The city of Salem may pay $250,000 to a former Special Victims Unit detective accusing the police department of sex discrimination and whistleblower retaliation.
Salem City Council will vote on the final settlement at its meeting on Oct. 26. A complaint had not yet been filed in federal or circuit court and was still in the "pre-filing" stage when the settlement agreement was reached, attorneys for the detective said.
City officials declined to comment due to the pending litigation and pending settlement.
Former Detective Sabrina Hunter reported concerns to Salem Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit in December 2025 that a sergeant had allegedly mishandled a child sex abuse investigation. She also expressed concern that the sergeant closed cases prematurely and without thorough investigations because he relied on sexist and victim-blaming stereotypes.
According to Hunter, the sergeant retaliated when he learned of her report to Internal Affairs. He allegedly screamed at her, told her police leadership was livid and exhibited "such heightened aggression that Hunter feared for her safety," said Hunter's attorney Caitlin Mitchell, with Johnson Johnson Lucas & Middleton.
According to law enforcement licensing records, Hunter was hired with the department in 2013, took a leave of absence in December 2025 and resigned in April.
Mitchell said Hunter hopes the settlement will shed light on the issue of victims' rights within the Salem Police Department.
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