Lawsuit Against Police Department in Hawaii Settled for $1.84M

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An assistant chief of police in Kauai settled a lawsuit against his department and Kauai County for $1.84 million.

Mark Begley sued the county and the Kauai Police Department in 2016, alleging he was harassed and retaliated against by former Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry, Hawaii News Now reported Monday.

Begley’s lawsuit claimed the harassment began in 2012 when he encouraged a female officer to file a sexual harassment complaint against another assistant chief.

Perry was suspended by then-Mayor Bernard Carvalho for allegedly mishandling the sexual harassment complaint, but an appeals court decision returned Perry to command.

Loretta Sheehan, one of Begley’s attorneys, said Perry and his subordinates retaliated against Begley with investigations intended to force him out.

Begley took a leave of absence in 2012 but was reinstated last year after Perry retired.

“This is a story of complete and absolute vindication,” Sheehan said.

Kauai County did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement and attorneys for the county had no immediate comment.

Perry has said the investigations were justified.

“While I can’t comment on the case itself, I can assure the community of Kauai that there was no retaliation,” Perry said in an email. “I had wanted to explain my side of the issue and have the opportunity to explain what happened because the claim of retaliation was not true.”

Perry said he was willing to have the court decide the case.

“The main reason for the settlement was because the insurance company did not want to incur anymore legal fees such as from attorney Ms. Loretta Sheehan (former HPD commissioner) and others,” Perry said.