Opinion ID: 2321350
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The University's Discipline of Lawson

Text: On March 13, 2007, the Department suspended Lawson on an emergency basis for (1) violating the Department's chain-of-command policy by submitting the letter to Travis and, (2) unrelated to the letter, his suspected involvement in the theft of University computers. Waiters conducted a suspension hearing on March 15 and delivered a Notification of Charges to Lawson on May 16. With regard to Lawson's letter, the Department accused Lawson of violating seven different Department regulations. The Department also announced other unrelated charges against Lawson, none of which pertained to the alleged computer theft. The Department's Administrative Hearing Board conducted a hearing regarding the charges. In its decision issued on January 18, 2008, the Hearing Board sustained four of the charges related to the letter, as well as a charge of Unbecoming Conduct concerning an unrelated incident. The Board's recommendation of Lawson's penalty for the letter included suspension without pay, demotion in rank, and a written reprimand. The Board also recommended a written reprimand and loss of two leave days for the unrelated Unbecoming Conduct charge. On January 25, 2008, Waiters informed Lawson that he intended to increase the Board's recommended penalty and that he was giving Lawson the opportunity to respond in a hearing conducted by Waiters. Waiters wrote that his decision to increase the penalty was supported by his review of Lawson's past job performance, the Hearing Board's administrative record, and the investigation. Attached to this notification was a list of sixteen additional charges of misconduct, none of which had ever been brought to the attention of Lawson or the Hearing Board. Three days after meeting with Lawson regarding the penalty increase, Waiters terminated Lawson's employment with the Department. Waiters wrote in his termination letter to Lawson: Our meeting on February 11, 2008 was your opportunity to explain why these serious charges should not result in your termination.... [You did not] express any understanding or willingness to accept the chain of command in the police department.... Based on your inability to understand the seriousness of your refusal to follow the chain of command, and your statements that confirm you are unwilling to follow the chain of command, you have made it clear that you truly believe you are not accountable to the police command structure.