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Sheriff Ray Washington (Twitter photo)
Regina Parks, a former compliance officer and community outreach director for the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, is suing her ex-boss Sheriff Raphael Washington, alleging retaliation and sexual misconduct against her and other women employees.
"Between January 2021 and her termination in 2024, Plaintiff was subjected to sexual harassment on a routine basis, in the form of sexual comments, unwanted physical touching, propositions for sexual activity, and being shown pornographic material," Parks alleges in a 21-page federal lawsuit filed in Detroit on Tuesday by prominent employment discrimination attorney Deborah Gordon.
The suit, which also names Wayne County, alleges Washington touched or struck Parks on the buttocks several times; rubbed and touched her stomach and thighs over and under her clothing repeatedly and made lewd and sexual comments about her appearance and body.
Washington did not immediately respond to a text for comment on Tuesday night.
The suit alleges that it was well known that at least four women had accused Washington of sexual harassment and misconduct between 2002 and 2016.
The suit alleges Parks was eventually fired after she refused to apologize for raising the issue with the department.
Washington was named sheriff in January 2021 shortly after Sheriff Benny Napoleon died of Covid. He was elected to the post in 2022 and again last November.
