Sedona Chief of Police Stephanie Foley filed a formal 157-page complaint against Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow and the mayor responded with a three-page complaint of his own.
In her complaint filed July 27, Foley alleges over the past three years, since being promoted to chief in August 2022, she has “endured constant and continuous scrutiny, micromanagement and undermining of her position of authority” by Jablow. “This harassment includes ongoing interfering with day-to-day operations within the police department and attempts to intervene with police department policy.”
Jablow accused Foley of fostering a hostile work environment using retaliation, fear, discipline to retain, retention through discipline, a toxic environment and micromanaging SPD police officers.
Foley Complaint Against Jablow
With emails, text messages, screenshots and audio recordings as evidence, Foley documents 40 separate incidents of harassment and includes 21 attachments, citing incidents from Aug. 3, 2023, through July 16, 2025, adding “This level of scrutiny and constant harassment is deliberately undermining my authority.”
Gender Discrimination
Foley alleges Jablow’s actions amount to gender-based discrimination, “not motivated by sexual interest or intent but done to reinforce policing’s hypermasculine subculture and organizational structure that is largely based on toxic masculinity.”
Jablow worked as a police officer for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey before retiring as an accident investigator, and notes in his counter-complaint that he is a “retired police officer.”
Foley notes she has received two evaluations where she has “exceeded expectations, which demonstrates my ability to run my department considering the constant interference and distress caused by the mayor’s consistent interruptions and interference.”
Foley alleges Jablow often bypasses her for information related to the police department, which she writes did not happen with previous male police chiefs, develops relationships with her male subordinates “in order create dissention [sic] and discord to directly challenge my authority,” and wrote that her complaint shows “a pattern of harassment, undermining and interference regarding police department discipline, public records requests, police vehicles used by volunteers, volunteers assisting with transports, traffic stop policy, emergency response policy, motorcycle/traffic unit policy, internal promotions and job titles, dispatch feasibility and consolidation studies, uniforms and equipment, budget, minimum staffing, overtime, staffing at events and traffic control and how the traffic unit should be operated.”
“Instead of following proper city protocol and chain of command, he regularly communicates and probes the number two in command at the department for information, which is either the deputy chief or commander, both of whom are males,” Foley alleged.
“Jablow is unrelenting in his request to force my termination of employment with the city of Sedona” she wrote, in spite of her “high standard of documented leadership” in an attempt “to circumvent my authority, ruin my reputation, and ultimately replace me with a male police chief” which are “blatant harassment and gender-based discrimination.”
Harassment and Micromanagement
Under Title 2 of Sedona City Code, Sedona City Council hires the city attorney, city magistrate and city manager, who conduct city business and manage staff, including the department heads, city staffers, the police chief and police officers. Council gives direction through formal votes or direction by a majority of council at public meetings, but do not individually give direction to staff.
Foley lists as witnesses to the harassment:
- Sedona Vice Mayor Holli Ploog
- Sedona City Councilman Brian Fultz
- former Sedona Magistrate Judge Paul Schlegel
- Sedona City Attorney Kurt Christianson
- former Sedona City Manager Karen Osburn
- current Sedona City Manager Anette Spickard
- Deputy City Manager Andy Dickey
- Magistrate Court Administrator Brenda Schorr
- Human Resources Manager Russ Martin
- Human Resources Specialist Brenda Righi
- Sedona Police Patrol Cmdr. Christopher Dowell,
- Sedona Police Sgt. Raquel Oliver
- Sedona Police Sgt. Laura Olson (formerly known as Laura Leon)
- Sedona Police Support Services Manager Erin Loeffler
- Sedona Police Technician Heidi Videto
- Executive Assistant to Chief of Police Jessica Bryson
Foley alleges with Jablow demanded Osburn place Foley on administrative leave during a March 2024 investigation, made statements to Spickard to fire Foley, stating she is a liar, cannot be trusted regarding participation in study of a regional call center, demanded SPD change a Loeffler’s title and generally interferes with the police department.
Foley began reporting complaints to Osburn. Prior to Osburn’s departure in April 2024, Osburn informed Dickey, Christianson and Spickard of “information regarding Mayor Jablow’s ongoing harassment” and reportedly stated that if needed, she would come back and describe the incidents involving Jablow’s harassment.
Example Incidents
■ On Aug. 4, 2023, Osburn wrote to Jablow: “Having the mayor get into scrutinizing the 12-hour workload of the motor officer, or any city employee other than the CM [city manager] for that matter, is out of bounds for any elected official who is supposed to be focused on policy and leaving the day to day operations to the CM and dept. heads. It would also be inappropriate for me to get into those weeds unless I had some reason to believe the police chief, deputy chief, lieutenant and sgt weren’t doing their jobs properly … It could be a slippery slope with wanting to micromanage this work. Please resist the temptation to do that.”
■ On Dec. 12, 2023, Jablow told Foley during a council meeting that not enough was being done to enforce off-highway vehicle traffic laws, which occurred while Jablow was pushing a proposed ordinance to ban OHVs in the city, which was ultimately abandoned after three state lawmakers told the city the ban would be illegal.
