Quincy officer to be fired for alleged misconduct

QUINCY - A Quincy police officer, involved in a lawsuit against the city, may be fired.

Police Chief Richard Ackerman issued a letter to Officer Aaron Doyle stating the officer was terminated from his position after 24 allegations of misconduct were "sustained as factual." The officer was originally accused of 27 acts of misconduct.

"I am convinced by a clear preponderance of the evidence that you violated all of the aforementioned and documented policies, procedures and regulations, because you knew, or should have known, and were fully aware, that you were committing misconduct," Ackerman wrote. "I find that termination is the appropriate level of discipline."

The Columbia Basin Herald filed a public records request for the results of the investigation and continues waiting for the information.

Doyle is suing the city, former Police Chief Bill Gonzales, former Sgt. Scott Jones and Sgt. Dan Dopps claiming he was punished for exercising his First Amendment rights. The officer has also filed a $3 million tort claim alleging city and police officials denied him two promotions, denied him due process rights and interfered with his employment at Quincy Valley Medical Center.

Ackerman continued, stating Doyle's behavior and comments during the alleged incidents and the administrative investigation, "indicate a serious lack of integrity and propensity to provide false and misleading statements to supervisors."

Doyle did not appear during a meeting scheduled to discuss discipline, or request an extension, according to the letter.

The officer did provide a letter responding to the meeting, stating the chief scheduled the initial meeting, while he was on medical leave.

"You did not provide me with all the evidence you relied upon to reach your conclusions," Doyle wrote. "Rather than accommodate my medical leave, the city chose to go forward and e-mail me and my attorney with the proposed discipline and a limited number of documents."

The officer accused Ackerman of "being focused on a result" and fabricating documents to "justify your conclusion." He disagreed with the chief's conclusions about the allegations, stating he didn't feel there was any way to change the chief's mind.

"Rather than continue this brutal process any longer, it appears it is in my best interests to have you impose your discipline so we can go forward to arbitration, where you will be required to prove each and every one of the allegations you have brought against me in front of a neutral arbitrator," Doyle wrote.

City Administrator Tim Snead said the next step in the termination process is Mayor Jim Hemberry's decision. If he agrees with the chief's decision, it would proceed to arbitration involving the Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission.

Doyle's attorney, Garth Dano, said they plan to take the decision to an arbitrator, and if the arbitrator sides with the officer, he will be reinstated and will be given his back pay.

"We believe the allegations are spurious. We believe they are politically motivated," he said.

Dano said a date for the arbitration hasn't been set yet, but a request has been made by the union.

Hemberry said he didn't want to comment about Doyle because of the pending lawsuit.