Updated March 7 2:53 p.m.: Story amended to clarify the official reason given by UNA Police chief Bob Pastula for why the officer handling a rape investigation in September left the police force in February. 

A story on the front page of this week’s printed issue of The Flor-Ala regarding a rape investigation contained incorrect information in the story and headline. In February, the officer mentioned in the story left the force for another job, according to UNA Police Chief Bob Pastula.

The Flor-Ala strives to get information right the first time, but when we don’t, we’re happy to set the record straight.

The investigation of an attempted rape on campus two weeks ago has been conditionally closed pending the victim’s decision to press charges, said UNA police chief Bob Pastula.

“It is one of those cold cases where we’ll have to wait and see if the victim wants to do anything,” Pastula said. “We are not doing any more investigation on it until she comes forward. If she went to the district attorney and swore out a warrant for (the suspects), then they would be brought in, taken down to the courthouse and processed.”

Pastula said police know the identities of the two suspects and that university student conduct officials have conducted investigations, in accordance with the Clery Act. He said, to his knowledge, no new information was discovered in the additional investigations.

“(The victim indicated she wanted to press charges in the initial interview) and I guess she’s had time to think about it,” Pastula said. “(Investigator William) Pitts has tried to call her and she won’t answer or return any of his calls.”

Pastula said the victim was intoxicated during his initial interview with her.

Pastula also said a officer who lead the investigation of an unrelated rape investigation in September is no longer with the force. 

“(We tried to contact her) the best we could through Rape Response, but we’ve never really had anymore contact with her,” Pastula said. “That was because she was not treated appropriately when she was interviewed. In my mind there’s no question that the officer was wrong in the way he went about it.”

Pastula said via text message the officer who conducted the interview with the victim from an alleged sexual assault in September resigned. Pastula said via text message that the officer’s mishandling of the initial interview with the alleged victim “was probably one reason” he resigned. Pastula specified Thursday, March 7, the officer left the force in February for another job opportunity. 

He said that he believes the right suspect is in jail for a different crime, although the victim did not identify a perpetrator.

“(The case is) not closed but she’s never come in to give us anymore information,” Pastula said. “I think we arrested the right guy for something else, and the guy that I think did it is in jail. But I don’t really have enough proof to say, ‘Yeah, that was him.’”

Pastula said the case will remain open until new information comes to light. He also said the experience has forced him to re-evaluate how crimes of this nature are to be handled.

“I had to come out with a specific policy outlining with guidelines of exactly how things are done (in sexual assault cases), and I just revised that again so I’ll be publishing that again,” Pastula said. “I’m probably going to send everybody in the department to (sexual assault training). (This program) teaches you how to (perform investigations) compassionately and caringly while getting you the information you need.”