SIMI VALLEY : Fired Officer Loses Reinstatement Bid

Fired Simi Valley Police Officer Paul Nolan failed to win reinstatement to his job Tuesday after the city manager approved an arbitrator’s ruling that Nolan was justly dismissed from his job last December.

Nolan had appealed his Dec. 10 firing to an arbitrator, arguing that he was improperly dismissed.

However, John Perone, the Long Beach attorney chosen by Nolan’s attorney and the Simi Valley city attorney’s office to arbitrate the appeal, last week upheld Nolan’s termination.

On Tuesday, Simi Valley City Atty. Lin Koester ruled in favor of the arbitrator’s decision, leaving the case open for a civil lawsuit, Nolan’s next recourse, said Assistant City Manager Mike Sedell.

“He’s reviewed the facts in the case, he’s reviewed the hearing officer’s review in the case and he’s rendered a decision,” Sedell said. “We’ll communicate to Mr. Nolan’s lawyer via letter with a copy to Nolan of the city manager’s decision. That’s gone out today.”

Nolan and his attorney could not be reached for comment.

Police Chief Lindsey P. Miller said: “I guess the ball is in their court if they want to appeal it. There’s nothing more the city can do.”

Miller confirmed published reports that Nolan was fired because citizens complained he had been too aggressive and acted unprofessionally on the job, but he declined further comment, saying Nolan’s case is a confidential personnel matter.

The city last month rejected a claim Nolan filed in April against the city, Koester, Miller and suspended Lt. Robert Klamser, alleging he was wrongly arrested three weeks before he was fired, in a 3-year-old rape case in which charges later were dropped. Miller said that case had nothing to do with Nolan’s firing.