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A former Iron Mountain Police Department officer who is suing the city after resigning her position in April 2022 has made false allegations "for the purpose of creating salacious media headlines," the defendants claim in a court document filed in response to the suit.
Teresa Williams' resignation came just after she was charged in Florence County, Wis., with disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer in relation to a traffic stop involving her husband. She pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and lewd and lascivious behavior last fall in Florence County Circuit Court and forfeited $1,165 from her cash bond, according to case information filed on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access site.
In a Feb. 21 news release, attorney Jack Schulz of Detroit said Williams was forced to resign or face termination after resisting pressure to conceal incidents of sexual assault and harassment.
Williams' lawsuit, which alleges sex discrimination and retaliation against Iron Mountain's first female officer, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.
The city, in an answer filed last month, said Williams "did not reference any alleged harassment by other officers until the day she voluntarily resigned." Neither did Williams ever file a grievance associated with her employment, which began in October 2017, the city says.
Williams, according to the city, had a history of disciplines and suspensions for a variety of policy violations and "was counseled several times regarding her performance as a police officer."
Schulz, in his news release, said Williams was held to a different standard of expectations than her male counterparts. Her lawsuit explicitly claims she was groped and sexually harassed by her partner and supervisor.
The city denies those allegations. It does, however, acknowledge a relationship between Williams and another officer that was "voluntary and consensual and any sexual contact between them was also consensual."
The city also states Williams has "intentionally omitted pertinent dates in her complaint to avoid the applicable statute of limitations." The city maintains that a claim must be commenced "within three years of each adverse employment act by a defendant."
A scheduling conference in the case is set for May 24 by video before Magistrate Judge Maarten Vermaat. The city is represented by attorneys Gregory Grant and Kristen Rewa of Traverse City.
"The city of Iron Mountain has always been committed to creating a safe and respectful work environment for all of its employees," Grant said in a statement published March 25 by Fox News Digital.
Schulz, meanwhile, told the Detroit Free Press the treatment Williams has faced is "the most horrific" he has seen in his career.
"Rather than embrace diversity and inclusion, these officers, including leadership, have acted with complete impunity in torturing Mrs. Williams," Schulz said in his news release. "Their actions are disgraceful and they must be held accountable. It took courage for Williams to step forward and her case should be watched by any individual who has faced discrimination or harassment by their employer."
Iron Mountain has policies and procedures to prevent harassment and discrimination, according to City Manager Jordan Stanchina. This includes an annual policy review by employees and a reporting process for any incidents.