URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) - An Urbandale police sergeant is suing the city, saying he suffered harassment, discrimination and retaliation for the post-traumatic stress disorder he suffered in the wake of the 2016 ambush killings of a colleague and a Des Moines officer.
The Des Moines Register reports that Sgt. Mark Jorgensen was one of the first responders on the scene when Urbandale Officer Justin Martin was shot as he sat in his patrol car. About two miles away, Des Moines Sgt. Anthony Beminio was shot in his cruiser. Scott Michael Green pleaded guilty to the killings and is spending life in prison.
The lawsuit says, among other things, that Jorgensen was berated and harassed by superiors as he struggled in the aftermath of the shootings. It also says the department failed to accommodate his PTSD.
Urbandale Police spokesman Sgt. Chad Underwood said he couldn’t comment on the lawsuit. The city’s attorney, Brent Hinders, says Urbandale plans to “vigorously defend” itself.
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
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