"The department's logic for firing the officers, their attorney Matthew McNicholas said, was that they must have lied to the California Department of Motor Vehicles in order to obtain the specialized plates, which exempt drivers from paying registration fees and allow them to use disabled parking spots and park in metered spots for free."
"Under federal law, to get a 100% disability rating - which each of the officers obtained - a veteran doesn't have to be fully disabled. A veteran can get that disability status through a combination of partial disabilities, such as partial hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder or a back injury."
"The department said it's a bad look for the officers to come to work in their personal cars carrying plates for veterans with a 100% disability rating, McNicholas said in an interview Tuesday."
Three Riverside police officers face termination after suing the department for veteran discrimination. The dispute centers on their use of "100% Disabled Veteran" license plates on personal vehicles. The department claims the officers must have lied to obtain these plates, but their attorney argues this logic is flawed. Under federal law, a 100% disability rating can result from combined partial disabilities such as hearing loss, PTSD, or back injuries. Officers must submit valid medical or veterans agency documentation to obtain these plates. The department's concern appears rooted in public perception rather than legitimate misconduct, as the officers perform their jobs without apparent problems.
#police-department-discrimination #veteran-rights #disability-benefits #employment-termination #public-perception
Read at Los Angeles Times
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