Less than a month after recognizing Pat Kropholler for his 28 years with the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the Board of Supervisors this week voted to award him nearly $2.8 million by settling a lawsuit he filed against his former employer.
The retired sheriff’s captain sued the county in 2022, claiming former Sheriff Eric Magrini retaliated against him after he submitted a whistleblower letter to the county outlining alleged wrongdoing in the sheriff’s office.
Kropholler, who was 50 when he filed the lawsuit, also claimed he was a victim of age discrimination. He said he planned to work until he was 55, but because of the “hostile” environment, he retired five years earlier than he planned.
At the board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7, the supervisors approved budget amendments of $2,791,815 to pay for the settlement. Some three weeks earlier, on Dec. 19, the board held a ceremony for Kropholler to recognize his 28 years working for the sheriff’s office.
During the event, board Chairman Kevin Crye praised Kropholler, and current Sheriff Michael Johnson also spoke of his years of dedication.
“Capt. Krophollers’ passion for service, innovation and dedication of public safety has left an indelible mark on Shasta County. We thank him for his outstanding contributions, and wish him the very best in this next chapter of life,” Crye said.
All five members of the board stood and applauded Kropholler and took photos with him.
A photo of Patrick Kropholler’s retirement ceremony was posted on Facebook earlier this year. From left is Sheriff Michael Johnson, Kropholler, center and Capt. Brian Jackson.
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But Benjamin Nowain, a former county employee who said he also submitted a whistleblower letter and was let go from his job, said the supervisors should address the issues that caused Kropholler to sue.
Settling this case is effectively an admission that a hostile work environments exists within Shasta County government. This is not just one individual. It is about a pattern of behavior that undermines the integrity of this institution,” Nowain said.
“If the county is prepared to allocate significant funds, potentially millions of taxpayer dollars, to address claims stemming from hostile workplace allegations, where is the accountability? How will this board ensure that such issues are addressed proactively in the future, so that no other employee must endure what Mr. Kropholler experienced, like I experienced,” Nowain said.
None of the board members responded to Nowain’s questions.
Shortly before Magrini left his job as sheriff to become assistant county executive, the sheriff and the undersheriff at the time wrongfully placed Kropholler on administrative leave for failing to give proper notice he was going on vacation, placing a sergeant in charge of department records and failing to notify them of an employee harassment complaint, according to Kropholler’s lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleged Magrini misused a California law enforcement communication system to run a background check when the county was hiring former CEO Matt Pontes. Magrini also disagreed over an investigation into an officer-involved shooting involving former sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Gonzalez.
Pat Kropholler is shown in his Shasta County Sheriff’s Office uniform. He retired as a sheriff’s captain in 2022.
The sheriff wanted Kropholler to “conceal exculpatory information which would have likely resulted in a wrongful criminal prosecution of Sgt. Gonzales,” according to the lawsuit.
The district attorney’s office ruled there was not enough evidence to prosecute Gonzalez in the February 2020 shooting, but last year the county settled for $12 million another lawsuit filed by the family of Thomas Barbosa, who was killed in the encounter in Ono.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County settles lawsuit with former sheriff’s captain for $2.8M
