MPD officer’s suspension appeal denied

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October 13, 2009

Hearing set to decide if Thompson gets job back

By Brian Livingston The Meridian Star Tue Oct 13, 2009, 11:44 PM CDT

A Meridian police officer, who was suspended and then terminated on the grounds he defrauded an insurance company in regards to worker's compensation checks issued to him earlier this year, was denied an appeal request regarding his suspension Tuesday afternoon by members of the Meridian Civil Service Commission.

The reason for their denial: his appeal was not made in the timely manner set down by commission regulations, they said.

Dareadell Terrell Thompson of Collinsville, an eight-year veteran of the MPD, can still appeal his termination from the department. The hearing will be held Nov. 10 at the next Meridian Civil Service Commission meeting in the Meridian Municipal Court Room of the MPD.

In an Oct. 9 letter MPD Chief Lee Shelbourn sent to Thompson which was part of the meeting's record Tuesday, commission members were advised Thompson was suspended without pay Sept. 1 by Shelbourn for what Shelbourn stated as, "impropriety or your actions which appeared to defraud Travelers Insurance Company."

Shelbourn further stated that contact with representatives of Travelers Insurance Company confirmed his belief Thompson misrepresented his work status to the company in order to obtain payment for lost wages that he believed Thompson was not due.

Thompson was terminated as an officer with the MPD on Oct. 9.

Thompson was seeking a favorable ruling on his suspension including back pay for which the commission members voted unanimously to reject on the grounds the appeal paperwork, as pointed out by Meridian city attorney Bill Ready Jr., had not been filed in the 10-day time period required.

"The appeal must be submitted in ten calendar days, not ten working days," Ready told the commission members.

After listening to Thompson's attorney, Lisa Ross, the commission members did agree to schedule an appeal hearing for Thompson on his termination.

Documents of Thompson's appeal obtained at the meeting showed Thompson was involved in a traffic accident while on duty in November 2008. On April 21, 2009 he had surgery on his left shoulder that was injured in the accident. In June, according to the documents, he began receiving multiple checks from Travelers Insurance.

The documents further stated Thompson went back to work with the MPD on Aug. 28. Thompson said in the documents he received the letter of his 15-day suspension without pay on Sept. 22 on the grounds he defrauded the insurance company.

Thompson states in the appeal documents that the same day he was suspended he talked with his representative with Travelers Insurance Company, Michelle Smith. Thompson said Smith admitted there may have been some confusion in the way he was paid for his time off. The last check she sent, he said in the documents, had been sent after he went back to work. Thompson said he would write her a personal check to pay the insurance company back for the last check. Documentation shows a personal check for $828. 86 that cleared Sept. 28.

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