Shane Griffith, a former Minden Police Officer who was terminated due to controversy surrounding his alleged Facebook posts, was reinstated to the police force following a unanimous vote by the Civil Service Board.
Mayor Terry Gardner, who was in attendance at the appeal hearing, shared some insight as to what transpired during the meeting. “They brought up a motion for dismissal because of the video that was taken of the city council meeting that night.”
The video Gardner is referring to is a Facebook Live recording of the City Council Meeting the day they voted to terminate Griffith. Griffith’s Attorney, Pam Breedlove, argued that their vote was improper, not following Robert’s Rule of Order.
The Mayor went on to provide his experience of what went on in the video.
“We came back out of the executive session and I asked for a motion for the termination of Shane Griffith, and Mr. Taylor, City Councilman from District A, made a motion to terminate him,” Gardner said. “I asked for a second, and I sat there, and a motion wasn’t forthcoming.
So I looked to the left, and I didn’t get a motion, so then I looked to my right where Mrs. Walker was sitting and didn’t get a second there, so then I looked to the audience and said, ‘I guess the motion fails due to lack of a second.’
“After I said that, Vincent Bradford from District C said, ‘I second that.’ Me being stunned I said, well, all in favor? And everybody said ‘Aye’ and the motion passed. So it was a technicality.”
That hiccup in the proceeding is the reason that Breedlove is arguing that Griffith should be reinstated. After the evidence had been presented, some time was spent by the Civil Service Board deliberating between themselves and their attorneys.
Gardner said the board, “Had a motion and a second to dismiss it and it was unanimous to reinstate Shane Griffith to the police force. So as of right now, he is back to being employed by the city.”
When asked for a comment, Minden Police Chief Steve Cropper said, “I will do what I have to do to protect the citizens and to protect the officer.”