Case Name: Terry SHIELDS and Robert Helmka v. CITY OF SHREVEPORT, et al.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1991-05-06
Citations: 579 So. 2d 961
Docket Number: No. 90-C-2069
Parties: Terry SHIELDS and Robert Helmka v. CITY OF SHREVEPORT, et al.
Judges: LEMMON, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 579
Pages: 961–973

Head Matter:
Terry SHIELDS and Robert Helmka v. CITY OF SHREVEPORT, et al.
No. 90-C-2069.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
May 6, 1991.
Dissenting Opinion of Justice Dennis May 28, 1991.
Ronald Miciotto, Shreveport, for Terry Shields and Robert Helmka plaintiffs-applicants.
Jerald N. Jones, City Atty. and Lydia M. Rhodes, Asst. City Atty., for City of Shreveport, et al. defendants-respondents.

Opinion:
COLE, Justice.
This case involves the termination of two police officers by the Shreveport Police Department for drinking alcohol while performing security duty at a high school alumni reunion. The issues before us are whether sufficient evidence supported the charges which led to the officers' termination and whether § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (1982) applies to prohibit their terminations. We conclude there was sufficient evidence to support the findings of the Civil Service Board of Review; and, the Rehabilitation Act has no application to the officers' termination from service. The judgment of the court of appeal upholding the terminations is, therefore, affirmed.
I.
Plaintiffs Terry Shields and Robert Helmka accepted the extra duty job on June 27, 1987. The high school class reunion party was held at the Holidome in Shreveport. Shields and Helmka were attired in the uniform of the Shreveport Police Department during the entire assignment. Both officers admitted leaving the motel on two occasions and purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages while in uniform and while performing the security duty for the affair. In addition, Shields admitted serving a drink to a party guest, and Helmka fell asleep in public view while on duty.
An investigation was initiated on July 7, 1987 by the Shreveport Police Chief. On August 17, 1987 a pre-disciplinary hearing was conducted. Following this hearing, the Chief placed the officers on administrative leave and directed them to the Employee Assistance Program to be evaluated for any drinking problem. The program counselor suggested they be evaluated by an independent chemical dependency service. This was done and preliminary findings were made by the service that both Shields and Helmka are alcoholics. On August 21, 1987 the officers were terminated from employment for violation of Departmental Rules and Civil Service Statutes.
Pursuant to La.R.S. 38:2501(A), plaintiffs appealed their dismissal to the City of Shreveport Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board ("the Board"). After conducting the required hearing, on December 16, 1987 the Board voted 3-2 to uphold the dismissals.
Plaintiffs next appealed their termination to the First Judicial District Court, Caddo Parish, pursuant to La.R.S. 33:2501(E)(1). They alleged the Board's decision was not supported by the law or by the evidence presented at the hearing. Later, they amended their petition to allege the Board erred when it failed to consider their alcoholism as a defense. The trial court concluded the officers should not have been terminated, but instead should have been offered rehabilitation.
The City of Shreveport and the Board appealed the ruling of the district court to the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit. Initially, that court affirmed the decision of the trial court. On rehearing, however, a five-judge panel recalled and vacated the original opinion and issued a new opinion reversing the trial court and upholding the terminations. Shields v. City of Shreveport, 565 So.2d 473, 478-81 (La.App.2d Cir.1990). The court concluded the Board had, in fact, acted in good faith in ratifying the dismissals since the evidence presented clearly revealed both officers openly violated departmental regulations. It held the trial court was not free to substitute its opinion as to appropriate disciplinary action when it is shown that officers violated a valid departmental regulation, and disciplinary action was necessary for the efficiency of the department and to avoid detriment to the public. The court noted a board's decision will be sustained unless the record reveals an abuse of discretion or an insufficiency of supporting evidence. Shields, 565 So.2d at 481. Additionally, the court noted that § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act does not preclude the discipline imposed. Id.
II.
Plaintiffs frame the sole issue for our resolution as being whether the court of appeal erred in failing to apply the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 when considering their termination. They proceed, however, to argue first their contention that insufficient evidence supported the violations found by the Board to have been proven. We shall address the latter contention first.
A civil service employee may be discharged or subjected to disciplinary sanctions for any one of the fifteen reasons set forth in La.R.S. 33:2500(A)(1-15). Shields and Helmka were terminated for violating the following statutory provisions: (1) unwillingness or failure to perform the duties of his position in a satisfactory manner; (3) the commission or omission of any act to the prejudice of the departmental service or contrary to the public interest or policy; (5) conduct of a discourteous or wantonly offensive nature toward the public, any municipal officer or employee; and, any dishonest, disgraceful, or immoral conduct; (6) drinking vinous or spirituous liquors while on duty or reporting for duty while under the influence of liquor; (7) the use of intoxicating liquors, . to an extent which precludes the employee from performing the duties of his position in a safe or satisfactory manner.
In addition, Shields and Helmka were found to have violated the following Shreveport Police Department Rules and Regulations:
Article 302:
Shall conduct themselves on and off duty in such a manner as to reflect most fa-
vorably on the department. A member is further charged with the duty to conduct himself at all times in keeping with the Code of Ethics and the policy statements of the Chief of Police. Any activity contrary to this concept, whether or not specifically mentioned or prohibited in these rules may subject a member to disciplinary action.
