Schleuter’s Attorney: The Police Chief Will Not Sue City for Legal Fees

Ron Schleuter turned in a letter of retirement to the mayor’s office this morning, notifying Jamie Mayo that he intends to end his career as chief August 7^th.

In a response to Schleuter’s letter, Mayo rescinded the disciplinary action against Schleuter, and halted any further investigation into Chief Schleuter.

Brian Crawford, Schleuter’s attorney, says Schleuter will not sue the city to recover his legal fees.

“Schleuter will not sue the city. The city released him from investigation and disciplinary action,” said Crawford. “Schleuter has no desire to bring harm to the city of Monroe or cause disruption.”

Schleuter’s attorneys say that he will retire with full pay and benefits, with a “distinguished” career of 30 years of service to the city of Monroe.

Schleuter will retire with full retirement, full benefits of a $102,000 yearly pension.

Attorney Brian Crawford tells NBC 10 that there were negotiations between Schleuter and Mayo after a court order that halted the disciplinary action.

The city agreed to take back Schleuter’s demotion to captain, and to terminate the investigative process, and take back disciplinary action against the chief.

Crawford confirmed that if Schleuter and Mayo were to proceed with the dispute in a courtroom or before a civil service board, the city’s 700-pages of evidence against Schleuter, including 15 CDs of unreleased tapes, would have been made public to the media.

NBC 10: Did Schleuter have the mayor saying something embarrassing or illegal on those secret tapes?

Crawford responded, “I won’t comment on that. It won’t be to anyone’s benefit to say anything about that at this time.”

Crawford says that if Schleuter were to continue the fight, going through the civil service process and to a judge, the best end result would be a return to the chief’s job; which was not enough of a financial incentive to continue.

“I think he’ll find opportunities that are interesting and exciting for him. And he has financial security now,” said Crawford.

“If he won, he would’ve returned to a situation where he’d be police chief in an essentially unworkable environment because of a conflict of interest between him and the mayor,” said Crawford.

On 11:59 p.m. Monday, a judge granted Schleuter’s request to remain as Monroe’s suspended police chief, while he appeals the mayor’s decision to demote him to the rank of a captain, which includes a paycut that would be around $40,000.

Next Monday on August 9^th, there was supposed to be a meeting in court between the mayor and Schleuter for a preliminary injunction hearing.

According to paperwork filed in district court, Schleuter intended to call witnesses to testify at the hearing to support his case. But Schleuter’s notice to retire ends the hearing.