United States Sixth Circuit

In a suit brought by a former police officer and canine handler alleging violations of Ohio's whistleblower statute, common law public policy, and retaliatory discharge arising from his protesting proposed cutbacks in canine training, partial denial of summary judgment for defendant-police chief is reversed where plaintiff's expressions were made pursuant to his duties as a canine handler and patrolman, and thus were unprotected speech as a matter of law.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/25/2007
• Published 01/25/2007

Judges

• Before: BATCHELDER, GILMAN, and SUTTON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  John T. McLandrich, Mazanec, Raskin & Ryder, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellants.  James R. Kingsley, Circleville, Ohio, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  John T. McLandrich, David J. Sipusic, Mazanec, Raskin & Ryder, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellants.  James R. Kingsley, Circleville, Ohio, for Appellee.