A Palm Beach County School District police officer is facing a one-week suspension and a 30-day revocation of his take-home vehicle after a department investigation concluded he maintained extended, unauthorized contact with a student during on-duty hours, purchased gifts for her and used his department-issued vehicle to transport her.
The Palm Beach County School Board is expected to accept the department's recommended punishment of Officer Christopher Delgado during a meeting on Sept. 16. His suggested discipline is on a portion of the board's meeting agenda that is typically approved without debate.
Delgado would be able to appeal the suspension and vehicle revocation through the Police Benevolent Association. Efforts to reach him were unsuccessful,
and the PBA did not return a call seeking comment.
District police did not find probable cause to support a criminal charge against Delgado, according to its report. The girl's father told investigators he does not believe Delgado committed a crime against his daughter, who reported that the officer was a trusted adult whom she relied on as she struggled with her mental health.
The girl's father, however, went to district police in February after viewing his daughter's phone records, which showed dozens of calls between his daughter and Delgado over a 40-day period, including one that lasted nearly eight hours.
An investigator noted that 53 of the calls were from Delgado to the girl, while nine were from the girl to him. Many of the calls lasted 30 minutes or longer.
In speaking to an investigator, the girl's father "re-emphasized the frequency and duration of the communication were excessive and needed to stop," the report states.
Officer's calls continued after girl left middle school, district police report
For his part, "Officer Delgado stipulated to the authenticity of the cellular records obtained in the investigation, and the phone number listed was his personal cell phone number," an investigative report states.
"When questioned regarding the excessive length and frequency of the calls — specifically 62 conversations exceeding 30 minutes and one call lasting 447 minutes (approximately 7.5 hours) — Officer Delgado maintained they talked about 'nothing' for the vast majority of the time."
Delgado said the girl "suffered from severe social anxiety and would request he remain on the telephone line simply to ensure someone was present, which helped manage her condition," according to the investigative report.
"During after-hours and weekend calls, the student would update him on her daily activities and school occurrences. Officer Delgado asserted when the student presented mental health or physical well-being struggles during these calls, he routinely directed her to consult with her current school therapist, counselor, or nurse."
The report states Delgado continued to contact the student when she left middle school and started the ninth grade.
"He categorized their ongoing interactions after she left (redacted) Middle School as weekly 'check-ins,' " the report states.
The girl, who joined a club Delgado started when she was in middle school, corroborated Delgado's description of their telephone calls, "explaining she frequently requested he remain on the telephone line silently without active conversation, wishing only to know an adult was available for emotional support."
The girl told an investigator Delgado bought her gifts, including arts and crafts supplies and clothing, according to the report, which notes Delgado also used his department-issued vehicle to drive the girl to and from school. She also said Delgado gave her $20 per week for a month or two to buy food and would send food to her home through DoorDash.
"She explained the food was items she enjoyed rather than meals her parents would normally eat," the report states.
Pedophiles sometimes groom potential victims, plying them with gifts, attention or both in a bid to build trust and, ultimately, establish control.
The girl, however, told an investigator, that "she would recognize grooming behavior if it were occurring, as she had previously experienced such contact on two previous occasions," the report states. "She reported one incident involved her biological brother, who subsequently served jail time, and another involved an adult family friend."
The report says the girl showed an investigator text messages between herself and Delgado.
"I observed no contact that appeared inappropriate or concerning," the investigator stated.
Officer admits to driving girl in school vehicle, hours of off-duty texts
In his interview with an investigator, Delgado admitted using his department-issued vehicle to transport the girl.
"He claimed he did so under the impression her father, (redacted), had consented," the report states. "Officer Delgado explained the family experienced routine mechanical vehicle issues, leading him to offer the transportation. Officer Delgado admitted he did not speak directly with (redacted) to verify permission. Instead, he relied on verbal compliance from the student, who would present text messages on her phone purportedly showing her father's approval."
Delgado "admitted he never disclosed the vehicle use to his supervisors," the report states.
The officer also did not seek permission from supervisors prior to purchasing items for the girl, according to the report.
"He submitted a Walmart receipt into the investigative record totaling $50.11 for art and painting supplies, explaining he bought them because the student enjoyed painting," the report states. "He denied purchasing higher-value canvases or Christmas gifts, though he occasionally purchased food for the student when requested."
The investigative report notes that, in February, Delgado filed a report with the Florida Department of Children and Families after the girl told him she was receiving inadequate nutrition and dental care and felt unsafe at home because of ongoing conflict with her mother.
DCF reached out to the girl's father, who told the police investigator he wondered how DCF learned some of what it shared with him.
"To identify the potential source of this information, he reviewed his daughter’s cellular phone records online," the police report states.
There is no indication in the reports what, if any, conclusion DCF made about the allegations Delgado reported. As the police department's investigation into his actions commenced, officers told him he was to have no contact with the girl.
"Officer Delgado asked, 'Can you let her know I’m not allowed to contact her so she doesn’t think I’m ignoring her?' " the report states. "I informed Officer Delgado relaying such a message would be inappropriate."
While the police department found no probable cause to support criminal charges against Delgado, it did find he violated a series of department rules, including those governing relationships with students, transporting citizens in a department-issued vehicle, on-duty responsibilities and adhering to the department's standard of conduct.
Delgado, the report states, "maintained unauthorized communication with a former student during on-duty hours to an extent he could not have reasonably remained attentive to the needs of his campus, purchased a gift without supervisor notification, and utilized his agency-issued patrol vehicle for unofficial business."
The department determined that "Officer Delgado’s actions reflect poorly on himself and the agency. Such conduct can affect the morale and efficiency of the department by diminishing public respect for the officer."
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education and Riviera Beach development for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: School police officer faces suspension for gifts, rides to student
