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Former Police Chief Terry Hart has sued National City and city officials over his abrupt firing in March. Hart, who served a stormy tenure of nine years as chief, was fired by City Manager Tom McCabe when the two disagreed on Hart’s management style and Hart’s proposal for a new city budget.
Besides the city and McCabe, Hart also named National City Mayor George Waters as a defendant in the suit. Waters had backed McCabe’s decision to fire Hart and said the former chief had stopped being a “team player.” Hart was fired March 24, but his termination did not become effective until April 24.
Hart is asking for unspecified damages, reinstatement, back pay and the right to an administrative appeal. He claims the firing violated his civil rights and inflicted emotional distress on him.
The suit was filed in Superior Court. National City officials had no comment. Hart and his attorney, Everett Bobbitt, were unavailable for comment.
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