Outside Investigation Clears Sedona Police Chief Stephanie Foley of All 8 Allegations

In March, Sedona Police Deputy Chief Ryan Kwitkin, Sgt. Laura Leon, and Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police Charlene “Sherri” O’Connor reported a hostile work environment within the department to Human Resources Director Russ Martin. Their allegations centered on the conduct of Sedona Police Chief Stephanie Foley.

By April, Kwitkin asserted that Foley had created a toxic atmosphere and breached numerous sections of the SPD Policy Manual. An independent firm, Revolutionary HR Consulting, investigated eight of these allegations. None were substantiated, as revealed in a statement issued by the city on May 23. The full report, detailing more than 250 text messages, emails, videos, and interviews with 23 city employees, was only released on July 31 due to an ongoing separate investigation into Kwitkin.

Kwitkin’s claims against Foley included allegations of hostile comments, excessive criticism, non-consensual physical contact, and micromanagement. Investigators found instances where Foley directed Kwitkin to relocate his office and manage employee appreciation events. However, testimonies from multiple employees did not corroborate Kwitkin’s complaints. Additionally, Foley’s purported physical interactions, such as hugging and kissing on the cheek, were not considered unusual within the department.

O’Connor and Kwitkin also accused Foley of retaliation following concerns raised during the police chief selection process. Investigators, however, linked O’Connor’s critical feedback to prior police chiefs, noting her consistent failure to undertake required training. Moreover, Foley’s actions regarding critical feedback and performance expectations were supported by documentation and testimony from multiple employees.

In another series of claims, Kwitkin alleged that Foley failed to uphold the SPD Code of Ethics and provided insufficient training and performance feedback. Yet, records indicated Foley’s efforts to correct performance issues through consultations with HR and external training agencies. Text messages between Kwitkin and Foley revealed ongoing efforts to guide and support his work.

The final conclusions of the investigation affirmed that Foley’s actions were consistent with a supervisor striving to improve staff performance. While six employees, including Kwitkin, Leon, and O’Connor, attributed a hostile environment to Foley, the majority of interviewed staff held Kwitkin accountable for the department’s toxic atmosphere.

Pre-existing grievances and high turnover rates in the department were noted as contributing factors to the negative culture, exacerbated by reliance on brief email and text communications. The investigation also highlighted procedural missteps, such as timing issues in position reclassifications, which created perceptions of favoritism but were later clarified.

Following the investigation, a separate probe into Kwitkin’s conduct led to his termination on July 10, with 10 out of 13 allegations against him being substantiated.

For the full detailed reports and findings, refer to the Revolutionary HR Consulting’s released documents.