Local city appeals decision in police chief firing case

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri appeals court heard arguments Wednesday in a local city's appeal of a judgment in favor of its fired police chief.

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals heard its docket Wednesday at the Boone County Courthouse, instead of its usual Jefferson City venue. The docket included the City of Sturgeon against Greg Halderman, the former police chief. The city wants to overturn a jury's decision in favor of Halderman, including back pay.

Halderman was fired in 2017 as the Sturgeon police chief on a 3-1 city council vote. The city claimed he threatened an inmate at the jail with prison time. A jury ruled in Halderman's favor that the city did not follow the proper procedure to fire him.

The city is also arguing that Councilman Tyler Patterson, who was named in Halderman's lawsuit, should not be a party to the case.

Even if the city wins, it will still owe Halderman his back pay.

It's not clear when the appeals court will rule.