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Chapter 143.057 allows a police officer or fire fighter to appeal a disciplina ;action <br />to a third party hearing examiner. The only qualification necessary under ate law <br />'is that the hearing examiner be a member of either the American Ar ~tration <br />"Association or the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. <br />i! <br />'~ Proposed Change <br />~; <br />pThis amendment would require that a third arty hearing examiner receiv special <br />:.'training regarding Chapter 143 or that the hearing exanuner be a retired o former <br />!~ judge who is a member of the State Bar. <br />Reasons for Proposed Change <br />(~ <br />,s <br />;Several cities have experienced problems with third party hearing exa ers not <br />~~ understanding the nature of police or fire work. Police officers and fire fighters, <br />'' because of the very nature of their work, interact with citizens everyday. refore, <br />~' when a police chief decides to indefinitely suspend a police officer be se the <br />y ;officer has shown a history of unnecessary violence in arrest situations, vi tion of <br />'' criminal laws, or for other reasons, the examiner often fails to unders rid the <br />,;; liability the city faces by keeping that officer on the force. <br />~~ In an attem t to reach a compromise between the city and an officer who;: `as been <br />~~ disciplined, hearing examiners have reduced the punishment even thought re is no <br />dispute as to what the officer did. Since there is no appeal from a decision' cept in <br />~~ ~ i v limited situations, the city is often forced to return an obviously bad ficer or <br />fire fighter to the force. '~~ <br />~, <br />-~ <br />,: <br />,, <br />{ ,; ; j <br />,', <br />~, ';' <br />,. <br />j ~ <br />is <br />~~ <br />~~ <br />