Garrett Rolfe, the former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy’s drive-thru in Atlanta last June, was reinstated to the force Thursday.
Fired Atlanta police officer who shot Rayshard Brooks reinstated
(Via AJC News) https://t.co/vCDK7ddgHx
— Rose French (@rosemfrench) May 5, 2021
In its decision, the board said the way Rolfe was terminated did not adhere to city code and did not afford the officer 'his right to due process.'
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 6, 2021
Specifically, the ruling cited the fact that Rolfe did not receive a 10-day written notice of his firing. Rolfe was fired one day after shooting Brooks.
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 6, 2021
Rolfe still faces felony murder and 10 other charges, but it appears the city determined that he was not given due process. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:
“Due to the City’s failure to comply with several provisions of the Code and the information received during witnesses’ testimony, the Board concludes the Appellant was not afforded his right to due process,” the [Civil Service Board] concluded. “Therefore, the Board grants the Appeal of Garrett Rolfe and revokes his dismissal as an employee of the APD.”
The ruling doesn’t mean Rolfe will be back on the streets. In fact, he won’t actually be allowed to return to work, as his bond prevents him from possessing a firearm or being around other officers, said attorney Lance LoRusso, who represented the 28-year-old officer in front of the Civil Service Board. Rolfe will receive back pay for his time away from the department and will be compensated at the same rate as he was before his dismissal.
…
Rolfe was fired last June one day after he shot Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot. A scuffle followed after Brooks struck the other officer on the scene, Devin Brosnan, hard enough to cause a concussion, grabbed his Taser and aimed it at Rolfe, who then fired as he ran from the scene.
Brooks’ death led to widespread unrest in the city; the Wendy’s was torched and later razed.
On Thursday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms essentially confirmed Rolfe was not afforded his right to due process, citing the “volatile state of our city and nation last summer.” “Had immediate action not been taken, I firmly believe that the public safety crisis we experienced during that time would have been significantly worse.”
'Given the volatile state of our city and nation last summer, the decision to terminate this officer, after he fatally shot Mr. Brooks in the back, was the right thing to do,' Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms added in a statement of her own.
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 6, 2021
It’s hard to believe this a real statement from an elected official. The Atlanta Mayor is saying she terminated an officer not based on the law but in order to appease rioters. This is antithetical to the American system of justice and the entire notion of a law-based society. pic.twitter.com/Xtjop5cQ6J
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) May 6, 2021
AJC readers in the comments overwhelmingly applauded the decision to reinstate Rolfe:
The correct decision. Anyone who saw the video knows he should never have been charged let alone fired.
— terriwoods (@terriwoodschels) May 5, 2021
Good. He should have never been charged.
— Ryan (@ryano3232_ryan) May 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/saddlewiz/status/1389955684729561094
Should have never been fired in the first place.
— Lou Evangelista (@Actor_26) May 5, 2021
Good. Maybe people should stop attacking police officers and all of this would go away…
— squats_n_sunscreen (@G_Kors) May 5, 2021
Everyone who's cheering this…did you read the article? Cause it sounds like he was re-instated on a technicality, basically is not permitted to work, and still faces murder charges.
— Eileen Dewey (@LetheEileen) May 5, 2021
Did his mother get her job back from the bank? After they unfairly fired her just for being related to him?
— WTF Fed Up (@FedUpWTF) May 5, 2021
Step-mother, and no, we don’t think so.
Related:
DA will charge Atlanta police officer who shot Rayshard Brooks with felony murder and 10 other charges https://t.co/aCsl8nZ9ty
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 17, 2020
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