Griggs released from duties as Miner police chief; plans appeal

MINER, Mo. — Miner police chief Christopher Griggs was released from his duties Friday after an impeachment hearing March 11. But the fight is not over.

“We believe it is outrageous,” Griggs’ attorney Jim McClellan said. “The result doesn’t surprise us because the investigation was a sham.”

A findings of fact and conclusion of law was delivered to Griggs and McClellan on Friday, summarizing the events leading to the March 11 hearing and the hearing itself.

During the board of aldermen’s impeachment hearing, Miner city attorney Tabatha Thurman presented evidence and a witness — city clerk Darrin Skinner — to show Griggs, who as an elected official is required to work a 40-hour week and be on call at all times, did not fulfill his required duties.

According to a summary of time logs from July 31, 2018, through Jan. 22, 2019, Miner officials documented approximately 374 hours of missed work for which Griggs received more than $8,384.60 in compensation. Meeting minutes from July 30, 2012, through Oct. 16, 2018, were also presented describing conversations board members and mayors had with and without the presence of Griggs about his failure to work a 40-hour week.

During the hearing, Skinner also described events beginning in 2011 through the present day with former board members and mayors receiving complaints Griggs didn’t work a 40-hour week and interviews with current police personnel who stated the morale of the department and financial budgets of the city were negatively impacted.

During the hearing, the employment of Laura Adams was also discussed. Griggs had terminated Adams, a dispatcher, on three separate occasions and she was reinstated twice by the Miner board. During the hearing, Griggs was accused of violating Miner Ordinance 1035, which states, “the Marshall falls under the direction of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen and must follow directions from them unless he is given an unlawful order.”

Griggs failed to attend meetings and didn’t offer further explanation for terminating Adams according to the findings of fact and the board “heard no evidence where there were criminal charges or any wrong doing demonstrated by Laura Adams.”

The findings also accuse Griggs of causing Adams to lose her access to the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System, or MULES, for allegations of misusing MULES information.

During the hearing, Adams played a voice recording of her being fired by Griggs in which he said “I’m chief of police and you’re not working here.”

The board dropped an article of impeachment accusing Griggs of bullying city employees after Thurman said she had no witnesses to present on that issue.

The board voted unanimously Griggs was guilty on both counts and it was ordered the chief be impeached on Friday.

“(Griggs) was a target from the beginning,” McClellan said. “They changed ordinances to set him up and the (hearing) was absolutely prejudice and biased.”

During the hearing, McClellan objected to the board of aldermen serving as the board of impeachment because Griggs has a lawsuit pending against the board of aldermen and Skinner. There are three counts to the suit, which includes a preliminary injunction against the removal of his computer while claiming unless restrained, the Board will “impede the effective enforcement of the law, breach confidential information and violate protected constitutional and privacy rights” of Griggs and others whose names may be contained on the computer. The suit also contained a defamation claim made by Griggs. The suit is still in the process of being adjudicated.

McClellan said Griggs will appeal the ruling.

“We are going to appeal and it is our intent to destroy them in court,” McClellan said.