The union that represents Columbus police officers says it hasn't decided yet whether to formally challenge the termination of an officer who killed an unarmed man three days before Christmas. But it is filing a grievance over the way officer Adam Coy's firing was handled.
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 9 President Keith Ferrell says the union is still gathering information about the case, in which former officer Adam Coy shot and killed Andre Hill, who was unarmed, standing in the garage of a friend. Ferrell says it's not unheard of for the union to not contest an officer's termination, but that it is still investigating future action.
He says the union is moving ahead with a grievance against the city for violations of the police contract. In one instance, Police Chief Thomas Quinlan recommended Coy bge fired, without first meeting with the officer.
"There are procedures in place in that contract to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, given an opportunity to speak.... and we don't feel they were followed."
Coy declined to attend a hearing with Public Safety Director Ned Pettus several days after the shooting. Pettus accepted the police chief's recommendation, and terminated Coy just hours after the hearing. In response to the FOP's announcement Monday, Pettus issued a statement saying that his office is fully prepared to dfend his actions when arbitration is scheduled.
Adam Coy is under investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Invesatigation, and could face charges from the U.S. Justice Department. An internal investigation by the Columbus Division of Police is looking at the actions of other officers who failed to provide aid to Hill as he lay dying, and why it took so long for Division of fire paramedics to respond to the scene.
