SIMI VALLEY : Fired Police Officer Sues City, Officials

Simi Valley and top city officials have been sued by a former police officer who was fired for having an ongoing sexual relationship with a 17-year-old Explorer Scout.

Former Officer Kevin Medley, 36, is seeking back wages, job reinstatement and removal from his personnel record of all references to the affair and the department’s investigation, according to the suit he filed Tuesday in Ventura County Superior Court.

The suit against the city, Police Chief Lindsey P. Miller and City Manager Lin Koester also asks for reimbursement of attorney fees.

Medley served three years until he was fired Oct. 28 after officials ruled that his affair with the 17-year-old girl violated department policy. A state appeals mediator recommended the city rehire Medley, but Koester upheld the firing.

The officer met the girl while she was a member of the Police Department’s Explorer Scout program, which gives youths ages 14 to 20 a background in law enforcement.

Medley’s suit argues the firing was an excessive penalty and that Koester’s final ruling was not supported by the evidence presented at the April appeal hearing.

The suit, however, does not say specifically how Koester’s decision was unsupported because, Medley’s attorney wrote, he is still gathering records of the hearing. The attorney, Darryl Mounger, could not be reached Thursday for comment.

“We’ll certainly contest (the suit) very strongly,” said Mike Sedell, Simi Valley assistant city manager. “This person was under 18 years of age. Whether or not she was a Scout, it was illegal.”

Despite the alleged violation of a state law against adults having sex with minors, prosecutors did not prosecute the case after the girl’s parents refused to press charges.

The girl, now 18, married Medley on Oct. 17 with her parents serving as witnesses.

Miller said of Medley’s firing: “We felt it necessary to do given the circumstances, and we stand by it.”