WATCH: Colorado State Patrol Leader Retires After Investigation of Homophobic Environment

The former head of the Colorado State Patrol retired just weeks after the conclusion of an internal investigation into a hostile, antigay environment within the CSP.

Sunnivie Brydum

Sunnivie is the managing editor of The Advocate, and an award-winning journalist whose passion is covering the politics of equality and elevating the unheard stories of our community. Originally from Colorado, she and her spouse now live in Los Angeles, along with their three fur-children: dogs Luna and Cassie Doodle, and "Meow Button" Tilly.

Read Full Bio

Sunnivie Brydum

February 09 2013 2:07 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

sunnivie

Sorry to interrupt...
But we wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading. Your support makes original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Help us hold Trump accountable.

One-time Monthly

$19.67 $50 Other

$5 $19.67 $50

The former leader of the Colorado State Patrol was asked to retire shortly after his organization completed an internal investigation surrounding allegations of antigay discrimination and harassment within the CSP, according to Denver's 7News.

James Wolfinbarger was named head of the Colorado State Patrol in 2009, and reportedly retired at the urging of the Governor and head of public safety on January 31, 2013, according to 7News. Wolfinbarger's retirement comes less than a month after an internal investigation into an alleged homophobic culture at the CSP reportedly found no wrongdoing, reports 7News. Wolfinbarger was reportedly paid $90,000 after being asked to retire.

The internal investigation was sparked by several allegations of an antigay environment within the CSP, including two instances where officers were not rehired for reasons they say related to their sexuality.

7News reports that last July, an administrative judge issued a 50-page ruling charging the CSP with discrimination based on sexual orientation in its failure to rehire former trooper Capt. Brett Williams, who is gay, after Williams answered an inappropriate question in a lie-detector test about a sexual encounter with a male masseuse.

That same month, an officer allegedly used a gay slur to refer to a motorist he pulled over for speeding. As the motorist was sitting in the back of the officer's patrol car, he said the officer wrote the words "tagged another queer" on his computer screen reporting the incident. The motorist, who is not gay, reported the trooper, who allegedly apologized. CSP told 7News the officer was disciplined, but would not provide details on the punishment.