Law | National | Politics

Native Sun News: Ex-Rapid City police chief admits erasing tape

Thursday, May 28, 2015

The following story was written and reported by Richie Richards, Native Sun News Staff Writer. All content © Native Sun News.

Rapid City mayoral candidate Steve Allender. Photo from Facebook

Mayoral candidate Allender gives his side of story
By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Staff Writer

RAPID CITY –– Recently, Native Sun News has published articles telling the story of Glen Yellow Robe’s efforts to come forward as a victim of racial discrimination and harassment during his time as an officer and investigator for the Rapid City Police Department (RCPD).

NSN has interviewed former police chief, and current mayoral candidate, Steve Allender regarding the allegations charged against him by Yellow Robe.

In 1990, 25 years ago, Governor George Mickelson, after a challenge from newspaper publisher Tim Giago, proclaimed a “Year of Reconciliation” between the large Native American population and the non-Native residents and government in the state.

Ethical changes were made during this time for race relations and reparations, but beneath the surface of public knowledge a select group of men, and women within the RCPD in the early 1990’s were subjecting each other to racial slurs and sexual practical jokes.

The delivery of these “shock humor” jabs were done by willing participants in a select circle of office civilian personnel and active police officers. Though, not everyone actively partook in the illegal and immoral acts of racial denigration.

According to Steve Allender and verified by others by NSN, a “traveling trophy” was awarded to “someone who delivered a good insult. Everyone won the trophy at one point or another.”

When asked if Yellow Robe ever won the traveling trophy, Allender responded, “Oh, of course. We all did.”

Allender alleges that Yellow Robe participated in the insults and jokes. He said, “Glen was the worst offender. He was no 300 pound victim sitting in the room with us.”

Allender said he does not want to throw mud back and forth with Yellow Robe, discussed the type of humor used by the Lakota officer at the time.

Glen Yellow Robe when he served as a Rapid City Patrolman.

During the period from 1990-1993, Allender admits to being a willing and able participant of the ignorant shenanigans happening during office hours with co-workers. At this time, he was a peer of Yellow Robe’s and a fellow officer.

When asked if he ever said the now infamous quote of “Black is beautiful, brown is grand, but white is the color of the big boss man,” Allender said, “No, I don’t deny that Glen ever heard that at some point, but it was not me.”

About the “boss man” comment, Allender said two things could have happened, either “Glen heard it and believes it was me. Or he made it up.” Up until the articles were published by NSN recently, the former police chief claims he “never heard that before in my life.”

Allender feels that Glen Yellow Robe was a friend. They shared many times together as police officers both on duty and during periods of personal time. Allender admits that the work environment in the early 1990’s was not always appropriate, but that “if anyone would’ve said they were offended, we all would’ve stopped.”

After the birth of his first child and promotion to sergeant in 1993, Allender said that’s when things changed, “I was leaving my peers to go work with young impressionable cops who I was supervising. This had a major impact- it changed me.” He said he no longer participated in the racial and sexual office bantering.

From left to right: Brandon Yellow Robe, his father Luke, and Glen Yellow Robe and his wife Geraldine. Both Luke and Glen are retired police officers. Photo by Richie Richards

During this time, Allender’s wife left the work force to care for their growing family (they have two grown children now); he suffered a broken hand at this time and was placed on light duties in investigations. Allender began a second job as a security guard to support his family.

In 1993, while complaints regarding the work performance of Yellow Robe were circulating, Allender would encourage him to step it up. “Glen was not complying with his physical therapy plan- I interjected and even testified on his behalf.”

The destruction of physical evidence by Allender is not something he denies. At some point in 1993, Allender claims to have gone into the desk of Yellow Robe while “looking for something else,” when he found in an envelope with a date and Allender’s name on it.

This envelope contained a microcassette and he grabbed a magnetic eraser in the office and erased the tape. It was no secret Yellow Robe was recording evidence during this time, according to Allender.

When asked why he did it, Allender said, “I got upset. This was my friend. I held it up and I erased it. I was pissed. I felt betrayed. We were all part of the mutual exchange of ethnic jokes.” He did not consider it as destroying incriminating evidence.

Beginning in 2000, part of Glen Yellow Robe’s responsibilities as an investigator at this time was registering sex offenders. During the times when supervisors were asking Yellow Robe to perform at a higher level, Allender had asked the IT person to look into Yellow Robe’s internet surfing.

It was discovered Yellow Robe was following the online activities of a former bartender from the Hall Inn bar- which it was later discovered he had had an affair with. Allender claims he gave Yellow Robe a verbal warning about not doing his job in investigations. But he did so sparingly, because Yellow Robe would “get sensitive” and the threat to sue was always present.

In the 29 years Steve Allender was a cop in Rapid City, he served the community on many boards including WAVI, Community Relations Council, Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, and Juvenile Detention Alternatives and including starting “Operation Safe Path” in 2003.

This operation cleaned up the bike path which was a high crime rate area for many years. The RCPD worked with City Parks Department and many volunteers to make Rapid Creek a safer place. In 3-4 years, they removed over 100 tons of debris and brush. The homeless crime rate went down significantly following “Safe Path.”

During his service to the community of Rapid City, Steve Allender had no formal complaints for inappropriate jokes and according to him, “I had a good public career.”

Allender says, “Much of my career has been as a peace maker. I believe in equality. I became a cop because I wanted to help people who are victimized.”

He said he worked vigorously with Tribal Police in Pine Ridge to start the Officer Exchange Program in 2007.

Allender says this election is going to move forward on June 2 regardless of what took place over 20 years ago, saying, “If I would’ve known Glen was offended, I would’ve stopped. I didn’t learn about him being offended until 2007 when he stepped out to take action against me in a lawsuit. He was my friend.”

Allender wanted to take the opportunity to sit down and apologize to Glen Yellow Robe. During a time when race relations and reconciliations in Rapid City and South Dakota are at the forefront of social awareness, this would be a major step forward in that conversation.

At press time Yellow Robe said he stands behind the comments he made about Allender in an earlier news report and denies any of the allegations made about him by Allender.

(Richie Richards can be reached at staffwriter@nsweekly.com)