Ouray police chief fired after numerous complaints as stepson accused of sexual assault

The city of Ouray fired its police chief on Monday. A letter from the city detailed numerous allegations, including an alleged sexual assault at the police chief’s home, complaints about the handling of certain cases, remarks made by the police chief calling the Black Lives Matter movement a “terrorist organization” and an offensive sticker on the rear window of his Ford F-150 pickup truck.

The city announced the firing of Jeffrey Wood on Monday. Wood was on leave for months after his stepson was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old at the police chief’s home – he was a minor at the time of the incident. In the letter to the police chief released by the city, Silas Clark, city manager, outlines the details that led to the police chief’s firing.

“I have considered all information, including the information you provided at the meeting. After reviewing all the facts and information available to me, I have concluded that you have performed poor job performance, violated state laws, and committed other acts inappropriate for the Chief of Police,” the letter said.

In addition to the sexual assault case, the letter references complaints about the handling of a case involving inappropriate photos of young children; an allegation of excessive use of force; and a 22-year-old woman who said she was embarrassed by the police chief on two separate occasions. The letter also describes an inappropriate decal on the window of a truck that showed two stick figures engaging in sexual acts while three other stick figures watched.

“Not only is this graphic in poor taste and inconsistent with the conduct of the Chief of Police, it is also offensive considering the allegations against your stepson and the nature of the activities involved in those allegations. There is no legitimate reason to display such a graphic on your vehicle and it is a violation of the Law Enforcement Code of Conduct contained in the Ouray Police Department’s 2016 Policy Manual,” Clarke’s letter states.

This story is evolving and will be updated.