Former Dispatcher Sues Platte County Sheriff’s Office for Sex Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment.

 (Who Could Have Seen That Coming?)

In a plot twist no one could have predicted (except maybe everyone who’s ever worked there), former Platte County dispatcher Lorrie Seager is now suing the Platte County Sheriff’s Office for sex discrimination, a hostile work environment, and retaliation under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Seager, who bravely lasted three whole years before resigning in March 2023, claims the office was less about law enforcement and more about an uncomfortable reality show where no one knew where the line between professional and inappropriate was. Spoiler alert: It was apparently nowhere to be found.

The lawsuit drops a bombshell, accusing multiple key players, including Sheriff Erik Holland (who was a major before his rise to sheriff in 2024), of actively letting a toxic culture flourish. According to Seager, her supervisor, Mandy Jones, was an undisputed champion of inappropriate sexual comments, often discussing her own and coworkers' personal sex lives like they were in a locker room. And who could forget the charming moment when Jones allegedly suggested that a coworker got his sexual ideas from "smut" books? Such a great way to create a warm, welcoming environment, right?

Naturally, when Jones was called out by a male coworker, she received a slap on the wrist. But when Seager tried to bring the same issues to light? Radio silence, apparently. According to the lawsuit, Seager tried climbing the corporate ladder, but when she reached the sheriff’s office (Holland), he was far more concerned with protecting Jones' reputation than actually doing anything useful. Holland allegedly responded with a warning that there was "a thin line between sexual harassment and defamation of character"—because nothing screams "I’m handling this situation well" like threatening a defamation lawsuit. Great management, really.

But wait, there’s more! Seager says she wasn’t the only one feeling the heat. Another employee had a pending lawsuit against the department, and apparently, any support for this person came with a side of intimidation, courtesy of supervisors Rachel Wheeler and Mandy Jones. Seager alleges that Wheeler and Jones gossiped about her behind closed doors, making the work environment even more unbearable. After all, who doesn’t love a little office gossip to spice up their day?

Eventually, the situation became so delightful that Seager couldn’t handle it any longer and resigned. The lawsuit claims that, in addition to being harassed and retaliated against, Seager had the misfortune of working in an environment where sexual discrimination was, apparently, a continuous, unchallenged issue. But don’t worry—things should be cleared up soon enough. A hearing for this riveting drama will take place in June, so mark your calendars for the next exciting episode in this saga of office dysfunction.

In case you were wondering, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office has not commented on the situation. Because, of course, why bother explaining anything when you can just wait for the drama to unfold in the courts?

Read more: Kansas City Star