PULLMAN, Wash. — A Washington State University (WSU) police sergeant who reportedly engaged in sexual activity while on duty submitted his resignation on Nov. 1.
WSU Police Sgt. Matt Kuhrt was facing disciplinary proceedings after allegedly engaging in inappropriate activity while on duty and on Pullman campus property. He was placed on home assignment in March when the allegations were first brought to the attention of university leaders.
A university investigation ultimately found that Kuhrt "engaged in predatory grooming behavior while in a supervisory role" and "engaged in sexual activities while on duty and on university property." The investigation also found Kuhrt made sexually explicit comments to coworkers and made physical contact with coworkers without consent.
Kuhrt's resignation comes approximately three months after Police Chief Bill Gardner, Assistant Chief Steve Hansen and Capt. Mike Larsen announced their retirement after being served notice in late July of pending disciplinary action. The discipline against the three officers stemmed from failing to advise university leadership of Kuhrt's conduct.
A WSU police officer notified the WSU Police Department command staff of third-hand allegations against Kuhrt back in December 2020, according to the press release.
The informant officer received information from a third party who initially advised of possible nonconsensual sexual activity. However, the person later contacted the officer to clarify that it had been consensual but said it happened while Kuhrt was on his shift.
KREM 2 confirmed with WSU officials that the person involved with Kuhrt was an adult and not a student.
Despite the claims, which included reports of sexual activities in the presidential suite at Martin Stadium and at the WSU Observatory, the command staff failed to advise CCR as required by WSU policy, the press release stated.
Instead, the WSU police command staff conducted a departmental investigation and couldn't locate a witness willing to file a complaint against the officer.
The investigation concluded that there was not enough evidence to take substantial personnel action. The officer did, however, face departmental action for misconduct while on duty.
On July 15, based on the results of the joint investigations, the duties of the chief, assistant chief and captain were reassigned to others, and the three members of the department’s command staff were placed on home assignment.
The university advised the command staff that disciplinary proceedings were being initiated against them based on the investigation’s findings that they exhibited gross misconduct, incompetence and neglect of duty in their response to the claims of sexual misconduct involving the officer, according to the press release.
All three members of the command staff announced their retirement before the formal disciplinary process concluded. In July, former City of Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins and WSU Assistant Chief Dawn Daniels took over leadership of the department.
“Under Jenkins’s and Daniel’s leadership, we’re seeing a renewed commitment throughout the department to professionalism and strong efforts to improve and rebuild community trust,” WSU President Kirk Schulz said in a statement. “I want to thank the members of the WSU Pullman Police Department for working together to help ensure the safety and security of the Pullman campus.”
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