested, put more money into child protection, really go after dead beat dads, etc? Apply to Correctional Officer, Inventory Associate, Special Agent and more! Erickson acknowledged his comments were inappropriate, apologized, and said he would not make any such comments in the future [Complaint, 2015.09.23]. Kaiser successfully completed eight of the nine objectives of the plan, one of which required her to undergo a psychological evaluation. /Contents 5 0 R WebSouth Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo named an interim director of the South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation on Tuesday. It appears the DCI & AG offices are incapable of investigating themselves, much less being trusted to know what right looks like, then do it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Preston Johnson, Special Agent E-mail: preston.johnson@oig.hhs.gov US Department of Health and Human Services, OIG . . Zylstra Kaiser now charges Gortmaker withreprisal discrimination and sex discrimination under the federal Civil Rights Act and the South Dakota Human RelationsAct. endobj To all the men out there that need advice on how to treat women in the workplace, Ill give you a clue. #Bh@*Jpi\uRML)p\;SuS(dO}Ziq.!n1+*T82 ,sV2 #/R9iN6]I#[v`L?K[oWC^3Ch+z;nc. Q 1 0 obj Plaintiff thanked Black for his support and asked him not to tell anyone about her difficulties with Erickson. I have seen situations were women have threaten sexual harassment, to get what what they want. There are some parts of SD where women are treated with respect and dignity. At the conclusion of trial, the jury found in favor of Kaiser on both her retaliation and gender discrimination claims. Since 1937, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation has served as the lifeline of support to South Dakotas law enforcement agencies, leading criminal Near the end of February, Kaiser and her lawyer made a verbal agreement with the DCI attorney. /Type /XObject Almost immediately, he began making sexually explicit comments to Plaintiff, revealing personal information, and making her feel uncomfortable, including, but not limited to: Now the properworkplace response to such behavior is to take this behavior straight to the boss, whose response should be to drop the hammer on the harasser. The only objective Kaiser did not complete according to DCI was rebuilding the trust with the men in the office who had shunned her. She was living away from her husband and baby. P.O. In October 2011, Zylstra talked with fellow female agent Jessica Page about Ericksons harassment, and Page took the same position: reporting Erickson would only lead to trouble. Were anticipating special agent openings in all investigative areas across the state, so learn more about what it means to be a DCI Special Agent and how you can apply by visiting http://ow.ly/WcWn50Ii1XtSee more endstream Did you know the U of MN has a very active police force of their own to try and fight back all the horrible crimes that are occurring on that campus? Women and children cant do it. They greeted each other with an extended ritual of feigned nut-grabbing and knee-lifts-to-groins that would have appeared immature among 10-year-olds, and was performed in front of the county treasurer and auditor windows. MN Attorney General Lori Swanson wouldnt put up with it. During the chain of events, Jackley's name was replaced on the agreement with, "elected and appointed officials," and then to Craig Ambach, the Director of the Office of Risk Management for the state. When Zylstra Kaiser pointed out that that Erickson admitted to the conduct, Even chose not to believe her and said he was unhappy with her general work performance. Popular Locations. box 160 Pierre, SD 57501 Telephone: 605-224-8803 Attorneys for Defendant and Appellee _____________________ With no other option, Kaiser resigned from DCI on May 8, 2012. The four men decided that Kaiser fabricated the sexual harassment allegations as test for Black and decided that they could no longer trust her and refused to work with her. Its extremely rare that I hear women made fun of or harassed here. The next day is when things began to go awry. The case is titled, Laura Zyltra Kaiser v. Bryan Gortmaker, in his Official Capacity as South Dakota Director of the Division of Criminal Investigation, 15-CV-1030. In October 2011, Kaiser confided in fellow DCI agent, Mark Black, about how to respond to Ericksons harassment. On or about October 20, 2011, Erickson told Plaintiff that Black had told the entire office about what was happening. 8 days ago. In a court of law under one party rule,the truth is whatever the one party decides it is. 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My Mother first reported these It looks like an impossible trial to get a verdict. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB Im not sympathetic to the cry of males being picked on.. It happens everyday all over this country, yet when republicans face heat they yell there is another side to this story (without telling it) or that the perp must be proven guilty. The only thing left is for involuntary sex reassignment. Ms. Geelsdottir, I support all those things. :"x?W YfP(iv7xE' w2^Pt6kJIy\jhQ"1Bjx My country ranch church in northwest SD was like that. That afternoon, Black surreptitiously met with Erickson, Bahr, and Lunzman in a park. endobj
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