Original Article Sex allegations force police sergeant out Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor The Arizona Republic Nov. 12, 2004 12:00 AM EL MIRAGE - One of the city's police sergeants has resigned after allegations surfaced that he and a city employee were having sex while he was on duty. Sgt. Ricardo Ricardes could not be reached for comment. He worked for the Police Department for six years and was promoted about two years ago. An internal investigation is under way of both the city employee and Ricardes, who was a patrol sergeant and served a brief stint as the department's public-information officer, according to Sgt. Annita Boynton, a police spokeswoman. Boynton said Thursday that she could not yet release the name of the employee reportedly involved with Ricardes. Ricardes worked as a dispatcher in El Mirage for about a year before becoming a police officer. Youngtown sponsored him through the police academy, and he later returned to work in El Mirage. Ricardes is at least the city's third officer in five years to leave the department after becoming embroiled in a sex scandal. In 1999, two police officers, in unrelated cases, were accused of sexual misconduct with inmates in the city jail. One police officer was the city's jailer; the other was being groomed to become the police chief. That jail, which was located inside the Police Department building, has since closed. In that same year, the City Council ousted former Police Chief Jeff Love from his post, alleging in part that he had "partied at sex clubs" and openly discussed sexual activities at work. Love denied those and a litany of other allegations that city officials released in an investigative report. Four of the city's firefighters, including the fire chief's son, also became tangled in a sex scandal in 2001. All four lost their jobs after being accused of sexually harassing and hazing other firefighters. Despite the three years that have passed, city officials continue to refuse to release investigative reports into the firehouse incident. Sexual misconduct among police officers is hardly unique to El Mirage. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board took away at least five law-enforcement officers of their certifications between December and July for sexual improprieties, according to the "Integrity Bulletins" the agency posts on its Web site at www.azpost.state.az.us. Reach the reporter at monica.dunsmoor@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-6925.