Lawsuit Planned after Fired Selmer Officer not Rehired
MCNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn.- The fight for former Selmer Police officer who was fired in February then denied back on duty after the charges against him were dropped is underway, with a pending civil rights violation lawsuit against the city. Former officer Quinton Garland was fired from the police force after he was arrested and charged with domestic assault. The charge against Garland was dropped on March 21 for lack of proof. In a hearing Thursday, Garland asked for his job back at the department but was denied by the Board of Aldermen. Garland has worked as a police officer a total of seven years,serving 3 years in Selmer. “I’m still emotional at this point I feel like they already had a decision already made,” said Garland. ” Furthermore, I feel like they are still saying I’m guilty but I’m not guilty, I’m innocent.” After reviewing some of the personnel files from Selmer Police department Garland’s attorney, DJ Norton told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News that he believes the city violated Garland’s civil rights, treating him differently than other officers within the department who have had similar domestic charges on file. He said he plans to pursue every legal avenue against the city with a civil rights lawsuit. “I can see no other reason they would try and get rid of this officer he has nothing else in his personnel file nothing else what so ever,” said Norton. “No other officers were terminated prior to their court date and if their court date was dismissed, most of them went back on the job.” According to Mayor David Robinson and the Board of Aldermen, Garland’s case is different because he gave a confession statement to the department. “I never wrote a statement saying what happened that was a report that the chief had in his hand, that was not my statement,” said Garland. Mayor Robinson said Garland was fired as a result of the department’s policies and procedures and that he was dismissed fairly. Robinson said Garland’s case was handled no different than at least 5 other cases, where officers were fired for violating the department’s policy in the past. Nearly 60 residents showed up in support of Garland at his appeal before the Board of Aldermen. In light of the board’s decision to deny Garland’s return, residents are now signing a petition for both the Mayor and Chief of Police to resign. “I feel like he was not treated fairly in addition to some of the other incidents I’ve heard of,” said resident Delores Westbrook. Westbrook said so far more than 60 people have signed the petition. Garland said he does not wish to return to the force, but he does wish to clear his name and reputation with the city he has served for three years. “I want to move on with my life, continue to be a police officer in which I will, I’m going to fight to be a police officer and I may make detective one day who knows,” said Garland. ” It’s just a misunderstanding that’s all it was and the police department blew it all out of proportion.”
