Despite pointing a loaded weapon at co-workers, a former Faribault County deputy will be able to keep his license to be a peace officer.
That’s according to Sheryl Waddick, a standards coordinator for the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).
Shane Dulac was fired in October 2015 and filed an appeal. But, an arbitrator agreed with the county that Dulac had violated several department policies.
“Typically if it is a policy violation we aren’t involved,” Waddick says. “Most of the time we have any authority over a licensee is when a crime has been committed or for certain levels of crime. It’s not for everything under the book.”
Waddick says the POST board generally does not conduct a background check when a law officer renews their license, which is done every three years.
In addition to paying a $90 fee, an applicant must obtain 48 credits to maintain certification.
“He (Dulac) hasn’t been charged with any crime or convicted of anything,” Waddick says. “Obviously, if he tries to get another job people will do a background check and look into his past employment history.”
In an internal affairs complaint, Gormley summarized the policy violations as:
- conduct unbecoming of an officer by pointing a loaded gun at someone without cause or reason;
- created a dangerous and hostile work environment by making other deputies feel uneasy and fearful to be around him;
- misuse of equipment by not following safety standards and training taught annually;
- and by inflicting unwanted harassment and hazing type behavior.
Gormley contacted two county agencies to investigate six gun-pointing incidents involving four deputies that occurred between 2007 and 2014.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office did not file charges following a criminal investigation. However, Wright County Lt. Annette Habisch-Peterson concluded that Dulac violated several county policies.
According to Peterson, Dulac’s conduct was unbecoming an officer and “created a dangerous and hostile work environment.”