Judge rejects former Columbia police officer’s bid to get job back

A judge said Columbia’s city manager had enough evidence to support firing a police officer for shoving a man in a holding cell.

On Monday, Judge Dennis Rolf rejected Rob Sanders’ bid to get his job back at the Columbia Police Department. Rolf wrote that evidence presented at personnel hearings and in-court testimony backed up then-City Manager Mike Matthes’ decision in 2011.

Sanders sued the city after he was fired for shoving Kenneth Baker in a CPD holding cell in August 2011. Baker, who was detained for trying to assault a police officer and pepper-sprayed during the struggle, was complaining of the spray’s sting in his eyes and asking for water. Sanders entered the cell and shoved Baker to get him on the ground. Baker’s head hit the back wall, breaking bones.

An internal affairs investigation cleared Sanders of wrongdoing, but Chief Ken Burton decided to fire Sanders. The officer appealed that decision through the city’s human resources department, and Matthes upheld the decision.

The Columbia Police Officers’ Association released a statement Wednesday in response to the ruling, saying Sanders was following the department’s written policy.

“Officer Sanders was made a scapegoat by Chief Burton, strictly for PR reasons,” the statement said.

Sanders has until the end of January to file an appeal.