Officer Sues Ex-Wife After Learning He’s Not Son’s Biological Father

A Los Angeles police officer is suing his ex-wife, a former dispatcher, for fraud and emotional distress, contending that the boy he thought was his son was actually fathered by another officer in the Van Nuys Division where all three worked.

Sgt. Thomas C. Hatter, who now works at the LAPD’s Central Traffic Division, filed suit Wednesday in Van Nuys Superior Court against his ex-wife, Veronica Dunkel, who now lives in San Luis Obispo County.

According to the suit, Hatter, who was divorced from Dunkel in 1987 after a 10-year marriage, was victimized by having to pay child support for a son his ex-wife knew wasn’t his. As part of the divorce settlement, Hatter signed over to his wife a two-acre ranch and agreed to pay child support for the boy, now 12, and a daughter, 10, the suit said.

Hatter, who lives in Castaic, said in the suit that he discovered the identity of the boy’s biological father late last year when he received an anonymous note at police headquarters through the department’s internal message system.

The note, a copy of which was attached to the suit, identified the boy’s real father simply as a “Valley motor cop” and gave a single name. The note went on to say: “I hope you can recupe the money she has soaked you out of for the past years.”

Hatter’s former wife could not be reached for comment.

In March, Hatter took a DNA blood test that showed he was not the boy’s father, the suit said. Hatter’s attorney, Mitchell Smith, said he believes Hatter knows the identity of the boy’s real father but is not disclosing it at this time. Smith said they believe the man is no longer a police officer.

Smith said Hatter is not questioning whether he is the biological father of the girl.

Smith said that, in a separate court action in April, Hatter was relieved of his financial responsibility for the boy.

Hatter is seeking both general and punitive damages but does not specify an amount in the suit.