SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A veteran San Diego police officer with a history of misconduct, who was set to be fired from the force until the police chief overturned her termination, says rumors she had an affair with the city’s top cop have left her humiliated.
“It just won’t stop, and I just need it to stop,” officer Stephanie Cockrell said, fighting back tears at a press conference in front of police headquarters downtown Thursday morning. “I can’t sleep. I’m not eating. I’ve gained weight. I’ve lost weight. My hair’s falling out.”
Flanked by her attorneys, Cockrell announced she has filed two legal claims against the San Diego Police Department for discrimination, retaliation and harassment. The claims are precursors to a lawsuit.
In August, Team 10 revealed Cockrell had been accused in civil court of installing hidden cameras in her ex-husband’s home and placing a tracking device on his truck. A subpoena showed she purchased 11 cameras, GPS trackers and voice recorders from Amazon. She fought unsuccessfully to keep her purchase history private, but a judge ruled it could be released.
A months-long Team 10 investigation revealed Cockrell, a 13-year veteran of the force, was facing termination after an internal affairs investigation into stalking, theft and untruthfulness.
Cockrell, who made headlines a decade ago for hacking the phone of an officer she was having an affair with, denied any wrongdoing and claimed the cameras were purchased to monitor her infant child.
Cockrell claims former Police Chief David Nisleit recommended she be terminated due to a flawed and biased investigation. She said the findings of misconduct were overturned by Nisleit’s successor, Chief Scott Wahl.
Sexist, degrading remarks
Cockrell said Wahl also overturned the terminations of five male officers. But soon, she said, damaging rumors began circulating that she had traded sexual favors to keep her job.
"Rumors spread like wildfire within the department accusing her of having provided sexual favors to Chief Wahl in exchange for leniency," the legal claim states.
Her employment attorney, Emilia Arutunian, said Cockrell has been the subject of daily harassment, ridicule and humiliation.
Cockrell’s legal claim says an anonymous letter was sent to the San Diego City Council alleging she had an affair with Wahl. She also says she was interrogated by internal affairs in January about the alleged affair and now faces sexist taunts at work.
Taxpayers spent $37K on secret probe into chief
“On a daily basis, she is subjected to degrading questions about whether Wahl is ‘good in bed’ and taunts implying she must be ‘bad in bed’ given her lack of promotion despite the alleged relationship,” the claim says.
In August, Team 10 revealed the city paid a San Francisco law firm $37,000 to investigate allegations against Wahl. The department and the City Attorney’s Office have refused to release the findings or say what the probe was about.
On Thursday, Cockrell and her attorneys declined to answer several questions about her case.
Asked by Team 10 why she bought hidden cameras and spyware, her lawyer responded: “We’re not going to be answering any questions.”
Cockrell says her lawsuit is about justice, alleging sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. She also claims the department failed to hold her ex-husband, Tyler Cockrell, another SDPD officer, accountable after she says she caught him having an affair with a subordinate.
“All I wanted to do was save my family, and now I’m being made out to be crazy,” Cockrell said.
Her ex-husband is seeking a restraining order against her and alleges in court documents that he fears for his safety.
Tyler told Team 10 he went to internal affairs in 2022 after finding the hidden cameras in his house, but claims the department swept his concerns under the rug.
"I was told, 'What can you really prove?” he said.
The veteran officer said that the department had “no interest” in reviewing the cameras or the evidence he had found. He then filed a police report with the La Mesa Police Department, who forwarded the case to the district attorney, who declined to file charges.
The judge overseeing the request for a restraining order has reserved his decision for a later date.
The San Diego Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation Thursday.
Below, you'll find a copy of the claims.
