EXTRA CONTENT: Open records request reveals new details in Whitley 911 investigation

Read the text of emails referenced in this story by clicking here.

Racial slurs, profanity and a woman referring to herself as "the devil."

No. It isn’t some controversial new rap album or a segment from the Howard Stern Show, but rather information obtained by the News Journal through an open records request concerning the April 19 firing of 911 Supervisor Angela Matney, and the April 20 firing of Shift Supervisor Teresa Warren.

The records include a profanity laden recording of a telephone conversation between Warren and a Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy, and copies of e-mails between 911 dispatchers or supervisors that county officials reviewed during their investigation some of which also contain profanity.

Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White Jr. said that since the firings of Matney and Warren, there have been a couple of other dispatchers, who have been verbally reprimanded, but added that "there is no intent to fire any others."

White said that early to mid-April, issues were brought to his attention regarding alleged violations of rules and regulations of the Whitley County Personnel Policy.

"Dispatchers were referred to and called these unprofessional, demeaning and insulting ‘nicknames’ to their face, behind their back to others and expected to answer to the same as if it were their names," White said in the press release last week.

"Documented unprofessional, demeaning, insulting and intimidating inter-office e-mails that contain profanity and abusive language delivered between dispatchers from supervisor/management were plentiful. Several dispatchers indicated that the supervisor would use a Whitley County 911 assistant director to deliver these type of messages that she did not want the blame for."

Telephone call

One item reviewed by county officials during their investigation is a recording of a telephone call between Warren and Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Jarboe on Feb. 20, 2010.

On the tape, Warren can be heard in a call to the Whitley County 911 dispatch center’s non-emergency line asking a dispatcher on duty if Jarboe is currently working.

When Warren finds out that he is she asks the dispatcher to have him call dispatch center and connect her to him.
After Jarboe calls, Warren is heard asking what he said about her in Corbin the previous night, and he denies it.

"You didn’t say nothin’ about me irritating the *&(& out of you or anything?" she further asks.
Again Jarboe denies the claim.

"So, it’s a lie. They just made it up that my voice irritates the &*&^ out of you?" Warren asks.

Jarboe answers that he didn’t say that, and Warren then inquires about what he did say.

"Somebody else may have said it, but I didn’t say it," Jarboe said.

Warren then asks who "#$@%" said it.

"I don’t see why it matters?" Jarboe asks.

"It does matter because you are in a public place," Warren replies.

"I don’t think it does," Jarboe says.

"Well, you know, if I irritate the *()& out of you now, you just wait until you ^&** die because I am the *()( devil. You will hear my voice for eternity," Warren says.

"I don’t get out and talk about you guys &*(*, but by God all bets are off."

The dispatcher can then be heard saying that he thinks Jarboe hung up on Warren, and she is heard agreeing.

"Wow, you are going to get on Topix now, aren’t you?" the dispatcher can be heard asking Warren.

Warren replies that she is going to talk with Sheriff Lawrence Hodge about it.

"That little &*(* better not step foot in there when I’m working," Warren says.

"I don’t think he liked talking to you," the dispatcher says.

"I don’t think so either. I guess my voice irritates the &*)* out of him," she says. "Big onion headed geek. … It doesn’t matter, but by God it will matter. This is how I get to see my grandson. If Lawrence don’t do something about it, then by God I *&*^ will."

"You have a good rest of the day," the dispatcher tells Warren.

"All righty, thank you," Warren says as the call ends.

Profanity in e-mails

Documents obtained from the judge-executive’s office don’t indicate swearing in e-mails or memos sent directly by Matney, with the exception of one that uses the word, "bull&*(&*" in one memo or e-mail.

Other memos or e-mails reviewed by the News Journal, showed the only curse word used by Assistant Supervisor Jessica Taylor in memos began with an ‘S’.

E-mails and memos obtained through the open records request show the use of profanity in e-mails sent by Warren to a fellow employee, and vice versa. Some appear to have been sent between the two in a joking manner.

An e-mail from Warren to dispatcher Kyle Kinney on Feb. 21, 2009, has in the subject line "gay negro," and the words "U SUCK."

On Feb. 21, 2009, Kenny sent an a-mail to Warren, with a subject line titled, "gonorrhea eye," and the text reads, "you suck more."

On April 8, 2010, Warren sent an e-mail to Kinney with the subject line, "&*(& your old &*&."

On May 21, 2009 an e-mail from Warren to Kinney has in the subject line, *()( you ^!@ with "Ha Ha," written in the text. The second expletive was a racial slur.

On May 21, 2009, Kinney sent an e-mail to Warren with the subject line, "&**@ you, you old grandma *()&*." The text of the e-mail read, "Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha," etc.

On May 31, 2009, Kenny sent an e-mail to Warren and listed the subject as "*&() off," and in the text spelled out a racial slur.
Warren could not be reached Tuesday afternoon for comment.

Last week, Matney said that four to five dispatchers, who were upset, made the allegations and that other dispatchers would say differently.

"I’ve never mistreated my people," she said adding that she loves and cares for her employees "like family."

"The truth is going to come out in the near future that is really all I can say on the advice of counsel."

Other 911 issues

The e-mails and documents released also point to other problems that 911 administrators apparently had dealt with besides several apparent complaints about the schedule.

An Oct. 3, 2009, e-mail from Taylor with the sent to line blacked out, states, "If you have a personal problem with an officer or anyone else, you will leave it out of this room. Your personal issues are yours to deal with not ours.

"Just because you are a dispatcher does not mean that you are above the law. You can and will go to jail for harassing anyone of any nature. Caught harassing anyone from this room while on duty, you will be reprimanded with the possibility of termination."

An e-mail from Matney dated Oct. 19, 2009, states, "The Adam Jarboe situation is not to be talked about any more. It’s a done deal. It has been blown out of control. Don’t talk to anyone about something that someone else has said – This only caused childish rumors and hurt feelings."

The line where it indicates, who the e-mail was sent to was blacked out.

An undated memo that Matney and Taylor sent to 911 employees mentions tension between 911 and Whitley County EMS, and bickering back and forth between the two groups on the radio.

The memo "highly suggested" that dispatchers use a professional tone when talking to people on the clock, that they speak directly into the microphone, and use a normal speaking voice.

"If you are caught being rude, hateful or being smart to the responders, you will receive a written reprimand and will be sent to the house and someone else will cover the rest of the shift," Matney and Taylor wrote. "When you receive three written warnings, you will be terminated."

EMS personnel were also apparently warned, according to the memo.

Another memo dealt with the issue of dispatchers’ texting while on duty.

"To start with, from now one, you are to keep your cell phones put away, either in a purse, pocket or in your car," according to the memo, which is apparently from Matney. "No texting will be allowed in this office any longer.

"If I have too, I will implement a policy stating that cell phones are not permitted in this room at all. If I catch you texting while on the clock in this office, you will be written up and or sent home. This is not a threat. It is a promise."

A Dec. 13, 2009, e-mail sent from Warren titled "election time rumors" states, "Under no circumstances talk to anyone about anything you hear in this room. This means talking to reporters, officers, or anyone, etc., about other officers or calls or commenting on your preference for elected offices. This is to your benefit."