A top-ranking female law enforcement official is suing the Iowa State Police Department after claiming she was the victim of retaliation because she reported gender discrimination and misspending within the department.

Charis Paulson began working for the state’s law enforcement agency as a special agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation. In this role, Paulson investigated major crimes throughout Iowa. Paulson worked her way up the ladder and in 2012 became the state’s first female director of the Division of Criminal Investigation. Paulson was reassigned as the department’s director of administration in 2014 after a scandal unfolded that led her to fire an agent who made a report that the SUV of then-governor Terry Branstad was excessively speeding.

Paulson’s lawsuit alleges she faced gender discrimination because being the only female director, she was not given her own private office and instead had to work in a cubicle. Additionally, Paulson alleges that she is excluded from director meetings, has to report to someone who is of a lower rank, and does not have an assigned parking spot as all other directors do.

According to the Des Moines Register, Paulson explains that she was the only female among the Department’s directors, assistant directors, and majors. Along with claims that she has been denied certain privileges that come with her position, she alleges that she was kept from speaking at functions including a 2019 Women's Leadership Academy. The function served as a way to help mentor female officers who worked in the department. All the other male directors were allowed to give a short address to the crowd during the function, but Paulson alleges she was not allowed to.

In addition to the gender discrimination, Paulson details that she was reprimanded after having uncovered misspending within the department in 2016. Under the role of Director of Administration, Paulson details in her lawsuit that money spent in the department was either illegally or improperly used because the funds were spent for reasons other than for which they were intended.

When Paulson brought her concerns to Roxann Ryan, the Commissioner of Public Safety at the time, Ryan did not take the appropriate action to address Paulson’s concerns. Instead, Paulson details that Ryan reassigned her to head the department’s accreditation bureau, a position that many deemed undesirable and reserved for those who had “fallen out of favor,” according to the Register. Paulson remained in the position for the next five years. A male employee who was assigned to the position before Paulson was in the role for a significantly shorter amount of time, Paulson details.

Paulson’s lawsuit goes on to highlight other details of mistreatment including being passed over for the role of Director of Investigative Operations in 2018. The position was given to a male employee who had less administrative experience than she did. When the position became open again in 2020, Paulson details that the commissioner Stephen Bayens, who was hired on to replace Ryan in 2019, discouraged her from applying. Paulson also details that Bayens conducted a performance evaluation despite not being her direct supervisor.

Paulson’s lawsuit comes several months after having filed a gender discrimination complaint with the Department of Administrative Services. When an investigation into the complaint concluded, Paulson did not receive a copy of the findings.

In her suit, Paulson is asking the courts to find the Iowa State Police Department in violation of the Iowas Civil Rights Act. Paulson is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for mental and emotional distress.