Henry County police officer files sexual harassment lawsuit against department’s former captain

ELLENWOOD, Ga. – The Henry County Police Division is on the middle of a lawsuit alleging repeated sexual harassment from a former captain towards the division’s feminine employees members.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Officer Christina Gatchel, claims then-captain Norman “Woody” Fowler reportedly engaged in inappropriate and sexual habits towards her and others.

Gatchel, who joined the Henry County Police Division in 2018 and served as a particular sufferer’s unit and home violence investigator, alleges Fowler repeatedly made sexual feedback towards her, humiliated her in entrance of different officers, and at instances touched her inappropriately.

“In a single occasion, which occurred in July 2021, Officer Gatchel was within the parking zone break space of the Division’s South Precinct, within the firm of two police sergeants. Officer Gatchel walked away from the group to keep away from Defendant Fowler. As she walked away, Officer Gatchel heard Defendant Fowler she ‘was good to take a look at’” the criticism reads.

{A photograph} taken at Fowler’s retirement social gathering exhibits what seems to be the captain touching Gatchel’s bottom. Gatchel stated Fowler allegedly bragged to different officers about touching her following the incident, in accordance with the criticism.

A minimum of eight different ladies with the division reported related interactions with Fowler throughout his time as captain, in accordance with Gatchel’s authorized group. The civil criticism argues a sample of “extreme and pervasive sexual harassment throughout the Henry County Police Division,” citing failure from division leaders to take motion towards Fowler’s “repeated and undesirable advances on feminine subordinates.”

“Whereas 9 different ladies have been topic to Defendant Fowler’s advances, Defendant Fowler was solely formally reprimanded for one incident,” the criticism reads.

The lawsuit additionally names Henry County Chief of Police Mark Amerman and Human Assets Director Harold Cooper, alleging Amerman and Cooper did not take motion when Gatchel contacted them about Fowler.

Atlanta Information First has reached out to the Henry County Police Division for a press release and are ready to listen to again.