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The attorney for a fired TPD officer is questioning the agency's decision-making

A police cruiser parked behind bushes
Patrick Sternad
/
WFSU Public Media
A police car stands guard in downtown Tallahassee by the Capitol building.

A former Tallahassee Police Officer is appealing his firing following an off-duty fight at a local nightclub last month. His attorney is questioning why his client lost his job, after another officer failed a drug test, but was allowed to stay with the agency.

Dereck Braxton lost his job six days after his arrest for the fight. His attorney, Mutaqee Akbar, claims his client’s termination was improperly handled. Akbar compares Braxton’s situation to another officer who failed a drug test last summer but got to keep his job.

“My concern about the process regarding his employment was that he didn’t receive the same process that [the other] officer got. The allegations were there and I’m sure they did their own investigation, but it didn’t go through the process at all. He was just immediately fired," Akbar said, noting the difference between the way the Tallahassee Police Department handled Braxton's situation, versus the other officer's failed drug test.

Braxton was arrested on misdemeanor charges of simple assault, battery, and disorderly conduct. He has since been released after posting a $ 1,000 bond.

The Tallahassee Democrat first reported that an unnamed TPD officer was recently reinstated by Police Chief Lawrence Revell after being suspended for failing a drug test in June. The officer claimed he accidentally took Adderall which belonged to a family member. The reinstatement raised concerns from several city officials who questioned the decision to reinstate the officer. In a statement, City Manager Reese Goad defended Revell's handling of the situation.

“The city’s administrative policies and processes are sound and support our employees who deserve to have all relevant information considered when it comes to personnel matters. I am proud of our organization’s culture and the way this situation was handled.”

Of the 22 officers who've been fired for failed drug tests in recent years, this was the only officer to be reinstated.

Adrian Andrews is a multimedia journalist with WFSU Public Media. He is a Gadsden County native and a first-generation college graduate from Florida A&M University. Adrian is also a military veteran, ending his career as a Florida Army National Guard Non-Comissioned Officer.

Adrian has experience in print writing, digital content creation, documentary, and film production. He has spent the last four years on the staff of several award-winning publications such as The Famuan, Gadsden County News Corp, and Cumulus Media before joining the WFSU news team.