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Fired Largo police sergeant to return

The 23-year veteran will be demoted to officer and receive back pay.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published January 2, 2007

LARGO - The Police Department plans to rehire and demote a veteran sergeant fired last January for letting a subordinate spray whipped cream on her neck and chest and lick it off during a party at a bar.

The city is complying with the Dec. 20 decision of an arbitrator, who concluded that firing 23-year veteran Joan Short was too severe of a discipline.

"She's ready to go back to work," said Short's attorney, Joseph Ciarciaglino Jr. "She's been vindicated. To fire her over these matters was ludicrous."

The arbitrator ruled that Short be demoted to the rank of officer and be suspended for five days.

She will receive back pay for a six-month period, the maximum in such situations, and her suspension will be deducted from that amount. As a sergeant, Short, 43, made about $65,750 annually. As a police officer, she will be paid $59,280 a year.

Sgt. Stephen Slaughter said police Chief Lester Aradi respects the arbitration process and is working to facilitate Short's return.

"We're ready to move forward, and we consider this matter closed," Slaughter said.

The whipped cream incident occurred during an October 2005 birthday gathering for Officer Melinda DeKyle at the Green Iguana bar in St. Petersburg.

Short told investigators she didn't know what to do when the officer sprayed chocolate-flavored whipped cream on her and "didn't want to make a scene."

DeKyle received a 10-day suspension for her part in the incident.

Short's supervisors had recommended that Short receive a five-day suspension and lose her rank as sergeant. But Aradi decided on the more severe punishment, based on Short's lack of remorse and her failure to understand how her off-duty contact affected subordinates.

Short was officially terminated for engaging in conduct that "adversely affects the image of the Police Department."

At the time, officials also said her disciplinary record contributed to her firing. Since 2004, she had been cited three times for disrespectful behavior, with one of the incidents resulting in a five-day suspension in December 2005.

Short's file also included about three dozen letters of praise from the public and police officials. One of Short's certificates of commendation honored her for her role in a 1993 investigation that led to the department's largest seizure of growing marijuana at the time.

That same year, she received a distinguished service medal for diverting the suicide attempt of a 13-year-old boy.

Short had appealed her discharge to binding arbitration, which was conducted Nov. 7 and 8, as a condition of the labor agreement between the city and the Pinellas County Police Benevolent Association. The arbitrator was appointed through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent agency that provides mediation and conflict resolution services.

While arbitrator Christopher M. Shulman disagreed with the discipline, he agreed with the city on several counts.

Shulman determined that Short was forewarned about engaging in unprofessional conduct, that her conduct blurred "the fuzzy line between sergeant and officer" and that the city's investigation of her was fair.

Lorri Helfand can be reached at 727 445-4155 or lorri@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 2, 2007, 06:12:45]