University wants reinstated cop who threatened to shoot fellow officer fired
An arbitrator ruled to reinstate William Hernandez this year after his firing.
FAU police stand outside the Humanities and Technology building. Joe Pye | Editor in Chief
July 11, 2017
FAU wants a university police officer fired — for the second time in a year.
The university filed a motion on June 21, 2017 with the Palm Beach court system that challenges an arbitrator’s decision to reinstate police officer William Hernandez, Palm Beach County court records state.
In June 2016, Hernandez told FAU interim police Chief Sean Brammer that he wanted to shoot an unnamed university lieutenant. He was subsequently placed on paid leave for a month and fired a month later by Brammer. The incident occurred following an argument over the FAU K-9 program, according to Palm Beach County court records.
Arbitrator William McGinnis Jr. ruled that Hernandez be given his job back, alongside his salary from the past year, full pay and benefits on June 15, 2017, according to WPTV. McGinnis Jr. argued that because the school did not conduct an outside investigation following the incident, Hernandez was wrongfully terminated.
FAU was forced to reinstate Hernandez, who has been in the university police department for 18 years, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association, a police labor union, is representing Hernandez in the case. Association Vice President John Kazanjian told WPTV that the school’s decision to fire Hernandez without an independent investigation violated the “collective bargaining agreement” the school and the police union have.
Court records state FAU is claiming that McGinnis Jr. “exceeded the arbitrator’s powers under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
Nate Nkumbu is a staff writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @FoureyedNate.
