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The Denver Post
City seeks to restore suspension of Turney
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 -
Denver police officer James Turney's original 10-month suspension in connection with the fatal shooting of a developmentally disabled teenager should be restored, city officials said in an appeal filed this week.
City officials filed an appeal of Civil Service Commission hearing officer John Criswell's ruling that reduced Turney's penalty to a five-day suspension and a one-day fine. A decision on the appeal could be months away. In the appeal, filed late Monday with the Civil Service Commission, the city says it believes Criswell erroneously interpreted department or Civil Service rules and that his decision doesn't reflect city policy considerations. "The decision of the Hearing Officer involves policy considerations that may have effect beyond the case at hand," the city's motion says. Turney was suspended in connection with the July 5, 2003, shooting of 15-year-old Paul Childs, which sparked outrage among some in the community and led to dramatic police reforms by Mayor John Hickenlooper. The city also asked for a partial stay of the hearing officer's order that Turney receive back pay and benefits from the suspension. The city contends Turney may be unlikely to pay the city back if the suspension is reinstated. Criswell, a former state appeals court judge, this month threw out Turney's suspension for alleged procedural mistakes leading up to the fatal shots. Criswell ruled Turney should be punished only for incidents a day before the shooting - a telephone threat against his former mother-in-law and excessive cellphone use while on duty. Staff writer Sean Kelly can be reached at 303-820-1858 or skelly@denverpost.com. |