Teresa Williams believed she had found her dream job in Iron Mountain in Michigan. She was the first woman officer in Iron Mountain’s history.
She was harassed and abused throughout her four-and-half years at Iron Mountain and eventually resigned, according a federal lawsuit she filed against three Iron Mountain employees last month.
According to the suit, she had to have sex with her supervisor within weeks of being hired in October 2017. According to the suit, Williams’ ex-patrol partner and supervisor also gambled on who would have sex first.
She said that she wanted to see someone step up and take action, like holding these people accountable. “Just because you have a badge and are a cop doesn’t mean that you’re above the law. This doesn’t give you the right to do what you like with people, break the law or treat them however you wish.
Williams, 35, spoke also about Iron Mountain, which is a close-knit community with approximately 7,500 residents in Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin.
She stated, “I want the community of Iron Mountain to know that this is what I’m doing because they have the right know… what and whom it is that is supposed be protecting them and serving them.”
“It is just appalling that these officers can act with such impunity.”
The suit alleges sexual harassment, discrimination, hostile work environments, and retaliation. The department’s top two supervisors, Ed Mattson (director of fire and police services) and Joseph Dumais (deputy director of services), are named as defendants. Garth Budek is the third defendant. He was Williams’ former partner on patrol. The city and police department are also named as defendants.
Gregory Grant, the attorney representing all the defendants, stated in a statement that he could not comment on specific allegations or details at the moment because the case was pending. My clients look forward to hearing the facts in court. There are always two sides to every story. The City of Iron Mountain is committed to providing a safe, respectful workplace for its employees.
The Iron Mountain Police Officers Labor Council union could not be reached Thursday for comment.
Jack Schultz is Williams’ attorney. He said that he believes the Iron Mountain police are protected from the checks-and balances systems used to hold powerful people accountable in larger communities.
He said, “This was her dream job” in her hometown. “Most of the agencies and other things that are set up to monitor and regulate these things tend to overlook rural areas of Michigan and focus on larger cities.”
He said, “It is just appalling that individual officers can act with such impunity. While I am proud to be her representative, I find it saddening to know that there is no other option.
Schultz, Williams and others claimed that none of the three defendant officers have been disciplined or investigated criminally.
A representative of the Dickinson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office declined comment Thursday.
Initiation ceremony, which included a Fireball shot as well as making out
Williams was invited to a bar just weeks after she was hired. She was thrilled about the chance to bond with her new colleagues.
Dumais, however, forced her to do a Fireball shot at the bar and make out with him in an initiation ritual.
“Plaintiff denied it and claimed that the whole thing was a hoax. Dumais replied that it was necessary and that everyone must follow the standard protocol. Dumais, a former county dispatcher (male), took the initial shot and then kissed him. Plaintiff finally gave in to pressure and took an ‘IMPD shot’ along with a male county dispatcher (male). After that, Dumais kissed Plaintiff, and she stated that she was now ‘officially a part of IMPD.” The suit stated.
Dumais later asked Williams for another shot at it, according to the suit. According to the suit, she refused repeatedly before finally giving in and being groped by a colleague.
It says that Dumais forced Plaintiff to take the second IMPD shot. However, this time Dumais placed his hand between Plaintiff and her legs and grabbed her genitals.”
Another instance was when Williams drove Budek home from a night at the bar. He forced himself on her, and made her touch his genitals, according to the suit. According to the suit, he groped her and kissed it.
According to the suit, Williams later joined Budek’s wife and their children at a house to watch a film. According to the suit, she said that she felt more at ease because Budek’s spouse was there. The wife eventually excused herself. Budek reached for Williams’ hand and pushed her down.
“Sick and tired of her pity stories”
Williams claimed that someone had told her that she would be fired in 2020, and that Dumais had been telling people from outside the department that she wasn’t going to be around for “much longer,” according the suit.
According to the lawsuit, Williams was asked by Dumais to meet in his office, with his door shut, in October that year. According to the suit, Williams stated that she didn’t want to be alone in that room and asked Dumais if he could bring someone. Dumais shouted at Williams before he asked her to go, saying that he was sick and tired of her pity stories.
Budek was promoted from sergeant to Dumais, and Dumais was made deputy director of the police services — the second highest position in the department.
Williams was then suspended several times for unprofessional activities, including failing to respond to radio calls about hit-and-runs. This scenario, according to the lawsuit, would have not result in disciplinary action against Williams’ male counterparts.
According to the suit, Williams met Mattson and Dumais in March 2022 to discuss a variety of topics including the harassment she is facing and officers talking about her outside of the department. According to the suit, the tone of the meeting was more supportive toward Budek than it was for Williams.
The suit states that Mattson said Budek was struggling emotionally and wanted to come clean to him’. Mattson said that he understood that the incidents at work were ‘fully clothed touching’. He also stated that he wanted to talk to Budek about how to help him (as opposed addressing sexual harassment or assault of a subordinate officer).” The suit states.
She was fired soon after that, according to the suit. In April, she left.
“My job was everything to me”
Williams stated Thursday that she spoke out in support of victims of sexual assault or harassment, and women.
She said that she remembers as a child breaking down barriers by being the only girl to play football at her Wisconsin high schools. She said that she was a sophomore and played on the offensive and defensive lines on the junior varsity football team.
Teresa Williams was the second girl to play football at her Wisconsin high school.
Courtesy Jack Schultz
Williams stated that Williams was inspired by that kind of spirit to become a police officer in a department that only had men.
She remembered the good times she had in uniform.
She beams with pride when she talks about the time she pulled an elderly lady from a car that was upside down after it crashed.
“I was the only one small enough to crawl through that back windows. She said that she stripped off her vest and my duty belt, and crawled in the back window.
She sounded a little frightened when she mentioned that she may never be an officer again.
“I would love the opportunity to return to police work. I would. Williams tried to keep his tears from bursting, but Williams stated that my job was everything to him. “Unfortunately, I believe that in our small towns nobody would hire me back.”
