Valley woman claims Desert Hot Springs police officer “sexted” her nude photos
Araceli McDougall of Palm Desert, a former Desert Hot Springs Police Department dispatcher, claims police officer Jason Hunter “sexted” her explicit photos of himself.She told him to stop, but she says he kept sending her messages and photos and her teenage daughter saw some of them.
“It’s been overwhelming and devastating because my daughter is the one who looked at those photos … it’s impacted her life in a negative way,” said McDougall.
After she says her complaints fell on deaf ears, McDougall’s husband filed a complaint with the DHSPD last September.
Then, she says the department took action.
According to documents McDougall received written on police department letterhead, an independent investigation by the Operations Division Commander discovered there was clear evidence of proof to McDougall’s allegations. They stated “Officer Hunter acted outside of our policy.”
Then, last November Mrs. Mcdougall filed another complaint — this time against Sgt. Gabriela Mendoza for making sarcastic and rude comments and mishandling her complaints against Officer Hunter.
“She said, “Your daughter should be ashamed for looking at those pictures,” said McDougall.
The department found there’s clear evidence Sgt. Mendoza mishandled the complaint and — that she also acted outside its policy.
DHS Police Chief Kate Singer emailed us this response:
“The officer and sergeant you named are both still employed by DHSPD. I think it’s not really possible to be fair when all the facts of a case or investigation are not able to be presented. I am not able to discuss these matters per law and we are not refusing to provide information or hiding anything. I am absolutely as transparent as I can be in these situations. Our staff is held accountable for all their actions (positive and negative) and that will continue to occur under my watch.”
Hoping to one day become a police officer herself, Mcdougall prays no one will ever never have to experience the same thing she did.
“I just want everyone to feel safe out there and count on the right people. And these incidents be handled in a more appropriate manner,” she said.
