(Main image by Peter Dazeley/Getty Images; DNR insignia courtesy State of Iowa)
An Iowa Department of Natural Resources officer fired for unprofessional conduct and using a confidential state database to screen potential dates is now suing the department, alleging she’s the victim of post-traumatic stress disorder.
State records indicate Angela Jansen of Central City worked for the DNR as a conservation officer from October 2018 to August 2023, when she was fired for conduct unbecoming a state employee and for the unauthorized personal use of a DNR database.
Jansen recently filed a lawsuit against the DNR in Polk County District Court, alleging the department violated her civil rights when it fired her as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by fatalities she encountered at work.
In her lawsuit, Jansen says she “witnessed multiple critical incidents involving the tragic deaths of others,” including a 2018 incident during her field training when a pickup truck become engulfed in flames and the occupant was unable to escape the vehicle.
In 2019, the lawsuit alleges, Jansen witnessed a second catastrophic vehicle accident at work where she was unable to assist the victims. “After witnessing these horrific events, Jansen was not offered any counseling or other services, in violation of department policy,” the lawsuit claims. “As a result, her mental health began to deteriorate.”
In May 2023, Jansen alleges, she was involved in an on-duty incident where a person drowned and again, the department failed to follow its critical incident policy by requiring her to attend mandatory counseling.
Jansen alleges that on the evening of June 14, 2023, while off duty in Ankeny, she consumed alcohol as a mechanism to cope with her mental health struggles. Officers from the Ankeny Police Department provided Jansen with a ride home later that same evening, the lawsuit claims.
On June 28, 2023, Jansen was informed by the DNR that she was suspended pending an investigation into her conduct. A month later, Jansen’s medical provider diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder and she requested a leave of absence from the department, proposing the department pause its personnel investigation into her conduct on June 14, 2023, so that she could first obtain treatment. On Aug. 2, Jansen was fired.
State alleges unprofessional conduct
Jansen’s lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for disability discrimination, failure to accommodate a disability, retaliation, and violations of the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
The state has yet to file a response to the lawsuit. However, it did challenge Jansen’s claim for unemployment benefits after her dismissal. In that case, the state alleged that during the June 14, 2023, incident, Jansen was off duty and on a date while carrying her service weapon in her purse. At some point in the evening, Jansen called an ex-boyfriend to come pick her up from her date.
The ex-boyfriend is a felon, according to state records, and while he and Jansen were in his car the two began arguing. The argument escalated to the point where the ex-boyfriend’s Apple watch determined there was an emergency of some kind and dialed 911 without the two realizing it.
Ankeny police arrived on the scene and began investigating the matter. The DNR’s law enforcement bureau chief, Craig Cutts, later testified that he reviewed the officers’ body-camera footage and saw video of Jansen telling the responding officers she had a gun in her purse. When asked why she had a gun, Jansen reportedly identified herself as a DNR officer.
During the discussion with police, Jansen allegedly asked one of the officers if he dated older women and referred to him as “Officer Hot Stuff,” the DNR later alleged. In addition, she reportedly admitted more than once that it was likely that she was drunk at the time, then informed the officers she had used a state database maintained by the DNR to determine the marital status of at least one person she was considering dating.
Ankeny police did not arrest Jansen or issue any citations, but they did confiscate the purse with the gun in it and drove Jansen home where they returned the items.
Shortly thereafter, Jansen reported some details of the incident to Cutts. Jansen’s direct supervisor, Capt. Deb Vitko, then contacted Cutts and allegedly told him she had heard about the incident over the police radio and there was more to the story than what Jansen had self-reported. She reportedly told Cutts about the firearm and said there appeared to be some question as to whether the ex-boyfriend had been held against his will.
Cutts then initiated an investigation and reviewed the body-camera footage and police reports. The department ultimately concluded Jansen had acted in a manner unbecoming of a state employee and that she had improperly accessed and then used information from the DNR database.
Jansen’s application for jobless benefits was later decided by Administrative Law Judge Alexis Rowe who ruled that Jansen’s off-duty behavior was disqualifying job-related misconduct.
Jansen “acted inappropriately with a police officer, asking him if he dated older women and calling him ‘Officer Hot Stuff,’” Rowe stated. The judge added that Jansen “also admitted more than once that it was likely she was drunk. These actions were objectively harmful to the employer’s interests in maintaining the reputation of professionalism for its officers.”
According to state records, Jansen had one previous disciplinary warning for conduct unbecoming a state employee. That warning, which was coupled with a suspension, was issued in June 2021 after Jansen was arrested for drunken driving in Linn County where tests showed she had a blood-alcohol level of .172 percent — more than twice the legal limit.
In that case, Jansen was convicted of first-offense drunken driving and sentenced to 48 hours in jail to be served on weekends.