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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Former Ansted police chief files wrongful termination suit

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FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayette County man is suing over claims his employment as chief of police was terminated as a result of his investigation into irregularities in the town of Ansted's fiscal affairs.

John L. Kiefer filed a lawsuit Aug. 12 in Fayette Circuit Court against the town of Ansted, and Romie Hobbs, individually and in his capacity as mayor of Ansted.

According to the complaint, Kiefer was hired as police chief in July 2013, at which time he began to notice peculiarities in the town's expenditures and began an investigation. Kiefer says when he asked Hobbs, the mayor, about the peculiarities, he was either denied the information or ignored, so he filed a request for records under the Freedom of Information Act.

The complaint states, the next morning, Hobbs terminated Kiefer's employment. The defendants are accused of discharge in contravention of public policy.

Kiefer is being represented by attorneys Michael T. Clifford and Richelle K. Garlow of Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge John Hatcher Jr.

The case number is Fayette Circuit Court case 14-C-219

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