MONTGOMERY CO., Ill. — A 911 dispatcher claims she was kicked, slapped and asked lurid sexual questions. And the biggest surprise is where she said it happened – the Montgomery County Illinois Sheriff's Department.
She told 5 On Your Side she's speaking up now because her former supervisor is campaigning to become the sheriff of Montgomery County.
They're who you call when you need help.
"I miss my job every day," she said.
But when 911 dispatcher Kari Jump found herself in crisis, she said there was no one to reach out to.
"When police officers and deputies are supposed to be your role models and they're the ones victimizing you, what chance do you have?" said Jump. "I'm still fearful and scared to this day of him."
Jump is talking about Montgomery County Sheriff candidate Rick Robbins. Five years ago, he was Jump's supervisor at the sheriff's office.
"He would say comments to me like I have to ‘get the sand out of my vagina,’" said Jump. Robbins told the I-Team he did say that, but it was a general statement to both men and women in the department and not to Jump specifically.
But Jump said it wasn't just Robbins.
"Some of the men would make sexual comments about what I did with my husband. I was asked by one of the deputies if I gave blowjobs," said Jump.
Even worse, she said sometimes some of the deputies would get physical.
"I had my hair pulled. One of the deputies, he kicked me in the ankle. I felt a slap on my buttocks," said Jump.
In depositions, some staff members admit to pulling Jump's hair, speaking about their personal sex lives and playfully kicking her feet. But they deny all other claims of sexual harassment.
And when she complained to her boss, undersheriff Robbins, Jump claims it rarely resulted in change.
"I got to the point when I was going to work, I was getting sick to my stomach," said Jump.
One day Jump was called into a meeting with both Robbins and current-sheriff Jim Vazzi.
Jump said eventually they started asking her about her sexual harassment complaints and that Robbins seemed enraged.
"He said to get out of his office and 'what a pussy'. It was something that I still live to this day," said Jump.
Not long after, in 2013, the Montgomery Sheriff's Office fired Jump.
She filed a lawsuit in federal court naming Robbins, Vazzi and three others. She claimed she was subjected to discrimination and a "hostile work environment.”
In the end, the sheriff's office and Montgomery County settled the suit for $300,000 and also instituted a sexual harassment policy. Something that didn't previously exist.
"I want people to know what type of person they're possibly electing to be our role model. What's going to be our person that's going to protect us and our children," said Jump.
5 On Your Side asked Robbins for an on-camera interview about all of this. Ultimately, he decided not to do it.
Instead, Robbins sent us this statement:
"My number one priority throughout my campaign for Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and my 24-year career and has been to protect and serve our citizens. That will continue to be my focus as I serve with this great agency. The people of this county know this is politically motivated propaganda released at the eleventh hour in an attempt to distract from the real issues in this race. I within the past week addressed this issue which was concluded years ago. My response is the same today as it was last week and years ago, there is no further comment necessary."
