Freeman Remains Fired

After five hours in front of the Chattanooga City Council, fired Chattanooga police officer Kenneth Freeman will stay that way. Fired. 

First, a little history of Freeman's story. Last summer, Freeman was relieved of his duties amid domestic assault allegations.  Authorities told us then that they responded to a apartment complex on Mountain Creek Road.  That's where Rose Blanks told police that she and Freeman were arguing.  That's when she says Freeman threatened her.

He was fired in August after an Internal Affairs investigation into several different incidents.  Police spokesperson Sgt. Jerry Weary said one of those incidents, "..alcohol was involved and he was found to have been carrying a firearm at the time which he consumed alcohol."  She said investigators at Internal Affairs were actually looking into two cases involving three violations of department policy and procedures. "One was for turning in overtime sheets for time he had not worked," Sgt. Weary explained.  Weary added that amounted to fraud, among other things. "And then the third was for conduct unbecoming," Sgt. Weary said.

Freeman was also suspended 28 days after video from a security camera at the Walmart in Collegedale showed him shoving a 71-year-old Walmart greeter.

Fast forward to Freeman's hearing Monday in front of the council.  A member of C.P.D.'s Internal Affairs said Freeman should have gone to jail for what happened at the Walmart.

During Monday's hearing Freeman and his attorney pleaded the case and asked the City Council to revoke his firing. His attorney says media coverage of the greeter video had a negative effect on Freeman's career, and the charges against him were not enough to fire him from the force.

Freeman was also suspended for 28 days last year after the Freeman made the news during a controversial incident last Christmas after a WalMart security camera caught him shoving an elderly greeter to the ground after the greeter put his hands on Freeman. Freeman has served the city since 1994 as a patrolman and detective in the Major Crimes division.