■ On Feb. 14, 2024, Jablow demanded Osburn forward to council an email commenting on a police briefing, alleging what Foley’s staffers provided was insufficient.
Osburn responded, in part, “I will not be forwarding your email. [The school official’s] email indicates that there was an unsubstantiated threat which held no merit … I was made aware of the unsubstantiated threat by the police chief this morning and did not believe it warranted a notice to council. The reason you believe ‘council was not properly informed’ was that I made a judgment call that informing you wasn’t necessary.”
■ On April 18, 2024, Fultz emailed Foley, “At the end of your presentation yesterday, I got pretty agitated and wanted you to know it was because the council, the mayor in particular, was way into the weeds concerning your work. And he’s doing it again now here on Thursday morning. I appreciate what you’re doing.”
■ Newly-hired Deputy Chief Ryan Kwitkin alleged workplace harassment by Foley on March 14 and demanded she be placed on leave. He cited programs, procedures and day-to-day operations he believed were poorly managed by Foley. Beginning in May 2024, Foley alleged Jablow began asking about echoing those same issues and suggests the pair were colluding.
Foley was exonerated May 23, 2024, in an outside investigation by Revolutionary HR Consulting. Those investigators subsequently urged a separate investigation into Kwitkin, who was investigated by Martin and terminated by Spickard on July 10 for numerous violations of SPD policy.
After his termination, Kwitkin urged the NEWS via text message to investigate Revolutionary HR Consulting and staff interview recordings, saying the final report exonerating Foley was erroneous.
■ On Nov. 4, 2024, Dickey wrote to Spickard and Foley that Jablow “was blowing up my phone most of the weekend” about traffic congestion due to Day of the Dead at Tlaquepaque. “He was actually all over the place, being concerned about Anita [Dalton] from the [Center of the] New Age complaining when the at-grade crosswalk was closed.”
Dickey said traffic personnel were out, just not the full extent of the event, to which Jablow stated, “this is why we have cops.” When Dickey stated the city only has so many staffers, Jablow respond “I’m not accepting that. How many cops were offered OT [overtime]?”
Dickey wrote to Foley and Spickard, “I think this really needs to be verified that it was even an issue, I feel like Scott was blowing it up unnecessarily.”
Foley emailed back, writing was an off-duty detail but no SPD officers signed up.
■ In March, Foley alleged that Jablow interfered with police commander hiring process, allegedly speaking and leaking to candidates about who had been selected, outside of protocol.
■ Between May and July 2024, Martin interviewed Olson about Kwitkin. Olson said she was hesitant to speak due to a “particular city official,” asking Martin “can major city officials, like, retaliate against us?” After which Martin addressed the roles and duties of elected officials.
Jablow Complaint Against Foley
Jablow filed a counter-complaint but he said he was unable to provide the date. He requested an immediate, independent external investigation into Foley.
In his list of complaints:
■ Jablow said he attended the Breakfast with Santa event in 2023, met Kwitkin and his wife, Karen Kwitkin, who worked in the city’s manager’s office. He alleged Foley questioned the Kwitkins about why Jablow spoke with them.
■ In August 2024, the NEWS submitted a public records request for the phone records between Jablow and Kwitkin.
Without any evidence, Jablow wrote, “I believe this was a deliberate attempt to intimidate me and to deter me from exercising my legal right to request public records pertaining to the SPD.”
Public records requests do not require a reason to be disclosed.
■ Jablow alleged Osburn alleged Jablow had sent an anonymous letter to the NEWS for a story about Foley to be printed, but did not clarify what story or stories.
“Without any proof Karen Osburn shared her thoughts with the entire City Council,” Jablow wrote.
■ Jablow wrote “as a retired police officer” he has “asked to be included and, on occasion, speak at all official SPD ceremonies of retirement and badge pinnings and yet, unless I hear about an event on my own, I’m kept in the dark.”
■ In response to Foley’s “hostel [sic] work complaint against me,” Jablow writes “I believe this is another deliberate attempt to intimidate me and deter me from exercising my legal right to request public records related to the SPD,” a refrain he repeated in each item on his list.
Jablow concludes by alleging the outside investigators from Revolutionary HR Consulting downplayed the final report exonerating Foley, and demanded she be placed on leave. He also demanded a separate investigation into Revolutionary HR Consulting.
Statements
“Unfortunately, because this is a staffing issue, I’m unable to reply at this time,” Jablow stated Aug. 19.
“Although this matter has become public, I am unable to make any specific comments until the situation is resolved to maintain the integrity of the investigation,” Foley wrote Aug. 19. “I will continue my focus & commitment to serving our community and department as I have for the last 20 years, including the last three as Sedona’s Chief of Police. Respectfully, Stephanie Foley.”
Foley also included documents about the resignation of City Magistrate Paul Schlegel, which will be covered in a future story.
