Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Friday, December 4, 2015 at 2:05 p.m.
A police sergeant charged with second-degree rape has been placed on unpaid layoff status effective today pending the outcome of the criminal case.
As required by the Civil Service discipline process, an internal review panel reviewed the felony charge filed against Gordon Ennis. The committee recommended that Ennis be placed on layoff status.
“This is a very serious charge and the alleged behavior is something we will not tolerate out of anyone, especially not an officer sworn to uphold and enforce the law,” Spokane Mayor David Condon said.
According to City policy, “an employee who has been formally charged with a felony will be laid off pending court trial determination only if the alleged crime is so heinous as to offend the sensibilities of a reasonable person, there is a job connection, the City’s public relations would be adversely affected by retaining the employee on the job, or the employee’s presence on the job would be a disruptive factor in the work force.” The committee found that the felony charge met all four criteria.
This Civil Service process is separate from the internal affairs process.
