35 replies to this topic

[M.E.G.]

From the SacBee this am:

2 Fired Folsom Police Officers Sue to Get Their Jobs Back

Two Folsom police officers were fired after they allegedly turned an undercover sting into an on-duty fling involving college-age girls, according to court records.

Now, they're suing to get their jobs back, accusing their department and the city of violating their rights while conducting the internal investigation.

Former officers Carl Siegler and Brian Unden filed a civil suit against the Folsom Police Department and the city of Folsom earlier this month, alleging they were not afforded certain protections guaranteed by the state's Peace Officers Bill of Rights.

They were denied those protections, the suit alleges, as supervisors looked into complaints from other officers that Siegler and Unden had engaged in "inappropriate conduct" with college-age girls in Chico while participating in an undercover sting.

It appears from the suit that the alleged violations of the Peace Officers Bill of Rights – and not denial of the alleged inappropriate conduct – are the basis of the lawsuit.

"Police officers are entitled to certain due process rights under the Government Code," said the former officers' attorney, Sean Howell. "The lawsuit is basically just to enforce their rights under that code."

Howell declined to comment further.

In a prepared statement, Folsom Police Sgt. Rick Hillman told The Bee that the lawsuit has been forwarded to the city attorney's office for evaluation and response.

"The Police Department does take seriously allegations of misconduct and has and will continue to investigate allegations of misconduct and take appropriate corrective action when such allegations of misconduct are sustained," Hillman said.

In an answer filed last week, the department and the city denied the allegations. There also was "good cause" for the officers' firing, wrote attorney Bruce Praet.

According to paperwork filed in Sacramento Superior Court this month, department supervisors were told Siegler and Unden had been part of an undercover sting in Chico when "one or more of the officers had engaged in inappropriate conduct with college girls while on duty and thereafter released the college-aged women without charge or consequence."

Supervisors also were told the alleged misconduct took place "in city-assigned vehicles," according to the suit.

The nature of the undercover sting is not clear in the suit, though it states that the operation was carried out by the SENET team. The Police Department's Web site states that the team of detectives typically works in plainclothes and in unmarked vehicles and focuses on crime that can't always be addressed by patrol officers.

Among the SENET team's goals listed on the Web site are: "the supervision of alcohol-related 'decoy' operations, narcotics-related offenses, and tracking criminal gang activity in the City of Folsom."

The problems alleged in the suit began when supervisors started asking questions about the complaints against Siegler and Unden.

Among the officers' allegations are:

• That supervisors failed to notify the officers of the nature of the investigation prior to interrogating them.

• That supervisors denied the officers their right to representation during the interrogation.

• That supervisors failed to suppress statements made by the officers "under duress, coercion or threat of punitive action."

• That supervisors denied officers their right to record the interrogations.

The officers are seeking to get their jobs back, as well as full back pay, an undetermined amount of damages and attorneys' fees.

The city and department, in turn, are asking that the suit be dismissed and that the officers pay their legal fees.

[mylo]

Sadly, it's probably cheaper to just hire them back and put them on permanent paid leave than to try and fight a court battle.

[old soldier]

I hope they weren't doing one of those prostitution stings cause the arrest is supposed to be made before the deed thats being talked about is done.

chico's a long ways for our boys to working anyway, with the budget being like it is. I'll betcha old fiesty kerri will be asking some hard questions cause we are just having too darn many policemen getting in trouble, and for what seems to be not too smart things

[supermom]

Wow.

I can only imagine that the FPD is trying to save face, right now.

How can other officers ever trust these two cops-ever-after this sort of
alleged behavior?

[Fowler]

If only the supervisors had followed the rules during the investigation prior to firing them. That sure would have saved the city some money in the long run.

[Dave Burrell]

If only the supervisors had followed the rules during the investigation prior to firing them. That sure would have saved the city some money in the long run.

It's too bad that right from wrong does not prevail and instead minor oversights like this will net them tens (maybe even hundreds) of thousands of dollars from our city, in a sense rewarding them for their bad behavior.

[Malamute]

It's too bad that right from wrong does not prevail and instead minor oversights like this will net them tens (maybe even hundreds) of thousands of dollars from our city, in a sense rewarding them for their bad behavior.

Agreed, let's hope the judge that oversees this case finds the FPD did nothing wrong.
Even if the officers were unjustly terminated (I doubt that is the case), I know I wouldn't want to work with someone that sued to get their job back, I just can't imagine that ever being a comfortable work environment to be in.

[Dave Burrell]

Agreed, let's hope the judge that oversees this case finds the FPD did nothing wrong.
Even if the officers were unjustly terminated (I doubt that is the case), I know I wouldn't want to work with someone that sued to get their job back, I just can't imagine that ever being a comfortable work environment to be in.

I agree, plus I wouldn't want to work with either of those ex-officers who obviously do not know right from wrong at all.

[supermom]

Don't you think it very interesting that the cops arrested for stealing used cooking oil got a lot more headlines than cops cavorting with college girls during a police investigation?

[eVader]

strange that removing used oil is a larger offense then boinking college girls while on duty

Then as of this moment they are on double secret probation!
-Dean Wormer, Animal House

[mylo]

strange that removing used oil is a larger offense then boinking college girls while on duty

That's an unfair comparison. The grease theft was only discussed more because some people argued it wasn't a crime. Nobody is arguing what these guys did wasn't, so there's nothing to discuss. They got fired, end of story (at least until the lawsuit). It's not more or less of an offense. Any offense committed should be investigated and appropriate action taken.

[supermom]

That's an unfair comparison. The grease theft was only discussed more because some people argued it wasn't a crime. Nobody is arguing what these guys did wasn't, so there's nothing to discuss. They got fired, end of story (at least until the lawsuit). It's not more or less of an offense. Any offense committed should be investigated and appropriate action taken.

Right..........

And this story was reported/disclosed to the taxpayers?.......

[ducky]

That's an unfair comparison. The grease theft was only discussed more because some people argued it wasn't a crime. Nobody is arguing what these guys did wasn't, so there's nothing to discuss. They got fired, end of story (at least until the lawsuit). It's not more or less of an offense. Any offense committed should be investigated and appropriate action taken.

Also, I believe it's alleged the monkeying around with the college girls occurred while the officers were on duty - the grease theft wasn't, nor was the recent DUI incident.

I'm with others who have said it would be really strange if they got their jobs back. How awkward of a work environment that would be.