Fired La Vergne Police Chief Davis sues city to get job back or compensation
Fired former La Vergne Police Chief Burrell "Chip" Davis sued the city Tuesday demanding his job back or compensation.
La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole fired Davis February 2023 following an independent investigation report from Nashville attorney Thomas H. Lee that accused the former police chief of knowing about sexual misconduct of officers before five lost their jobs Jan. 4, 2023.
Investigation: La Vergne Police 'Chief Davis was aware of inappropriate sexual activity'
Davis filed his discrimination civil rights case as an African American in U.S. District court in Nashville. He's also demanding a jury trial, back pay, and compensation for damages that include lost benefits, humiliation, stress, inconvenience and attorneys fees.
The lawsuit lists Davis representing himself at this time. He was earning an annual salary of $110,634 and annual insurance benefit of nearly $23,828 prior to being fired, La Vergne public records obtained through a request from The Daily News Journal show.
The La Vergne Board of Mayor and Alderman recently settled a sexual harassment lawsuit from one of the fired officers, Meagan Hall, for $500,000. Her lawsuit accused Davis and other officers of sexual harassment.
Hall's complaint against the former chief includes the following:
"Asking Ms. Hall to dance for him in his office;"
"Stating that he would harass Ms. Hall and make it fun;"
"Asking her (in a manner with sexually suggestive overtones) whether she preferred dark, white or milk chocolate;"
And describing her clothing as being "hot girl summer (expletive)."
Lawsuit: La Vergne sexual harassment case over fired police officer reaches $500K settlement
The city's independent investigation report on Davis revealed that Hall on Dec. 8 sought hospitalized treatment for 72 hours after she disclosed suicidal thoughts and intentions to medical personal and her superiors and fellow officers.
The Davis lawsuit refutes that he had knowledge of the sexual misconduct in advance after Sgt. Henry Ty McGowan, one of the five fired officers, sent the chief a picture October 2022 that appeared to be of Hall and an unidentified Black male.
“There was no way to confirm the individuals in the picture, and the policy does not say that officers cannot be involved in relationships," Davis said in his lawsuit. "However, after the medical incident with Hall, I called (Sgt.) Lewis Powell (another fired officer) into my office and asked him if there was anything I need to know about him and Hall and if they were involved with each other, and he replied, ‘No boss,’ and I left it alone.”
The other fired officers along with Hall, Powell and McGowan are the following:
Patrol officer Juan Lugo‐Perez
Detective Seneca Shields
Cole said after the recent Hall settlement decision that any firing decisions by the mayor are based on recommendations from department heads, the city's Human Resources director, city administrators and city attorney.
The city still faces wrongful termination lawsuits from McGowan and Powell, the mayor said.
The city following the firing of Davis conducted a national search to find a new police chief. By August 2023, Mayor Cole offered the police chief job to finalist Chris Moews, who previously served as police captain in Milwaukee before accepting his position to oversee the La Vergne Police Department.
Hall also had filed a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint.
The Davis lawsuit shows that he had filed an EEOC complaint to obtain a right to sue letter on Jan. 16, 2024, from Phillip Bornefeld, the area office director for the federal agency.
"The EEOC will not proceed further with its investigation and makes no determination about whether further investigation would establish violations of the statute,” Bornefeld's letter said.
The EEOC letter to Davis also tells the fired chief that if he chooses to sue he must file the case within 90 days, which would have placed the deadline on Monday, April 15, the day before he filed his case.
Davis accepted his chief job from Mayor Cole July 2021 after serving as interim chief following the retirement of former La Vergne Police Chief Mike Walker on Labor Day 2020.
The city hired Davis August 2003 as an entry level police officer, according to his lawsuit.
Note: This story will be updated.
Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Fired La Vergne Police chief sues city to get job back or compensation
