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Employment Forums (Non-polygraph related) => Police, Sheriffs', and Corrections Departments Applications, Hiring, and Employment => Topic started by: sue_lapd on Jan 31, 2003, 08:11 PM

Title: Can I sue the LAPD what are my options???
Post by: sue_lapd on Jan 31, 2003, 08:11 PM
I got disqualified from the LAPD because I argued with my girlfriend and cussed her out she cussed me out to.  
Now they labeled me as a domestic verbal abuser.  

My GF and I are furious.  I passed everything including the poly.  

Can I sue them that to me seems like a defamation of character.  I think at one point people do get pissed at one another.  And Im not perfect but to label me as domestic violence abuser is ridiculous I have been in the hiring process for over 2 1/2 years and this is wrong.

Can someone point me to sites that deal with the legality of labeling me as something that is not true.


BTW I can appeal this decision but i dont know how effective that will be.  I am simply exhausted from this hirng process and I want the LAPD to drop for some other reason such as not having a high oral interview or sowmthing not this..


HELP
Title: Re: Can I sue the LAPD what are my options???
Post by: polypoppolypop on Jan 31, 2003, 09:25 PM
With regard to your specific question can you sue LAPD for defamation for the dq based on alleged domestic abuse, I think it's debatable, but in the long run such a claim would fail.  First, there would need to be some kind of publication of the defaming comment/accusation - either a written publication or a verbal statement to a third party.  Ie., a letter addressed to you, or a statement made to you, informing you of the basis for the dq would not suffice.  Nor would internal communications among LAPD staff satisfy the publication requirement.  They would have to publicly "announce" in some manner infomration that was defamatory.  That's just the beginning - it doesn't even get into the problems of privileged communications, sovereign immunity, available remedial measures to appeal the decision, and so on.  

I'm a little unclear as to how their determination came up.  You were in the application process for 2.5 years?  Most LAPD tests are only valid for 1 year.  Did you have to retake them?  Also, how did the information about you yelling at your wife come to light?  A conviction for domestic battery?  Gossip from a neighbor?  Had you previously denied yelling at her, and they caught you in a lie?  

A little clarification would help.

Mongo