San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said he wants to assure the public that the investigation into sexual-misconduct allegations against a deputy are moving swiftly.
Eleven women have accused sheriff’s Deputy Richard Fischer of either groping, fondling or hugging them inappropriately. The department has opened an investigation and placed Fischer on administrative leave. But several of Fischer’s accusers told KPBS last week that they think the department has enough evidence to fire Fischer now and arrest him.
RELATED: San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Accusers Describe Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Debra Anderson told KPBS that she had contact with Fischer when he responded to her call about a domestic violence threat against her. She said he hugged her multiple times and on the last time he held her butt and then took her hand, put it on his crotch and rubbed it.
Anderson said she doesn't think the sheriff's department is taking her accusations seriously.
"They're done with my investigation, I'm sure they're done with several others as well. He should be arrested at this point. It's wrong," she said.
Several of the women KPBS spoke to last week also think the district attorney should charge Fischer.
Sheriff Gore told KPBS’ Midday Edition that the process is at work.
"We're moving through it as fast as we can, but I think it's important for the public to know — this deputy is on administrative leave, no police powers and we're working expeditiously to finish both the investigation and the facts will be presented to the district attorney's office," he said.
Gore said he expects the investigation to wrap up within 30 days.
One of the eleven women who accused Deputy Fischer of sexual misconduct said she reported it to the department a year ago.
Gore told KPBS Midday Edition that the department has been unable to corroborate that claim.
"One of the issues that's come up in this investigation (is) that one of the victims has said that they reported this a year ago to the Sheriff's Department (and) we did nothing. We have searched every database we have, in internal affairs, every station and we've gone through phone logs at our communications center. We cannot find any report of inaction or a report of inappropriate behavior by Deputy Fisher," he said.
