ASHLAND — A former Ashland police sergeant has filed a lawsuit against the city of Ashland, accusing officials of wrongfully terminating him and a former colleague after they complained about a former police chief's conduct.
Former Sgt. Andrew Worrall filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Boone County through his attorney, Andy Hirth.
The lawsuit alleges that former Ashland officer Tom Whitener was fired in 2023 following false allegations from a part-time Ashland Police Department employee who accused him of using excessive force during the city's Fourth of July parade that year.
According to the lawsuit, the employee alleged that Whitener laid down spike strips to disable a vehicle in the parade. Hirth, who also represents Whitener, said Whitener has denied these claims, and the lawsuit said witnesses at the parade said the incident did not happen as alleged.
Whitener was also part of a group that reported misconduct by former Ashland Police Chief Gabe Edwards to the city administrator. Edwards was later placed on leave.
The lawsuit said Worrall raised concerns earlier this year with the city's new police chief, Scott Young, that the allegations against Whitener were false. After multiple attempts by Worrall to start an investigation — including an email to Young indicating he intended to take his concerns to the Boone County Prosecuting Attorney's Office — Worrall was placed on administrative leave in June, according to the lawsuit.
A due process hearing for Worrall was initially scheduled for Aug. 22 but was later canceled, and Worrall was fired, according to the lawsuit.
In 2018, Missouri expanded its whistleblower laws to include municipal employees.
"The way the statute works is that it's unlawful for a government entity to discipline a government employee in any way whatsoever for the disclosure of information that an officer reasonably believes to a violation of law or policy," Hirth said.
According to Hirth, the law means if Worrall's claims were ultimately false, he should still have been protected under the statute.
The city of Ashland had not yet been served with the petition and summons as of Wednesday and was unavailable for comment.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and asks the court to order the city to remedy its alleged violation of Missouri's whistleblower law for public employees.
