Last Tuesday, the Riverside City Council voted unaminously to appeal the arbitrator's ruling that reversed the firing of former police sergeant Gregory Preece, in Superior Court.

The city has decided to file a writ of Mandate with the superior court to contest the ruling made by John D. Perone to reinstate Preece, and all his back pay, dating back to September 1, 1999. Perone ruled that the firing was excessive, and a response to public outcry from the shooting death of Tyisha Miller, rather than the actions of Preece. The city argued that due to the severity of his actions and his inability to acknowlege that he had done anything wrong, that Preece was unretrainable. Mayor pro tem Laura Pearson, in a press release, said that the actions committed by Preece on Dec. 28, 1998 were unacceptable to the city of Riverside, a comment that surprised many community members.

In the same release, Mayor Ron Loveridge supported the Council's vote to appeal Perone's ruling. "We believe the Police Department's initial penalty, imposed in 1999, for his conduct was thoughtful, appropriate and just," he said.

Preece's counsel argued that Preece did not have enough time at the scene to respond to the events as they occurred.

Now all four of the RPD officers including the Sgt, will all be very wealthy due to wrongful termination law suits.

My friends LAPD Sgt Stacey Koon, and Ofcr Lawrence Powell are millionaires due to what the liberals did to them.

The liberals keep hitting them, but in the long term they are causing these terminated cops to win big time. I love the liberals.

Rev. Bill Rhetts

Why is it that you seem to surround yourself with officers who get themselves fired?

Lawrence Powell

Stacey Koon

David Mack

Gregory Preece

Michael Algna

Paul Bugar

Wayne Stewart

Daniel Hotard

Perhaps, it's time for some introspection here, Bill. At any rate, I'm inclined to think that your retirement package was a small price to pay for some assurance of public safety...for people and dogs.