Former Interim Police Chief Wayne Griffin could soon be back on the job with the Lafayette Police Department - but at his old job as Sergeant.
The Lafayette Fire and Police Civil Service Board voted unanimously to reinstate Griffin as Sergeant, reducing his termination to a 90-day suspension without pay. Since he has been out of work since January, he already has served the suspension without pay.
Griffin was fired for lying during an internal investigation into a sexual harassment complaint, LCG officials said at the time.
That complaint was not "sustained" by detectives, records show. Central to the complaint were some salacious texts between Griffin and another police officer, who had asked the board to protect her identity. Documents submitted for the appeal indicated Griffin said he had planned to leave her in her position after he took over at chief, but Mayor-President Josh Guillory told him to transfer her - so he did. It was after her transfer that she complained to a co-worker about the texts, and her co-worker filed the complaint, the records indicate.
According to LCG records, Griffin initially denied those were his texts, but forensic investigators determined they were typed on his phone. Following the investigation, he was accused of "conduct unbecoming" an officer and lying. Initially, he was demoted from interim Chief of Police back to Sergeant, and then shortly thereafter he was fired.
In his appeal, Griffin alleged that he was never given a pre-disciplinary hearing on the allegation that he lied. LCG says he was properly notified and the hearing did take place.
Assistant City-Parish Attorney Michael Corry argued the termination should stand because Griffin lied repeatedly during the investigation.
“I think it's important for the board to understand why the appointing authority made the decision of termination because of the repeated 17 denials of sending the messages and now today he's admitted it,” Corry said.
The question also arose regarding whether or not the text messages were consensual. To read the KATC Investigates story about the texts and the investigation, click here.
The first motion before the board, made by the board's newest member, Kenneth Boudreaux, was to uphold Griffin's termination. That motion failed, 2-3.
Then Sgt. Paul Mouton, the board member who represents police officers, moved to reinstate Griffin with a 90-day suspension without pay as his only punishment. That motion passed unanimously.
The female employee alleges Griffin is trying to silence her.
“Wayne Griffin has already sent word to me. That if I talk he will publicly embarrass me, just as he has done to others and just as I fear," a statement from the accuser states.
Griffin's lawyer, Allyson Melancon, said the public should not worry about Griffin's behavior on the force moving forward.
"I believe this is just a misrepresentation involving the things he said. These were two consenting adults engaging in some pretty appropriate "sexting" as the kids call it nowadays. I think the panic and the embarrassment, all the things he testified to, I think lead him to make a poor decision,” Melancon said.
LCG can appeal the board's ruling to a state district judge. When we asked about that, LCG released this statement:
"We respect the process and the Lafayette Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board decision. We will evaluate our options and determine if it is the city's best interest to let the decision stand or to appeal to the district court."
The accuser, whom KATC has not identified to date because she said she wanted her identity protected, released a statement via her attorney identifying herself as Senior Cpl. Bridgette Dugas. She filed a civil suit against Griffin and LCG last week, alleging Griffin harassed her and LCG didn't investigate it properly or protect her. She asks the court to award her damages, punitive damages and attorney's fees.
Here is the statement from the firm that filed the lawsuit for her on September 26:
Our firm, Adeline Law Firm, LLC represents Ms. Bridgette Dugas in a civil litigation relevant to Sexual Harassment and Retaliation.
In the beginning, my client, Bridgette Dugas was told that this investigation would be fair and impartial, but it appears those involved in the investigation and the hearing today knew what the outcome would be even before today’s fire and police civil service hearing. Ms. Dugas was not confident in this investigation from the beginning and the results today have proven as to why. She will now be forced to work in a hostile work environment with her accuser and his supporters. A divide amongst officers was created well before the start of this investigation and will now be even more prevalent as Thomas Wayne Griffin, Jr. is being allowed back to work as a police officer, even after lying and admitting to lying during an internal affairs investigation regarding, but not limited to, sexting Ms. Dugas.
Here's the lawsuit, if you'd like to read it for yourself:
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