Opinion ID: 393027
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 Simon was a commissioned police officer in St. Louis County, Missouri. On November 24, 1971, Simon was shot and wounded, and was diagnosed as having a condition of paraplegia. On July 5, 1972, he was terminated as a St. Louis County commissioned police officer for the stated reason that because of his injury, he was unable to fulfill the duties of a St. Louis County police officer. 3 3 Simon was still diagnosed as a paraplegic at the time of trial, in August of 1978 and September of 1979, although his condition had improved somewhat through surgery and rehabilitative treatment. He required the use of leg braces and crutches to walk and could not support the weight of his body on either leg without the aid of crutches. It was further stipulated, and the district court found: 4 He cannot run, jump, hop, stoop, turn, pivot or perform similar movements without the aid of a supporting device or the aid of another person. Plaintiff requires the use of braces and crutches to gain ingress and egress from an automobile or other motor vehicle. He cannot drive an automobile without the aid of specially fitted hand controls and automatic transmission. 5 Simon v. St. Louis County, 497 F.Supp. 141, 144 (E.D.Mo.1980). 6 In March of 1976, Simon met with defendant Colonel G. H. Kleinknecht, Superintendent of the St. Louis County Police Department, and requested that he be reinstated as a commissioned police officer. Colonel Kleinknecht refused to consider Simon because he considered Simon to be physically unable to assume the job. Simon made a formal application for a job as a commissioned police officer on August 16, 1976. He has not been reinstated. 7 The police department is run on a daily basis by the superintendent, who serves under a Board of Police Commissioners. The superintendent is responsible to the Board for the supervision, management, and control of the police department and all its personnel.