Opinion ID: 1441487
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The City of Sheridan

Text: In a Wyoming Governmental Claims Act tort case against a peace officer, if the officer was acting within the scope of his or her duties, the governmental entity must provide a defense for the officer and assume and pay any judgment entered against the officer. WYO.STAT. § 1-39-104(b), (c) (1988). If the court determines the officer is entitled to qualified immunity, then as a matter of law, the officer is not liable. If the officer is entitled to the affirmative defense of qualified immunity, the conduct of the officer is not tortious, and no vicarious liability exists on the part of the governmental entity. DeWald, 719 P.2d at 655 (Thomas, C.J., specially concurring). If the trial court determines that the officer is not entitled to qualified immunity, the officer's conduct is subject to the general principles of tort law. DeWald, 719 P.2d at 649; Keehn v. Town of Torrington, 834 P.2d 112, 114 (Wyo.1992). However, if the officer was acting within the scope of his or her duties and is not entitled to qualified immunitybecause the conduct was malicious or fraudulentthe governmental entity still must defend and indemnify the officer. WYO.STAT. § 1-39-104(b) (1988). The district court's denial of Sheridan's motion to dismiss is affirmed. Sheridan relied on the dismissal of the case against the officers in its argument for dismissal. We have reversed that dismissal; therefore, Sheridan's argument is no longer valid. However, we also direct Sheridan's attention to the plain language of WYO.STAT. § 1-39-112 (1988): A governmental entity is liable for damages resulting from tortious conduct of peace officers while acting within the scope of their duties. (Emphasis added). The court need not expressly find liability against the governmental entity under the doctrine of respondent superior as Sheridan contends, rather, the statute itself makes the entity liable. Abalos v. Bernalillo County D.A.'s Office, 105 N.M. 554, 734 P.2d 794, 799 (Ct.App.1987), cert. quashed, 106 N.M. 35, 738 P.2d 907 (1987) (citing Gonzales v. State, 29 Cal.App.3d 585, 105 Cal.Rptr. 804, 808 (1972)). Without a determination that the officers were not acting within the scope of their duties or that their conduct was not tortious, the governmental entity does not escape liability for the tortious acts of its peace officers. The district court could not make such a determination based on the allegations in the complaint and properly denied Sheridan's motion to dismiss.