Article 305:
Shall constantly direct their best efforts to accomplish the functions of the department efficiently. They shall not engage in any activity of personal business which may cause them to neglect or be inattentive to duty. They shall at all times be attentive to their duties and by their alertness and observation, demonstrate an interest in their work.
Article 307:
Shall notify their supervisor if possible or someone else in authority before leaving their duty station or post for any reason, including injury or illness.
Article 309:
Shall maintain sufficient competency to properly perform their duties and assume the responsibilities of their positions. Members shall perform their duties in a manner which will maintain efficiency in carrying out the functions and objectives of the Department.
Article 312:
While on-duty shall not enter or visit any cocktail lounge, beer parlor, or similar place where alcoholic beverages is [sic] the principal commodity sold except when on official business.
Article 313:
Shall not drink any intoxicating beverage on duty, except in actual performance of their assigned duties requiring its use.
Article 315:
Shall not consume alcoholic beverages while wearing the police uniform or any part thereof.
When conducting a hearing on an appeal of a disciplinary action, a civil service board must vacate the decision of the appointing authority if it finds "that the action was not taken in good faith for cause." La.R.S. 33:2501(C)(1). The "cause" must be one of the causes specified in La.R.S. 33:2500. A board may affirm the appointing authority's action only "if the evidence is conclusive." La.R.S. 33:2501(C)(1). The appointing authority must prove its case by a preponderance of the evidence. Linton v. Bossier City Mun. Fire & Police Board, 428 So.2d 515 (La.App.2d Cir.1983). On appeal from an adverse decision of a civil service board, the hearing shall "be confined to the determination of whether the decision made by the board was made in good faith for cause under the provisions of this Part. No appeal to the court shall be taken except upon these grounds.... " La.R.S. 33:2501(E)(3). Our review of a civil service board's findings of fact is limited. Those findings are entitled to the same weight as findings of fact made by a trial court and are not to be overturned in the absence of manifest error. City of Kenner v. Wool, 433 So.2d 785, 788 (La.App. 5th Cir.1983).
The dismissal of a police officer does not occur "in good faith" if the appointing authority acted arbitrarily or capriciously, or as the result of prejudice or political expediency. Martin v. City of St. Martinville, 321 So.2d 532 (La.App.3rd Cir.1975), writ denied, 325 So.2d 273 (La.1976). "Arbitrary or capricious" means the lack of a rational basis for the action taken. Bicknell v. United States, 422 F.2d 1055 (5th Cir.1970).
We have no difficulty concluding that neither the appointing authority nor the Board acted arbitrarily or capriciously in upholding the terminations. Neither do we find insufficient evidence of record to support the numerous allegations of misconduct. By their own admission, Shields and Helmka twice left the duty premises to purchase alcohol. They were in uniform and were armed with department-issued service revolvers. They left without noti fying a superior officer. They proceeded to drink the alcohol while in uniform and while being paid to perform security services. Helmka admitted sleeping on the job for as much as two hours.
The officers' actions posed a serious danger to the safety of others. The disciplinary action was taken for valid legal cause. It was taken in good faith since both officers openly violated numerous departmental regulations. As the court of appeal noted, "[i]t is important, concerning employees sworn to uphold public trust, that a public service department be permitted to set appropriate standards of conduct." Shields, 565 So.2d at 481.
Having found sufficient evidentiary support for the allegations, having found no manifest error in the Board's findings, and having found the actions were taken in good faith for cause, we conclude Shields and Helmka were properly removed from the civil service.
III.
Plaintiffs next contend that § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (1982) should operate to prevent their being terminated without first being offered rehabilitative treatment for their alcoholism.
We note at the outset plaintiffs did not raise this issue before the Board at any time. Rather, the issue was raised for the first time in a memorandum to the district court, which was acting in an appellate capacity to review the Board's decision. The scope of review of a reviewing court in civil service appeals is limited to whether the board's decision was made in good faith for cause. Courts look only to the evidence presented before the board and will review this evidence in light of the presumption that the board found facts sufficient to afford a legal basis for its decision. McIntosh v. Monroe Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board, 389 So.2d 410, 413 (La.App.2d Cir.1980), writ denied, 395 So.2d 1363 (La.1981); La.R.S. 33:2501(E)(3).
We note also the Rehabilitation Act requires that the program or activity involved be one which receives Federal financial assistance. 29 U.S.C. § 794(a) (1982). At no point in these proceedings have the plaintiffs alleged that the Shreveport Police Department is the recipient of such assistance.
The issue raised by plaintiffs' contention that the Rehabilitation Act operates to prevent their termination would ordinarily not be considered by us because, as explained above, it was never properly before any reviewing court and plaintiffs failed to allege and prove a threshold requirement of the statute. However, the issue has been briefed and argued by counsel and, in the interest of judicial economy, we deem it important to address the question.
