ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – A Tompkins County Sheriff’s Deputy has been fired after a misconduct investigation.
Kristofer O’Rourke was terminated on November 21st after an investigation into a complaint received on November 9th was found to be valid. O’Rourke was immediately placed on administrative leave on the day of the complaint per the collective bargaining agreement. Investigators determined that O’Rourke made sexual comments to a member of the public while on duty.
On November 22nd, New York State Police from Livingston County informed the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office that O’Rourke was under investigation regarding a complaint they received while he was employed in the Geneseo Police Department.
On November 28th New York State Police charged O’Rourke with a felony criminal sex act and misdemeanor official misconduct, and he was brought to Livingston County for arraignment.
The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office needed to delay notifying the public until the State Police investigation was completed. O’Rourke was hired by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office on August 8th as a lateral transfer candidate from the Geneseo Police Department. No disciplinary or performance concerns were reported during his background investigation.
The background investigation process consists of records checks with all law enforcement agencies the applicant has had contact with, an investigatory interview, associate interviews, a polygraph test, a psychological test and a professional psychiatric interview. The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office says nothing learned in this process indicated this type of behavior.
The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office immediately reported the investigation and the cause for termination to the Division of Criminal Justice Services, permanently invalidating O’Rourke’s police officer certification to prevent him from working for another law enforcement agency in the future.
O’Rourke worked three months with the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office. He was directly supervised by a Field Training Officer from August 8th through September 24th. He was on solo patrol from September 25th until November 8th. The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and other police departments O’Rourke worked with, including the Watkins Glen Police Department, are reviewing O’Rourke’s other cases.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have had an improper interaction with or any information about O’Rourke, regardless of where it occurred, to contact the New York State Police at (585) 398-4100.
