Justice Dept. rebukes top DEA agent in Arizona

The special agent in charge of the Phoenix office of the Drug Enforcement Administration had an “unprofessional personal relationship” with a subordinate and gave her preferential treatment, according to an investigation by the federal Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General.

Justice Department inspectors say the top Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Arizona had an “unprofessional personal relationship” with a subordinate and gave her preferential treatment.

An investigative report and summary from the Office of Inspector General said Douglas Coleman, special agent in charge of the Phoenix DEA office, acknowledged being “best friends” with the employee, and the two “conducted themselves in a manner that created a perception that (he) was providing benefits to the subordinate.”

Inspectors concluded Douglas Coleman “showed favoritism toward the subordinate” in relation to bonuses and promotions. Office of Inspector General investigative report

Coleman declined to comment for this story.

The inspector general’s report on most pages was too heavily redacted to understand. Allegations in the synopsis are vague and do not describe specific misconduct or dates.

“While there was circumstantial evidence of a romantic relationship between them,” the investigative report says, “the OIG did not find actual evidence of a romantic relationship.”

Nevertheless, inspectors concluded, Coleman “showed favoritism toward the subordinate” in relation to bonuses and promotions. The report also says Coleman and the employee went on a travel assignment viewed as “unnecessary and wasteful.”

Coleman has been in charge of the Phoenix DEA office since 2010. A spokesman at agency headquarters declined to comment except to say that a disciplinary process was still underway.