DALLES, Ore. — A Wasco County probation officer who was fired for using a Nazi salute in the workplace must be reinstated, according to a state arbitrator’s ruling.
Shawn Sorensen, the county’s lead probation officer, had repeatedly greeted a colleague of German descent with the salute and the phrase “Mein Führer,” according to an internal investigation obtained by The Oregonian. That same colleague, Marco Beitl, allegedly mimicked Adolf Hitler’s mustache with his fingers and was overheard referring to his groomed dog as “looking like a Jew.”
The behavior, described by Sheriff Lane Magill as “egregious and offensive,” led to both officers being terminated in 2023. But arbitrator Dorothy Foley determined that Sorensen’s actions, while inappropriate and unprofessional, did not amount to discrimination or harassment under employment standards. She ordered Sorensen’s reinstatement with back pay and benefits, issuing only a written reprimand.
Despite the ruling, Sheriff Magill said he has no intention of bringing Sorensen back.
“We cannot tolerate a hostile work environment and will not allow antisemitic behavior at our office,” Magill told The Oregonian.
The decision could set the stage for a legal dispute. The Federation of Oregon Parole and Probation Officers, which backed Sorensen’s grievance, is expected to file a labor complaint seeking his return.
The situation stems from complaints filed in 2023, about a year after Sorensen was promoted to lead officer. Several staff members reported concerns about his management style and repeated use of Nazi-themed gestures with Beitl. The county placed both men on paid administrative leave and launched an internal investigation, along with a separate inquiry by an outside investigator.
Both Sorensen and Beitl are military veterans. Sorensen, 56, served in the U.S. Air Force for more than two decades; Beitl, 53, worked as a federal police officer in Germany. Sorensen admitted to making the salutes and told investigators it was part of a longstanding, joking exchange with Beitl. “It was not uncommon,” he said in a transcript. Beitl denied participating in the behavior and claimed he had previously reported Sorensen’s conduct to a supervisor.
During a hearing in January, Sorensen said the gestures were “goofiness” and not meant to offend. When questioned by the county’s attorney about the seriousness of the Holocaust and Hitler’s role, Sorensen said he understood the offensive nature of the salute in hindsight.
The arbitrator acknowledged Sorensen’s 12-year disciplinary-free record and accepted that he admitted to the behavior during the investigation. She described the environment in the office as “open, casual, irreverent and sarcastic,” and pointed out that prior complaints about workplace conduct had been dismissed or ignored by management.
Still, Magill maintained that the conduct warranted termination, citing the profession’s higher standard and public accountability.
“There is no excuse for this behavior,” Magill told the arbitrator. “It goes to the professional standards of how we conduct ourselves in law enforcement.”
Sorensen remains off the job more than six weeks after the arbitrator’s March decision. The state’s Department of Public Safety Standards and Training is still reviewing the case.
Magill said if legal action is taken, the county is prepared to defend the termination in court.
