Official avoids dismissal and is suspended after investigation

DENVER — Committing a deceptive act while on the job as a Denver police officer often leads to termination under disciplinary rules, but the city is giving one of its officers a chance after he made “untruthful statements” during an internal investigation.

Investigative agency 9NEWS has obtained disciplinary documents showing that city police officials investigated witness statements that Officer Thristin Halliburton accused police officers of racism and claimed he was forced to repeat training because of his black skin.

Disciplinary records show Halliburton struggled to fully complete the Denver Police Department Academy on two occasions. However, in October 2022, he was allowed to leave with his class, although he still had to complete additional training. Records show he also missed several days of training due to an injury.

In the documents, several witnesses told city officials and internal investigators that Halliburton made statements suggesting he wanted to sue for racism and “play the racism card” because he had to repeat a training course.

One employee says in the documents that he was “upset by the allegations of racism against him and felt uncomfortable having to share a workstation with Officer Halliburton.”

Two other officers witnessed Halliburton making allegations of racism, according to disciplinary records. One of them said it made her feel “uncomfortable.”

When asked by city officials if he had made such allegations of racism, Halliburton said he did not remember making the allegations, but later admitted during a disciplinary hearing that he occasionally joked about “playing the racism card.”

“Feigning memory loss is an inappropriate attempt by Officer Halliburton to evade the consequences of his false statements throughout the investigation,” wrote Chief Compliance Officer Mary Dulacki.

“There is clear and convincing evidence that Officer Halliburton violated this Department rule when he made an untruthful statement during his EEO interview with Human Resources and again during his IA interview,” Dulacki writes. “… Officer Halliburton’s conduct constituted ‘a willful and wanton disregard for the values ​​of the Department.'”

Violating the law for fraud at the Denver Police Department carries a “presumptive” penalty of termination, but the city felt that Halliburton deserved a “mitigated sentence” because “Halliburton faced challenges in his career with the Denver Police Department over the past four years, including restarting the DPD Academy, injuries, and repeating key training programs.”

Instead of termination, Halliburton was given a 90-day suspension beginning June 10.

In an email to 9NEWS Investigations, the DPD explains that Halliburton is not on patrol.

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