A former Buffalo police officer says she deserves a pension despite being fired eight years ago for trying to stop a fellow officer she says was abusing a black suspect.
The City Council is now taking a second look at Cariol Horne's 19 years with the department. She was fired in 2006 and was just shy of qualifying for for a full pension, which requires 20 years of service.
Horne was terminated for trying to stop officer Greg Kwiatkowski from allegedly abusing a black suspect.
The Council held a special meeting Tuesday, December 9th to review Horne's case. The city attorney advised the Council that it can not reinstate Horne's employment since a court upheld her original termination and that it can not take any action regarding Horne's service credit totals as that is a function of the state.
The Council referred the case to Civil Committee and has submitted a review of Horne's service credit to the state for a second look and is also asking the state to look at any other available opportunities to grant Horne a pension.
Kwiatkowski was forced to retire after a grand jury indicted him and two other officers in a separate case for holding down a black teenager and shooting him with a BB gun.
Kwiatkowski was also previously suspended for choking a fellow officer on the job and punching another officer while off the clock.
