Denise Richardson, the former Pine Bluff Police Chief, has initiated a lawsuit against Mayor Vivian Flowers and the City of Pine Bluff following her termination on March 11.
The lawsuit claims that shortly after Mayor Flowers assumed office, she engaged in discussions with Richardson about upcoming decertification hearings for Officers Hilliard and Trimble, expressing a desire to halt the proceedings.
Click Here To Read The Richardson Lawsuit
Officer Hilliard faced suspension for submitting fraudulent time cards, falsely claiming to be on duty. Her suspension was upheld after an appeal, and her employment was terminated due to ethics violations and dishonesty. Officer Trimble’s termination was linked to misconduct during an arrest. Both officers’ decertification hearings were scheduled for early 2024 before Flowers became mayor, under the oversight of the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST) Board.
Richardson’s lawsuit accuses Mayor Flowers of pressuring her to alter departmental policies concerning cardinal offenses, which align with state standards, and to stop pursuing officer decertifications.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that Flowers arranged a meeting with Richardson on March 11, despite knowing that Richardson was set to testify at Trimble’s decertification hearing that morning. It also alleges that Flowers attempted to have Trimble’s case removed from the CLEST docket, a request that CLEST did not honor. Instead, CLEST proceeded to revoke Trimble’s certification due to the mistreatment of a suspect.
Richardson’s termination was communicated on March 24, coinciding with the retirement of the Fire Chief, an option not extended to her. She is seeking punitive damages for wrongful termination from the city.
The case has been filed in Judge Robert Wyatt’s courtroom. Richardson is represented by Attorney Bradley Hull.
Click Here To Read The Richardson Lawsuit
