A police officer has been fired for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a woman, described in the internal investigation report as being "alcohol dependent."
Patrick Monteith, of the Boynton Beach Police Department, is accused of conduct unbecoming of a police officer, abuse of process, attentiveness to duty, and violating the Law Enforcement Officers Code of Ethics.
Monteith Took Advantage of, Manipulated the Victim
On Dec. 18, 2022, the department learned Officer Monteith responded to the victim's home to check on her well-being after she was unable to gain treatment for her alcohol dependency.
"While [the victim] struggled with her condition and was in need of the appropriate services, Officer Monteith provided no such assistance. Instead, he gave her his personal cell phone number, established a personal relationship, and then a sexual relationship," the Internal Affairs report read.
The victim said she was taken advantage of and manipulated by Officer Monteith because of her condition. She expressed she was scared to report Monteith to the police or end the relationship "because of his position as an officer."
Monteith Sent Victim an Explicit Video of Himself Masturbating in Uniform
The investigation found Monteith did have a personal and sexual relationship with the victim after the initial call. It was also discovered Monteith communicated with the victim frequently through phone calls while working. He would also visit her home while on the clock and send text messages about work-related information and activities.
The report also said the night after the victim called for assistance, she called Monteith and asked that he bring her alcohol to ease her withdrawal symptoms. The victim said when Monteith came into her home, he sat on her bed and exposed his penis.
The report also noted that six days after the initial call, Monteith sent the victim a video of himself in uniform masturbating while seated in his Boynton Beach patrol vehicle.
Monteith Violated Policy, Didn't Document His Visits to Victim's Home
According to the investigation report, Monteith admitted his work-related relationship with the victim did evolve into a friendship and eventually a sexual relationship. However, Monteith denied the claim about exposing himself but admitted to responding to her home and the request that he bring "her a drink and candy."
Once Officer Monteith arrived at [the victim]'s residence on this evening, he did not advise dispatch of his return to the location and did not document the incident or activate his body-worn camera as required by policy," the report read.
The report said the victim did not communicate refusal to a sexual relationship with Monteith, but she felt the relationship was not consensual because she feared retaliation due to Monteith's position and that he had a key to her apartment as well as access to firearms.
Monteith Fired for Inappropriate Relationship, Making On-Duty Videos of Sex Acts
Monteith was terminated for "furthering a sexual relationship with an individual in need of services and creating on-duty videos of sex acts from his marked unit."
The department also said he was terminated for sharing police operations and for engaging in a sex act while on duty.The Internal Affairs investigation also found Officer Monteith leveraged his position to gain the trust of a person in need and acted in an unethical manner.
Monteith, a decorated officer of the Boynton Beach Police Department, was honored with a bravery award in 2016 for talking a man out of committing suicide and also pulling a disabled man out of a burning building.
