A federal appeals court has cleared an ex-Flint police chief who handcuffed a man he suspected of impersonating an officer.
Sean O'Malley was handcuffed and placed in a police car in 2006 after then-Chief Gary Hagler saw him driving a Chevy Tahoe that had many features of a police vehicle. It turned out that O'Malley had purchased the SUV from the state police.
O'Malley was a security guard and had other problems that day. Warren police said there was a warrant for his arrest, but that was a mistake.
O'Malley sued Hagler, saying his rights were violated. But the appeals court says safety was a reason for Hagler to handcuff O'Malley, who had a gun in the vehicle. Judge Ronald Gilman disagreed, saying a jury should decide.
Back in June of 2008, Then Mayor, Don Williamson appointed David Dicks to interim Police Chief to replace the departing Gary Hagler. Hagler stepped down to take a job as the lead law enforcement officer with the state DNR.
