MUNCIE, Ind. -- The city of Muncie says they want to clear some misconceptions they say citizens have about why former Muncie Police Chief Steve Stewart resigned as police chief and is now suing the city and mayor.
The City and Mayor were following established legal norms," said City of Muncie Attorney Megan Quirk. "They did not, and do not want to have this case tried in the press. However, in the face of repeated misinformation, silence no longer appears to be an appropriate response."
Stewart resigned from his position as Muncie Police Chief on October 31, 2016. Almost a year later, he filed a lawsuit against the Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler and the City of Muncie, claiming Tyler had instructed him to conduct a criminal investigation of a former employee which would have interfered with an ongoing FBI investigation.
READ | Muncie police chief resigns suddenly
Stewart claimed in his lawsuit that Tyler pressured him to investigate the former employee, even making false claims about him to get him to do what he wanted.
In his letter of resignation, Stewart wrote,
“Mayor Tyler, Actions by you and others proves to me that I can no longer be a part of your administration. Therefore, Effective immediately I am resigning as Chief of Police.”
Stewart also alleged that Tyler said he would "pay for this." And he accused Tyler of not paying him the proper salary and benefits after his resignation.
READ | Former police chief sues mayor Dennis Tyler, City of Muncie
According to a response sent out Thursday, the city's attorney said they have filed a "Motion for Judgement" on the suit, with the belief that court examination will find it without merit and subject to dismissal.
In response to the allegations Stewart raised against Tyler, the response states that a city police employee had made a verbal complaint of sexual harassment, retaliation and abuse of power against the former police chief on October 20, 2016. The city requested that the employee put their complaints in writing which they say is standard for any employer-employee allegation.
The city also claims that an attorney had discussed the situation with Stewart on the day the allegations were brought up and asked him to write his own summary of events for the internal investigation.
"Stewart did not provide his written account," the response read. "Instead, Stewart resigned 11 days later as a City of Muncie employee."
The city also claims that Stewart fraudulently created the "agreement" between the city and the FOP which he claims entitled him to benefits that were not paid following his resignation.
"With this filing, the City and Mayor are now on record with important information for the public concerning this situation," said Quirk.
MORE TOP STORIES |Indiana State Trooper out of the hospital after he was shot in the head in Jeffersonville | Teens arrested in murder or Dr. Kevin Rodgers | Grandparents charged in case of Greenfield infant with multiple brain bleeds, broken bones | Family living in van after rental scam: "I gave him every bit of the money I had to rent this home" | Vandals scrawl profanity, crude drawings on disabled man's van over parking
Top Trending Videos
