Lawsuit: Tennessee City Violated Civil Rights in Disbanding Police Department

A Tennessee city is accused of violating the civil rights of its police department when it abruptly disbanded the agency last month.

The Tennessean reports Ridgetop police chief Bryan Morris and the department’s four former officers filed the federal lawsuit July 22 against the city.

The lawsuit says the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Tony Reasoner are waging a retaliatory war against the department for investigating allegations that lawmakers destroyed evidence and issued illegal ticket quotas. It says the city falsified data for the budget, which the city said was too constrained to fund police.

A court order reopened the department; the city allowed only Morris to remain employed. Court documents say at least one 911 call has gone unanswered since last month.