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Terminated police officer returns to the GPD

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By Bill Donovan

Rosanne Morrissette is back on duty with the Gallup Police Department, working as a school and community liaison as a result of a legal battle to get her job back after she was terminated earlier this summer.

Morrissette’s problems with the police department, according to state court records and her Albuquerque attorney, Thomas Grover, began almost three years ago about the time Robert Cron retired as police chief and Phillip Hart was named as his replacement.

Apparently, Franklin Boyd, who was a captain at the time, came into Morrissette’s office at police headquarters and yelled at her for several minutes. Morrissette later filed a complaint against Boyd for his actions.

When Cron retired, several high-ranking officers decided to retire, too, and a number of positions opened up. As a result, Morrissette, who worked in the detective squad, was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant.

Her action against Boyd continued after he was promoted by Hart to be his deputy chief, and eventually, Boyd was reprimanded after an internal affairs investigation. But when Morrissette asked to see a copy of the report, her request was rejected.

She filed suit in state district court to get that report released to her, and eventually, District Court Judge Robert Aragon ruled in her favor, although it still took several weeks for the city to comply with the order.

According to Grover, Morrissette continued to have problems with Boyd and Hart, and Boyd eventually issued charges against her, claiming falsely that she was derelict in her duties.

As a result of these charges, Morrissette found herself demoted to sergeant and then to patrol status before she was terminated outright. More legal battles resulted, and ultimately city officials became involved.

Several weeks after she was terminated, the city agreed to reinstate Morrissette with back pay and a position as liaison with the schools and community was created for her.

 

 

 

 

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