The Wisconsin Professional Police Association has filed a complaint against Hortonville Police Chief, Michael Sullivan, on behalf of Hortonville officers.
Sullivan was suspended for two weeks in February. He was on paid leave since October after Village leaders brought complaints claiming his policies discouraged officers' rights.
According to a press release from the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the chief vowed not to repeat the mistakes that led to his discipline. According to a new complaint filed with the state yesterday, Hortonville’s officers allege that Sullivan continues to violate both the law and village policies since he returned from his suspension.
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association said the Police Commission found Sullivan guilty of violating officers’ rights when he issued written directives which he required each of them sign to acknowledge that they could terminated for doing anything that appeared in his judgment to be a complaint. Despite the Commission’s decision and the fact that he acknowledged his wrongdoing under oath, Sullivan refused the officers’ request this week to revoke the coercive directives. In a departmental meeting, Sullivan informed them that the directives had been placed in each officer’s personnel file, and that any officer that wanted it removed from their file would have to request a private meeting with him to have that discussion.
“During the recent disciplinary proceedings, Sullivan openly acknowledged that he shouldn’t have issued these high-handed directives,” said Jim Palmer, the executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. “For him to now refuse to revoke these overbearing orders is a slap in the face, not only to the officers that serve the community, but to the authority of the Police Commission as well.”
The complaint filed yesterday asks the WERC to order Sullivan to rescind the coercive directives and remove them from the officers’ personnel files.
In addition to seeking an order requiring Sullivan to cease and desist taking actions like this in the future, the WPPA demands that the Village pay its legal fees for having to bring the complaint.
