On the same day Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield began pushing to hire retired police Chief Freeman Cooper as a contract employee, the city set in motion an appeal of a $750,000 judgment for two former top officers who won an age discrimination lawsuit against the police department.
Attorney Lee Davis, who represents T.E. “Skip” Vaughn and Charles Cooke, the former assistant police chiefs, calls the appeal an act of “sheer hubris” on the part of Mr. Littlefield and one that will end up costing taxpayers more than $1 million once additional attorney fees and interest penalties are added.
The caseT.E. “Skip” Vaughn and Charles Cooke lost their jobs as assistant police chiefs in 2007 after being forced to either retire, accept civilian jobs or be demoted. Both refused, calling the options unacceptable. They sued the city for back wages, claiming age discrimination. Mr. Cooke testified Police Chief Freeman Cooper had marching orders from Mayor Ron Littlefield to bring in younger, less experienced officers to take their places. A Hamilton County Chancery Court jury in January awarded Mr. Vaughn more than $200,000 in compensation and Mr. Cooke more than $300,000. A final judgment entered March 10 requires the city to pay almost $750,000, which includes attorney fees and other court costs. The city is appealing.
During the trial in which Mr. Littlefield and Chief Cooper served as defendants, the city rigorously defended its decision to get rid of Mr. Cooke and Mr. Vaughn. They said it was because of “budgetary reasons.” But the city also highlighted the “bad attitudes” of the former assistant chiefs. The city never presented evidence that the move saved any money.
“It seems to me that before we start paying a chief of police twice for one job and consider that good fiscal policy, we should go back and pay the assistant chiefs who have already done their work,” Mr. Davis said last week, adding that the appeal is a “fiscal mistake.”