Ex-officer sues Patterson, mayor

PATTERSON — A former assistant police chief is suing the city government and Mayor Rodney Grogan, alleging the mayor falsely accused him of sexual misconduct.
Gary Stevenson filed the lawsuit earlier this month in 16th Judicial District Court. Stevenson charges that Grogan told him he was being fired for violating policy and then told the media that Stevenson was involved in sexual misconduct.
On Wednesday, Grogan defended the firing of Stevenson, denied accusing him of sexual misconduct, and said Stevenson’s lawsuit is motivated by personal animus.
The lawsuit centers on an allegation of sexual harassment in November 2016 by another police officer, Kirby Madison, against a Patterson Police Department dispatcher.
Stevenson’s lawsuit says he collected information about the case for then-Chief Patrick LaSalle, only to be fired and to see Grogan publicly link his name to sexual misconduct.
“The mayor was fully aware that plaintiff was not involved in any sexual misconduct,” the lawsuit says.
The city has already reached a settlement with the dispatcher. Madison has also sued the city government and the mayor over his termination. That case is pending.
Grogan said Stevenson’s charges have evolved over time from wrongful termination to discrimination to the allegation about the false public statement.
“I was asked why he was dismissed,” Grogan said. “I said it involved a sexual harassment lawsuit.”
Stevenson was fired because he suspended Madison, a power that the city charter reserves for the mayor, Grogan said. And personnel policies require sexual harassment allegations to be brought to the mayor’s attention, he said.
A year elapsed between the first allegation and Grogan’s firing of Stevenson and Madison. At the December 2017 meeting, LaSalle apologized publicly to the two officers for their termination.