DAVENPORT, Iowa -
The city fired him for conduct unbecoming an officer, fixing a ticket and lying but a Davenport police officer is fighting for his good name and job and tonight the Federal Government is also looking into the situation.
This Spring the Davenport Police Department fired a fifteen year veteran accused of letting someone out of a traffic ticket. This week the Civil Service Commission is hearing the case but they're not the only ones listening. News 8's Chris Williams explains.
When Corporal Bob Hegland wasn't wearing a badge on the streets of Davenport he wore fatigues as a long-time member of the Army National Guard. His police career here ended this Spring and today he found himself across the street at City Hall fighting to get his job back. But the case against him has some wondering whether the firing has as much to do with his actions as an officer as his time spent serving the country.
Hegland and his attorneys took their position in the City Council Chambers opposite a city attorney and Police Department personnel. Two Davenport citizens have spent the last two days listening to the case that began with a simple speeding ticket a year ago last April.
Investigators claim the wife of City Computer Administrator Corey Smith was caught speeding. Smith went to the Traffic Bureau a few days later to see if an officer would dismiss her ticket and he ran into Hegland. Despite the ticket being written by another officer, the city claims, Hegland changed the ticket to a warning. When Internal Affairs looked at the situation Hegland accepted responsibility despite not remembering whether he made, in his words, that mistake.
But it took until this March for the department to act and that has supporters like former officer Phil Yerington concerned.
"It's certainly not fair to Bob and it's not fair to the people of Davenport because this is a good officer", he said. So I asked Yerington whether fixing tickets was fair to the people of Davenport? He responded, "I don't think so, but every profession has its perks and has their courtesies".
In fact, today, Hegland said he still doesn't remember fixing the ticket and pointed to the fact that a lot of people had access to the computer system including Corey Smith. No witnesses can say for sure Hegland is the person who changed the ticket.
None of today's witnesses could remember a D.P.D. officer being fired for changing a ticket and said there is no written department policy regarding changing tickets.
Hegland supporters suggest the real reason for the firing was the his National Guard Duty. He's been away from the department for weeks and months at times. Today his former supervisor admitted to making a comment he described as a joke that Hegland should join the military full time and the police part time because, " we'd see you more often".
"I don't think this has anything to do with a ticket", Yerington added.
Police officials declined comment referring us to the city attorney who says he won't comment until the Civil Service Commission makes a judgment next week. But today in the audience was an investigator from the U.S. Department of Labor who says they're watching the case closely and have opened their own investigation to see what, if any, role Gegland's guard duty played in his dismissal.
Today the city attorney asked former officers, who support Hegland and claim fixing tickets was not out of the ordinary, whether any of them worked under current Chief Frank Donchez. They all answered no.
This Spring the Davenport Police Department fired a fifteen year veteran accused of letting someone out of a traffic ticket. This week the Civil Service Commission is hearing the case but they're not the only ones listening. News 8's Chris Williams explains.
When Corporal Bob Hegland wasn't wearing a badge on the streets of Davenport he wore fatigues as a long-time member of the Army National Guard. His police career here ended this Spring and today he found himself across the street at City Hall fighting to get his job back. But the case against him has some wondering whether the firing has as much to do with his actions as an officer as his time spent serving the country.
Hegland and his attorneys took their position in the City Council Chambers opposite a city attorney and Police Department personnel. Two Davenport citizens have spent the last two days listening to the case that began with a simple speeding ticket a year ago last April.
Investigators claim the wife of City Computer Administrator Corey Smith was caught speeding. Smith went to the Traffic Bureau a few days later to see if an officer would dismiss her ticket and he ran into Hegland. Despite the ticket being written by another officer, the city claims, Hegland changed the ticket to a warning. When Internal Affairs looked at the situation Hegland accepted responsibility despite not remembering whether he made, in his words, that mistake.
But it took until this March for the department to act and that has supporters like former officer Phil Yerington concerned.
"It's certainly not fair to Bob and it's not fair to the people of Davenport because this is a good officer", he said. So I asked Yerington whether fixing tickets was fair to the people of Davenport? He responded, "I don't think so, but every profession has its perks and has their courtesies".
In fact, today, Hegland said he still doesn't remember fixing the ticket and pointed to the fact that a lot of people had access to the computer system including Corey Smith. No witnesses can say for sure Hegland is the person who changed the ticket.
None of today's witnesses could remember a D.P.D. officer being fired for changing a ticket and said there is no written department policy regarding changing tickets.
Hegland supporters suggest the real reason for the firing was the his National Guard Duty. He's been away from the department for weeks and months at times. Today his former supervisor admitted to making a comment he described as a joke that Hegland should join the military full time and the police part time because, " we'd see you more often".
"I don't think this has anything to do with a ticket", Yerington added.
Police officials declined comment referring us to the city attorney who says he won't comment until the Civil Service Commission makes a judgment next week. But today in the audience was an investigator from the U.S. Department of Labor who says they're watching the case closely and have opened their own investigation to see what, if any, role Gegland's guard duty played in his dismissal.
Today the city attorney asked former officers, who support Hegland and claim fixing tickets was not out of the ordinary, whether any of them worked under current Chief Frank Donchez. They all answered no.
