WASHINGTON – A jury has ruled in favor of D.C. government and found that a demoted Metropolitan police captain was not protected by whistleblower laws.
The ruling effectively upholds Hilton Burton’s demotion to the rank of captain. Burton claimed his demotion was in retaliation for speaking to the District Council in 2011 about celebrity escorts, which he said were a long-standing department practice.
But the jury found that Burton’s statements to the council did not amount to protected disclosures and so whistleblower laws do not apply to the case.
Government attorney Steven Anderson, with the D.C. Attorney General’s office, would only say he was “happy we won” as he left the courthouse.
Burton says he disagrees with the jury’s decision but respects the verdict.
“At the time I testified before the city council, I truly believed that the chief had lied to all of you and to the public of the District of Columbia. And I still believe that,” he says. “I think this is a terrible day for the members of the Metropolitan Police Department, for the citizens of the District of Columbia. Because throughout this case, we’ve showed the inconsistencies, the falsehoods, of the chief of police. And it hurts everyone.”
Burton will return to his job assisting the fire department with internal investigations, an assignment that he still maintains is part of the retaliation against him.
“I will continue to do my job as an official of this agency for the District of Columbia, whether I’m at the fire department, or at the police department, or (the Department of Public Works) or wherever they put me.”
Burton accused Chief Cathy Lanier of overseeing dozens of police escorts for celebrities while she headed the department’s Special Operations Division between 2002 and 2006. Lanier said she knew of four that occurred under her watch, but without her approval. She said that she usually “denied, flat-out” escort requests.
City officials argued that Burton was demoted due to performance problems including that his crowd-control measures during a parade were too aggressive and that he mishandled several standoffs.
Burton was demoted from the rank of commander shortly after his comments to the council and after the division he oversaw escorted actor Charlie Sheen from Dulles Airport to the District, which Lanier argued violated multiple department policies.
In his suit, Burton sought $6 million in damages and to be reinstated to his former rank.
WTOP’s John Aaron contributed to this report.
