Suspended Denver Sheriff’s deputy implicated in 2011 inmate-abuse case

A Denver sheriff’s deputy suspended this week for allegedly using inappropriate force also was implicated in a 2011 choking attack on another inmate that has led to a federal lawsuit.

Deputy Thomas Ford, a 6½-year sheriff’s department veteran, is under investigation for inappropriate force against a detainee during the booking process Sunday evening at the downtown jail, Sheriff Gary Wilson said.

A security camera recorded the incident, but Wilson said he would not release it to the public, pending the investigation.

“When I viewed the video, I was very disturbed by the actions of one of our officers,” Wilson said. “I was disturbed by the inappropriate use of force.”

Wilson declined to release details of what he saw in the video, which was brought to his attention this week. He also refused to release the inmate’s name.

A second deputy, William Lewis, a 12-year department veteran, also has been placed on investigative leave for writing an inaccurate report related to the inappropriate force, Wilson said.

Both deputies are on paid leave during the investigation.

It’s the latest in a string of embarrassments for the department in which deputies have been accused of using inappropriate force, colluding with inmates and even helping an inmate escape.

A federal judge recently urged federal authorities to investigate practices of the Denver police and sheriff’s departments in another abuse case.

In that 2011 case, former inmate Jamal Hunter is suing the city over alleged abuse by deputies and his claims that deputies overlooked abuse by fellow inmates. Ford has not been named in the lawsuit.

However, a video that is part of the case shows Deputy Edward Keller grabbing Hunter’s neck and shoving him onto a bunk inside his cell. Ford is seen holding down Hunter.

“The present criminal investigation into Deputy Ford is the predictable consequence of the broken disciplinary system of the Denver Sheriff’s Department,” said Qusair Mohamedbhai, an attorney who represents Hunter in the lawsuit. “Failure to discipline officers for using excessive force on inmates creates a culture where unlawful force is condoned and tolerated.

“The rampant excessive force by Denver’s law enforcement is not due to alcohol or stress, but rather leadership that is unable or unwilling to address the root cause of the problem.”

He added: “Denver’s refusal to turn over the video involving Deputy Ford is yet another attempt to hide the corruption within the Denver Sheriff’s Department.”

Wilson has asked the Denver district attorney’s office to investigate possible criminal charges against Ford.

As for Lewis’ actions, Wilson said he was concerned about the accuracy of a report, based on what he saw in the video.

Asked whether Lewis was trying to cover up alleged abuse by a colleague, Wilson said he could not speak to motives.

Ford was not investigated for his role in the Hunter incident, said Daelene Mix, spokeswoman for the city’s safety department. He previously has not been disciplined for inappropriate use of force, she said.

Lewis has no prior allegations of inappropriate use of force, Mix said.

The inmate was seen by the jail’s medical staff and was cleared to be released into the general population, Mix said.

Denver safety director Stephanie O’Malley said she was concerned about the latest allegation and was committed to a swift and fair resolution of the matter.

Last month, the city’s Department of Safety reported 114 ongoing internal-affairs investigations at the sheriff’s department. A third of those are for allegations of excessive force.

The actual number of deputies under investigation in the 750-officer department could be higher because a case can involve more than one officer.

After the city’s independent monitor released a report last year criticizing the department’s handling of inmate grievances, Wilson assembled four community groups to help him make policy changes.

On Wednesday, the sheriff issued a news release about the investigation — an unusual step for his department.

Wilson said he issued a release because several people in those groups had complained about learning about investigations months after they were over or only when media sniffed them out.

“We’re public servants,” Wilson said. “That’s our responsibility to meet the expectations of the community.”

Also this week, the sheriff’s department launched a program Wilson described as an “early warning system.”

The computer program collects data on deputies and compiles information on actions such as use of force, Taser use and car accidents.

When a deputy’s numbers exceed departmental averages, commanders are notified, Wilson said.

He and his command staff then review the deputy’s record and suggest training to avoid potential problems.

The review may not uncover any wrongdoing, Wilson said, but “it could be a sign of something happening in the future.”

Noelle Phillips: 303-954-1661, nphillips@denverpost.com or twitter.com/Noelle_Phillips