BROUSSARD, La. (Daily Advertiser) — A former Broussard police officer alleged in a whistleblower complaint that he was forced to resign after reporting sexual harassment and rebuffing sexual advances by the department’s top brass. 

Ryan Savoie, who filed the lawsuit Wednesday in the 15th Judicial District Court, said his termination came “as a direct result of his vehement and objection to the sexually harassive atmosphere promulgated by (Chief Brannon) Decou and (Assistant Chief Chris) Galvez.” 

Decou offered his resignation Monday, effective June 1, after an investigation was launched by the city of Broussard in March. The law firm that conducted the investigation found Decou had violated the city’s harassment policy and that his activities were “improper, and not appropriate for a leader of the police department. 

The Broussard City Council unanimously voted to terminate Galvez during a meeting Tuesday for “failure to pursue employee complaints and causing a lack of confidence within the police department,” the city said.

None of the allegations against police leadership were illegal, the law firm said. It is unclear if Savoie’s claims were included in the law firm’s investigation.

In his lawsuit, Savoie said he “received unwelcome, inappropriate texts, Snapchat messages and Snapchat photos” from Decou since starting at the department in May 2019. 

Galvez would “frequently make sexually suggestive or otherwise inappropriate comments during conversations and meetings with staff,” according to the lawsuit. 

Savoie alleged that in a department meeting, Galvez asked Savoie, “would you rather suck one d— 12 times or suck 12 d—- at one time?” Savoie said Galvez asked most officers the same question when they were hired. Galvez asked a similar question of Savoie’s wife, who also is a police officer. 

“At no time whatsoever did (Savoie) acquiesce in or otherwise consent to Decou and/or Galvez’s sexually harassive behavior,” Savoie’s attorney, Kourtney Kech, wrote in the filing. Instead, Savoie “verbally opposed the same on numerous occasions.”

During a 2019 Christmas party, Galvez asked Savoie’s wife if she would like to “participate in a ‘threesome’ with Galvez,” according to the lawsuit. When she filed a complaint against Galvez, the chief called her to intimidate her into recanting, Savoie said in the lawsuit. 

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