EVERETT — The grievance filed on behalf of former police officer Troy Meade could be headed to binding arbitration.
Mayor Ray Stephanson has declined to bring Meade back to the force. The city’s human resource manager recently provided a denial letter to the union, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said Tuesday morning.
The Everett Police Officers Association now can ask for arbitration on behalf of Meade, who was fired late last month.
Meanwhile Leland Dart, a local blogger, posted Meade’s response letter to his termination. Dart said the association provided him the June 26 letter. It can be read here.
The Herald had previously requested a copy of the letter from the city but was told the document wouldn’t be released until July 25. The Herald also called the association’s attorney, Jeffrey Julius to obtain a copy of the letter. His secretary said on Tuesday that Julius “wasn’t interested in taking the call.”
Meade was fired for the June 10, 2009, shooting that left Niles Meservey dead. A drunk and uncooperative Meservey refused to get out of his car outside the Chuckwagon Inn. He continued to ignore Meade’s commands after being shocked with two cycles from an electronic stun gun. Meservey put his car in gear and drove into a metal fence.
Meade shot Meservey seven times from behind. Meade later testified at his murder trial that he was afraid that he or another officer were going to be run down. He told jurors that he saw the car’s reverse lights come on.
Meade was acquitted of all criminal charges. The jury in a separate civil decision concluded that the shooting wasn’t self defense.
Former police chief Jim Scharf determined that Meade violated department policies and called into question Meade’s actions the night of the killing.
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