Mike Worden alleges reputational hurt and private harm, misplaced previous and future revenue, out-of-pocket bills as a result of perceived inaction over marketing campaign in opposition to him
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Former Medication Hat police chief Mike Worden has launched a lawsuit looking for near $2 million in damages from the Metropolis of Medication Hat, its police service, three officers who served throughout his tenure and a girl he admits he was in a romantic relationship with in 2022.
Worden took over as Medication Hat’s police chief in January 2021 after 25 years with the Calgary Police Service, however resigned because the southeastern Alberta metropolis’s prime regulation enforcement officer in Could 2022.
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Worden, who earned roughly $225,000 per 12 months and had a five-year employment contract with the Metropolis of Medication Hat, is looking for damages totalling $1.85 million, together with $250,000 for reputational hurt and private harm, $560,000 for misplaced previous and future revenue from the Metropolis of Medication Hat, $1 million for lack of future revenue and $40,000 for out-of-pocket bills, together with the sale of his Medication Hat residence at a loss and the price of shifting again to Calgary.
In a press release of declare filed March 1, 2024, in Medication Hat Court docket of King’s Bench, Worden alleges that Noel Darr, Brent Secondiak and Carissa Witkowski, Medication Hat cops throughout Worden’s tenure, and Sashia Stiere, with whom Worden admits he had a romantic relationship from about August 2021 till November 2021, conspired for months in 2022 to harass and defame Worden, injury his fame and pressure him to resign from the Medication Hat Police Service.
On the identical time Worden and Stiere had been in a romantic relationship, Stiere was additionally in a romantic relationship with Darr, says the assertion of declare.
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Worden alleges there was an try and blackmail him in March 2022, when Secondiak knowledgeable Worden that a number of unnamed MHPS staff had been in possession of “embarrassing sexual associated digital messages” between Worden and an “unnamed particular person” who Worden says he later discovered was Stiere.
“Secondiak suggested Worden that these staff meant to report the Messages to the Medication Hat Police Fee and to the Medication Hat Metropolis Counsel (sic) until Worden agreed to resign from the MHPS,” says the assertion of declare. “Worden turned involved that Secondiak was a part of a conspiracy to make use of the Messages as blackmail to pressure him to resign.”
Worden notified the police fee in regards to the blackmail try and requested the fee to talk with Secondiak “to get additional particulars,” says the assertion of declare.
Worden additionally says there was a false harassment grievance in opposition to Worden, with the police fee clearing him in Could 2022. A 3rd-party investigation discovered no wrongdoing on Worden’s half after the alleged complainant instructed the fee she didn’t make a grievance, says the assertion of declare.
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However Worden believed the scenario had affected his potential to guide the Medication Hat Police Service and resigned as police chief efficient Could 26, 2022.
The Metropolis of Medication Hat knew or must have identified that “the conspirators” had launched a “harassment marketing campaign” in opposition to Worden, says the assertion of declare.
“The Metropolis of Medication Hat didn’t take acceptable steps to cease it or to help in mitigating the hurt to Worden’s fame,” it says. “Accordingly, the Metropolis of Medication Hat shares legal responsibility for the hurt dedicated by the conspirators.”
The Metropolis of Medication Hat breached Worden’s employment contract by failing to supply a fairly protected work atmosphere, and breached its responsibility of care towards Worden by failing to analyze allegations in opposition to him and failing to make an inexpensive try to stop or mitigate the reputational hurt he was struggling, says the assertion of declare.
“The defendant’s misconduct has precipitated Worden to suffers from well being issues, and has destroyed his skilled fame as a police officer,” it says. “Worden has not discovered work as a police officer since” he resigned as Medication Hat’s police chief virtually two years in the past.
The allegations contained within the assertion of declare haven’t been confirmed in court docket. A press release of defence has but to be filed with the Medication Hat Court docket of King’s Bench.
The Metropolis of Medication Hat declined to remark Thursday because of the matter being earlier than the courts.
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