Jury Awards 25 City Police Personnel Total Of $562,000 On Claims That Pay Plan Was Not Followed

  • Thursday, August 25, 2016

A Chancery Court jury on Wednesday gave a verdict totaling $562,000 for 25 city police personnel who filed suit almost five years ago alleging that the city never lived up to terms of a 2010 pay plan.

Attorney Stevie Phillips, who tried the case along with Janie Parks Varnell, said, "The jury awarded each officer what we had asked for to the penny."

She stated, "These 25 members of the Chattanooga Police Department risk their lives every day for people they've never even met. Six years ago, the city made them a promise - a promise to give them raises if they continued working. And they did. But the city never made good on that promise. Today, the jury awarded them what they had already earned. It comes to over half a million dollars.  Janie and I are honored to have had the opportunity to advocate for them and ensure they got their day in court."

The awards were:

Scott Bales $14,958

Susan Blaine $32,377

James Blanton $11,628

Wilma Brooks $29,220

Jonathan Bryant $24,166

John Chambers $12,585

Scot Churchwell $13,671

Anthony Easter $33,574

Robert Evans $35,813

Jeff Gaines $19,324

Austin Garrett $21,554

Phil Headden $58,180

James Holloway $11,031

Craig Joel $11,597

Kevin Kincer $26,933

Robert Lewis $16,532

Evander Lloyd $20,364

Tommy Meeks $22,472

Chris Phillips $25,604

Bill Phillips $21,250

Jeff Rearden $24,020

Todd Royval $22,026

Becky Shelton $10,857

Doug Stone $14,159

Rodney Thompson $29,058

The jury deliberated three hours on Wednesday in the case presided over by Chancellor Pam Fleenor before ruling against the city.

The jury upheld claims of violation of the city code dealing with fair treatment of employees, breach of contract relating to the 2010 pay plan, and promissory estoppel (that the city made a promise that it did not keep).

The jury did not support a claim of age discrimination.

Attorney Phillips said, "The jury found that the city was not fair or equitable to these men and women, but that it did not rise to the level of age discrimination."

The case lasted over a week with former Police Chief Bobby Dodd as one of the witnesses called by the officers.


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