One who seeks relief under 29 U.S.C. § 794 (1982) against a recipient of federal financial assistance has available to him the remedies, procedures, and rights set forth in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 29 U.S.C. § 794a(a)(2) (1982). These include a private right of action, see Carter v. Orleans Parish Public Schools, 725 F.2d 261 (5th Cir.1984); Helms v. McDaniel, 657 F.2d 800 (5th Cir.1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 946, 102 S.Ct. 1443, 71 L.Ed.2d 658 (1982); and a right to bring an action without previously exhausting administrative remedies. Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness, Inc. v. Community Television of Southern California, 719 F.2d 1017 (9th Cir.1983), cert. denied, 467 U.S. 1252, 104 S.Ct. 3535, 82 L.Ed.2d 840 (1984).
While existing jurisprudence has not indicated whether a plaintiff who seeks to bring an action under § 794 must bring that action exclusively in federal court, the Supreme Court of the United States has recently decided that Title VII claims may be brought in either federal or state court, i.e., that Congress did not divest the state courts of their presumptively concurrent jurisdiction. See Yellow Freight System, Inc. v. Donnelly, 494 U.S.-,-, 110 S.Ct. 1566, 1567, 108 L.Ed.2d 834 (1990). We believe the same reasoning applies to Title VI cases, and, by extension, to Rehabilitation Act cases brought under § 794 against a recipient of federal funds.
The elements of a cause of action under the Rehabilitation Act are that the plaintiff: (1) is a handicapped person; (2) is otherwise qualified for participation in the program; (3) is being excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under the program solely because of his handicap; and, (4) the relevant program or activity must be receiving federal assistance. Doherty v. Southern College of Optometry, 862 F.2d 570, 573 (6th Cir.1988), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 110 S.Ct. 53, 107 L.Ed.2d 22 (1989).
We assume, arguendo, that a Rehabilitation Act claim may be asserted by way of defense, in the manner in which plaintiffs seek to apply it, although our research has provided no example of the Act being used in any way but as the basis for a discrete, self-contained lawsuit. We assume also that the Shreveport Police Department receives federal financial assistance. Notwithstanding these assumptions, however, we must conclude plaintiffs cannot prevail on such a claim.
First, the record reveals the plaintiffs were not discharged because they are alcoholics, i.e., they were not terminated "solely by reason of their handicaps." 29 U.S.C. § 794(a) (1982). Rather, they were terminated because they committed specific acts of misconduct on the job. They violated the previously mentioned statutory provisions and departmental regulations by drinking while in uniform, by twice leaving their duty station without notifying a supervisor, by entering a liquor store and purchasing liquor while in uniform, and, in Helmka's case, by falling asleep on the job for two hours. Hence, they were discharged for their acts, not because of their status or condition.
Second, to prevail under § 794, a plaintiff must be an "individual with handicaps ., as defined in section 706(8) of this title." 29 U.S.C. § 794(a) (1991). Section 706(8) provides, in pertinent part,
[sjubject to subparagraphs (C) and (D), the term "individual with handicaps" means, for purposes of subchapters IV and V of this chapter, any person who (i) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities, (ii) has a record of such an impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment. For purposes of sections 793 and 794 of this title as such sections relate to employment, the term "individual with handicaps" does not include any individual who is an alcoholic whose current use of alcohol prevents such individual from performing the duties of the job in question or whose employment, by reason of such current alcohol abuse, would constitute a direct threat to property or the safety of others.
29 U.S.C. § 706(8)(B), (C)(v) (1991) (emphasis added).
"It appears from the plain language of the statute that only alcoholics . whose problems are under control are protected from discriminatory treatment." Railway Labor Executives' Ass'n v. Burnley, 839 F.2d 575, 591 (9th Cir.1988), rev'd on other grounds, Skinner v. Railway Labor Executives' Ass'n, 489 U.S. 602, 109 S.Ct. 1402, 103 L.Ed.2d 639 (1989). Like the heroin-addicted police officer in Heron v. McGuire, 803 F.2d 67 (2d Cir.1986) (per curiam), the plaintiffs in this case have shown that they were impaired in their ability to respond to emergency and life-threatening situations. Indeed, even the psychiatrist called by plaintiffs stated that Shields's condition interfered with his functioning as a police officer and that it would be in his and society's best interest if he no longer engaged in that occupation. Helmka's problems were indicated to be yet more substantial. We believe the conclusion is inescapable that plaintiffs' employment would constitute a direct threat to property or the safety of others. Hence, they are not "individuals with handicaps" and are not protected by the Rehabilitation Act.
IV.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the court of appeal is, in all respects, affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
LEMMON, J., concurs.
DENNIS, J., dissents with reasons.
CALOGERO, C.J., dissents, and would reinstate the judgment of the district court.
Judge Wallace A. Edwards of the Court of Appeal, First Circuit, participated in this decision as Associate Justice ad hoc sitting for Associate Justice Pike Hall, Jr., recused.
. The appointing authority may remove a civil service employee for any one of the reasons specified in La.R.S. 33:2500(A).
. Section 794 provides:
(a) Promulgation of rules and regulations No otherwise qualified individual with handicaps in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance....
(b) "Program or activity" defined For the purposes of this section, the term "program or activity" means all of the operations of—
(1)(A) a department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or of a local government;....