Desert Hot Springs, CA

Palm Springs, CA: (May-24-08) Former Desert Hot Springs police Sgt. David Henderson brought a civil rights lawsuit against Desert Hot Springs in 2006, naming then-Police Chief Walter McKinney and former City Manager Jerry Hanson as defendants, and alleging that he was wrongly demoted from lieutenant to sergeant. Henderson claimed that the demotion was in violation of his civil rights. City records show that in October 2005, Henderson was placed on paid leave after allegations of misconduct in an officer-involved shooting four months earlier. Henderson stated that he crashed his patrol car after hearing what he believed were gunshots; and that one of those shots struck a window in his patrol car, forcing him to crash into a palm tree. Investigations revealed no evidence that a gun had been fired. Later, in March 2006, Henderson was cleared of any wrongdoing, but did not return to work, stating that he suffered injuries in that incident that hindered his ability to do his job. As part of a settlement reached in the suit, Desert Hot Springs agreed to pay Henderson $47,500, resolving all claims against it. [MY DESERT: Desert Hot Springs reaches settlement with ex-officer]

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Published on May-27-08