Investigation Records Show Age-Based Discrimination at Chelan County Sheriff's Office Under Former Administration
Fellow officers said Sgt. Dan McCue called older people "a cancer to the agency" and admitted new training was meant to push out anyone over 50
Details of some of the alleged age-related discrimination that occurred at the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of former Sheriff Brian Burnett are outlined in recently-obtained public records.
According to a fellow CCSO deputy, Sgt. Dan McCue that no one should be in law enforcement past the age of 50. On a road trip with another colleague, he allegedly called older people “a cancer to the agency” and admitted that new training was meant, in part, to drum older law enforcement professionals out of the agency.
In a formal letter regarding the final determination of that investigation on March 29, 2021, then Undersheriff Jason Mathews outlined the allegations of “age bias” made by McCue’s colleague, relating one specific example.
“…he said while on a road trip with Sgt. McCue, he (McCue) made a comment about trying to make an environment where they were pushing out older people and making way for newer people,” Mathews wrote. “During the road trip, Sgt. McCue made a comment that they are making older people feel uncomfortable with the new training. He also commented that older people were a cancer to the agency.”
McCue is reportedly a member of CCSO’s “God Squad,” who were Burnett’s inner circle of officers who also attend Grace City Church.
McCue was one of three fellow officers and GCC members who joined former Sheriff Brian Burnett onstage at Grace City Church to decry police reform legislation in 2021. You can watch that full forum via the CCSO on Facebook here.