MARYSVILLE — A Marysville police officer who was fired and then reinstated after the shooting death of his 7-year-old daughter is set to return to work on Friday, according to city officials. Derek Carlile, 32, was fired in spring 2013, after a criminal trial and an internal investigation into the March 2012 shooting. He was charged with manslaughter. A jury was unable to reach a verdict.
He appealed his firing and last month was awarded his job back in binding arbitration.
The city was ordered to act within 30 days. Carlile is set to rejoin the force Friday, city administrator Gloria Hirashima said.
City officials have not said what Carlile’s position will be when he’s scheduled to return to work. He previously worked in patrol.
The shooting happened when Carlile’s 3-year-old son got hold of a gun Carlile left in a cup holder in the family van. The children were alone in the van when the boy retrieved the gun and shot and killed his sister, Jenna. The parents were standing near the van at the time.
City officials fired Carlile after the court case, citing “negligent actions and the public scrutiny.”
In January, an arbitrator determined that termination was an unfair level of discipline because the death happened while Carlile was off-duty, and because he had no significant previous discipline issues.
Carlile is one of at least three police officers in Snohomish County in recent years whose firings have been reversed by an arbitrator. In some cases, officers who are reinstated sign settlements with their previous employers instead of returning to the job.
In the labor proceedings, Carlile reportedly testified that he wants to return to the police department, “with all my heart.” Before his firing, the city offered Carlile a job as a code enforcement officer, a position that doesn’t involve police powers or carrying a firearm. He declined.
Carlile was hired at the police department in April 2009. The arbitrator recommended that Carlile be given a suspension instead of being fired.
Carlile was not granted back pay in the case.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.
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