Haymarket officers' suspensions reduced

Haymarket officers' suspensions reduced
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By LILLIAN KAFKA
lkafka@potomacnews.com
Friday, July 1, 2005

Suspending Haymarket's police chief for six weeks was too severe a punishment, the Haymarket Town Council ruled Thursday.

By a 5 to 1 vote, the council reduced Chief James Roop's and Sgt. Greg Breeden's suspension to 15 days.

Town officials continue to deny the press and residents disclosure of what prompted the suspension.

Councilman Jay Tobias cast the dissenting vote against the suspension reduction while council members Natasha Sikorsky, Pamela Stutz, Bryan Garcia, Sheila Jarboe and Bob Weir voted for the reduction.

"I don't believe we should take action without our legal counsel present," Tobias said.

Mayor David Taylor, who only votes to break ties among the six-member council, said that if there was new information, he would not release it in order to protect a confidential personnel matter.

"The majority of council had a change of opinion in the severity of the punishment," Taylor said.

Asked if disclosing the nature of an investigation of Roop and Breeden should be made public to quell swirling rumors, Taylor replied, "The council has taken the necessary steps to ensure ........

Haymarket officers' suspensions reduced
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