A police officer is a trusted public servant. Whenever there is any kind of suspicion that a police officer in Colorado or any other state has acted unethically or outside of the confines of their job, other police officers may be ordered to investigate the alleged actions of that police officer. An investigation of a police officer led to that officer being fired, which has now resulted in her pursuing a wrongful termination lawsuit against other officers and town officials.
The police officer was allegedly fired for harassing a few town residents. She was also accused of texting excessively while on the job. However, upon further review, an arbitrator later overturned the termination because it was found that the town didn’t prove the allegations.
The town then delayed reinstating her and she is seeking retribution for lost wages for the year she was out of work. The officer at the heart of this case was originally assigned to investigate another officer for alleged wrongdoing. That assignment somehow led to the investigating officer then facing accusations of wrongdoing herself. Additionally, that particular officer was once the target of a claim by the first officer when he was her instructor.
Whenever a situation arises where investigations appear to be tainted or a conflict of interest, the findings may result in a termination being overturned, as is claimed in this case. While wrongful termination is tough to prove in Colorado or anywhere else, it can be a successful pursuit under the right circumstances. If a wrongful termination suit is successful, the wronged employee may win back wages, reinstating of a job, or other damages depending on the exact nature of the case.
Source: telegram.com, Millbury police officer sues town, alleging wrongful termination, Susan Spencer, Jan. 30, 2014