Criminal charges against Honolulu Police Department civilian employee Sharon Black were dismissed by a Circuit Court judge Monday, but Black will remain on leave with pay from her HPD job while the department conducts an administrative review of her conduct, she said yesterday.

"This entire case has been a phenomenal waste of taxpayers' money," said Black, 47, a crisis worker who assisted officers dealing with mentally ill and homeless people.

"And it's still going on. I've been off work for a year and a half and I still can't go back."

Black was charged with unauthorized use of city computers, fourth-degree theft and tampering with a government record, growing from a research project she was conducting at the city medical examiner's office in 2005.

A Circuit Court jury could not reach a verdict on the charges when the case was tried this year. On Monday, Circuit Judge Richard Perkins granted a defense motion to dismiss the case.

Black maintained during the trial that the charges were in retaliation for a sexual harassment lawsuit she brought against the department some 10 years ago. In 2003, the city paid $612,000 to Black and her attorneys to settle that suit.

Now, Black said, she is considering filing a new lawsuit against the city.

Black said that she expects to be exonerated in HPD's internal affairs investigation, but she's not sure if she wants to return to work at the department.

"I don't know," she said. "I know I made a difference there. But I just don't know about the health benefits of going back to a workplace where there's such an atmosphere of retaliation and vindictiveness."

HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu said yesterday that the department had no comment because of the pending Administrative Review Board proceedings involving Black.

City Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Van Marter said yesterday, "We are very disappointed that the court's ruling did not reflect the seriousness of the conduct alleged in this case."

Reach Jim Dooley at jdooley@honoluluadvertiser.com.