Less than a month after Pat Kropholler was recognized for his 28 years with the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, the Board of Supervisors voted this week to award him nearly $2.8 million by settling a lawsuit he filed against his former employer.
The retired sheriff's captain sued the county in 2022, claiming former Sheriff Eric Magrini retaliated against him after he submitted a whistleblower letter to the county detailing alleged misconduct in the sheriff's office.
Kropholler, who was 50 when he filed the lawsuit, also claimed he was the victim of age discrimination. He said he planned to work until he was 55, but due to the “hostile” environment he retired five years earlier than planned.
During the Tuesday, January 7, board meeting, supervisors approved budget amendments of $2,791,815 to pay for the settlement. About three weeks earlier, on Dec. 19, the board held a ceremony for Kropholler to honor his 28 years working for the sheriff's office.
During the event, Board Chairman Kevin Crye praised Kropholler, and current Sheriff Michael Johnson also spoke of his years of dedication.
“Captain Krophollers' passion for service, innovation and commitment to public safety has left an indelible mark on Shasta County. We thank him for his outstanding contributions and wish him all the best in this next chapter of his life,” said Crye.
All five board members stood up, applauded Kropholler and took pictures with him.
A photo of Patrick Kropholler's retirement ceremony was posted on Facebook earlier this year. From left are Sheriff Michael Johnson, Kropholler, center, and Captain Brian Jackson.
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But Benjamin Nowain, a former district employee who said he also filed a whistleblower letter and was fired from his job, said supervisors should address the issues that led Kropholler to file a lawsuit.
“Settling this case essentially acknowledges that a hostile work environment exists within Shasta County government. This is not just about one individual. It is about a pattern of conduct that undermines the integrity of this institution,” Nowain said .
“If the province is willing to commit significant sums, possibly millions of taxpayer dollars, to addressing claims arising from hostile workplace allegations, where does the responsibility lie? How can this board ensure that such issues are proactively addressed in the future so that no other employee has to endure what Mr. Kropholler has experienced, as I have experienced,” Nowain said.
None of the board members responded to Nowain's questions.
Shortly before Magrini left his job as sheriff to become an assistant county executive, the sheriff and undersheriff at the time improperly placed Kropholler on administrative leave for failing to give timely notice that he was going on vacation, leaving a sergeant in charge of department records and failed to notify them of an employee harassment complaint, according to Kropholler's lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleged that Magrini misused a California law enforcement communications system to conduct a background check when the county hired former CEO Matt Pontes. Magrini also disagreed on an investigation into an officer-involved shooting involving former sheriff's Sgt. José González.
Pat Kropholler is shown in his Shasta County Sheriff's Office uniform. He retired as a sheriff's captain in 2022.
The sheriff wanted Kropholler to “conceal exculpatory information that would likely have resulted in an unlawful criminal prosecution of Sergeant Gonzales,” according to the lawsuit.
The district attorney's office ruled there wasn't enough evidence to charge Gonzalez in the February 2020 shooting, but last year the county settled for $12 million a new lawsuit filed by the family of Thomas Barbosa, who was killed in the meeting in Ono.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at [email protected] and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County settles lawsuit with former sheriff's captain for $2.8 million
